I love spring! All the little 'helipcopters' as we call them are flying around in these huge wind gusts. Ronnie and Anna played for half an hour just with the helicopters outside. The helicopters are the little bud things that fall off maple trees in the spring. I'm laying on my bed resting, with lace curtains flowing from the strong breeze, listening to the Pride and Prejudice soundtrack and overall feeling very peaceful. This day started out a little chaotic but it came back under control soon enough. The day was filled with joyful preparations for a certain holiday, some fun creativity outside and in but for me a sad solemnity seemed to lightly loom through out the whole day.
Mum and Dad were at my Great-Great Uncle Rich's funeral service and burial today. She stood by Aunt Helen the whole time and Dad was a pall bearer. Sara and I stayed home with the littles because Dad and Mum had to be there at quarter till nine. Mum called a few times and updated us when she got home early this afternoon with Dad. Uncle Rich had served in WWII in Africa and Italy, so there was the three gun salute, the playing of Taps, and the flag folding ceremony. When my Pap (Dad's dad) died a few years ago, because he was in Korea, they did all this and to this day I can still not even think of the piece Taps without crying. There wasn't a dry eye at the burial, Mum told us. Especially when they played Taps. Please be in prayer for our Aunt Helen and her sons and their families through out the coming days.
Though the latter events were going on at the time and were not far from my mind, Sara, the 'Littles' and I all set about cleaning up some for Mum, playing outside, and drawing a huge mural at the top of our driveway that read, "HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, MUM!!" (Pictures from Mum's Mother's Day will be forthcoming.:)) Because we will be gone at church and both my grandmothers' homes tomorrow (and Mum will be working her tail off...again) Mum declared today to be her own Mother's Day. So the past week and a half we've all been planning and carrying out Mum's mother's day gifts. :) Mum surprised me by dropping me off at Michaels tuesday because she knew I needed to go to get all the things for her gift....she was clueless as to actually what! :) Tuesday night when Mum was with Aunt Helen visiting her for her birthday (and supporting her when the news came) Ronnie, Dad and Sara went out to get all their Mother's day gifts. Anna stayed home and kept me company-we were surprised when Dad brought home Chick-Fil-A icecream and milkshakes!
Ronnie and Anna made her sweet little cards (that I know she will keep....because she always has) and Ronnie, with his own money, bought Mum a beautiful cross pin. Dad got her the Duggar book, a mandelin (mandolin?) and a beautiful frame that had the Proverbs 31 verse, "Her children arise up and call her blessed," inside of it. Sara got Mum a beautiful new 'Mother' mug and I got Mum a bunch of reeeeeeaaallly sooooooo soft yarn, a new candle, some chocolates (only three) and I wrote her a little poem. I had so much fun coming up with how to present it to her! Sara and I worked together on this like mad after Mum called and said "we're on our way home!" AAACK! We still needed to finish up! I got a basket from Michael's craft store, padded it with some wool roving (Mum LOVES wool) and set everything rather prettily if I do say so myself, in the basket. We wrapped the whole kit and caboodle in that gift-basket wrap and tied ribbon around it. This way Mum had LOTS of surprises....she had specifically requested the Duggar book and the mandelin but this way we really surprised her with everything else. I love catching her off guard and surprising her with some of her favorite things!!!
Poor Mum cried as she read all our cards (either from happiness or being so tired....probably both) and now she's relaxing in the living room reading the Duggar book. Mum doesn't have to cook today so she can just have some leisurely relaxation time with her family....we're even making Dad and Ronnie go downstairs to watch the Penguin game so the yelling won't disturb Mum. We're all insisting Mum rests since tomorrow will be so busy. It's tradition that if it's Mum's birthday and/or Mother's Day, she gets a Carrick Poultry chicken dinner. Dad orders it and then picks it up in Pleasant Hills (Ella, tell your mom this...see if she remembers Carrick Poultry) Now Carrick Poultry is called Chicken Derby, I think, but it has the second best fried chicken in the world!!!! First best fried chicken is Grammy's chicken bucket chicken...but I think it's the same recipe that Carrick Poultry uses. Grammy used to work at Carrick Poultry, according to Mum. :) Mum loves the wings and their coleslaw and potatoe wedges are SO good! These are the only things Mum will 'cheat' on her diet for. :) And gosh darn it does she deserve it...especially on 'Mama's Day.'
When Sara and I were little we only called Mum 'Mama.' So we always said, "Happy Mama Day!" Ronnie and Anna quickly (unfortunetly) got out of calling her Mama because they heard us 'older ones' saying Mom or Mum. But on Ronnie's card he wrote "Happy Mumma Day.' Apparently he didn't know how to spell Mama correctly. He knew how to spell Mum so he figured just to add an 'a' on the end. :) Sara got her a beautiful sound card with the song Legacy (Bella, you should remember that one) and Anna made Mum a beautiful card that was almost all pink with her scrawl over the letters I made for her to trace over. :) Anna and I had fun with Mum's card! Though some of the things she asked me to write in it were sort of odd. :) I enjoyed (but still cried) while writing her a poem....a break from the traditional letter on Mother's Day I've been writing for the past few years. :)
I love celebrating Mum and all she does for us! I know I should honor her and thank her everyday but today is especially one whole day just for doing so. She is the most hardworking, long-suffering, joyful and patient Mother I know. She's my Mum. :) I know she's not perfect as she reminds me often, but I still highly esteem and strive to be more like her each day. I am so grateful she's my mother and the Lord sought to choose her to be my own 'Mum.' :) 'Mum' is what she called her mom, Grammy, and hopefully what my children will someday call me...
I love this day (and her birthday) that is specially set apart for celebrating Mum. She is my best friend, such a blessing to me when I'm down and always listens to my random ramblings when I'm in a weird mood. :) Mum is the most long-suffering, patient and joyful person I have ever met. And she is, as Anna says, "The bestest of the bestests," mother. :) I love her so much and strive to be more like (it goes without saying, the Lord and Jesus) but also to be more like Mum. I am so glad, privileged and blessed to be her daughter. I often say, "And I was the one to make you a mother!" :) When I, Lord willing, have children of my own one day, I hope I am at least half the wonderful, forgiving and gracious mother to my children as Mum is to us. And I hope I live in close proximity to Mum....I don't think either of us could stand living very far away from each other. And I want my children to know, love and spend lots of time with their Grandmum. (the name 'Mum' needs to be carried on!) :) Already Mum's saying, "I want to be called Baba." That was what she called her great-grandmother and what we called our great-grandmother-her grandmother. :) I laugh and say, "When the time comes I don't think it should matter too much....but why don't wait until you're a great-grandmother?" It seems silly thinking about when I'll be a mother someday, or when Mum will be a grandmother, but for us it's so fun and wonderful to think ahead to the future. I can't wait to be married and have children. It's everything I've ever wanted to be....just like Mum. I hope I am like Mum when I'm a mother; yes, even singing to my children to wake them up in the morning. Of course, they probably won't be too fond of that either. :) I suppose it'll just seem natural to me. I hope I am just as patient, grace-giving, loving, creative, joyful, long-suffering and forgiving as Mum is. I am so glad to have her as a mother.....my Mum. When my own children call me "Mum" someday, or call it out anxiously, I hope I realize then what a privilege it is to be called that; after my own dear Mum. :) I'm SO looking forward happily to being called Mum!
Happy Mother's Day, Mum!
I love you!
cannot count!
