Tribute to My Mom, Mother's Day 2014

This weekend we honor mothers. We celebrate our own mothers and grandmothers, being a mother (if we are one), and consider the children that have made us mothers.

I've been thinking about my Mom a lot lately. I just returned from a trip to Pennsylvania to visit with her and my family. Mom has Alzheimers. The disease has progressed rapidly over the past three or four years since her initial diagnosis. She's been living in a nursing home dedicated specifically to patients with dementia since January of this year. She's still as beautiful as ever.

Mom and her three girls; me, Sue, and Lisa.

Of course I was eager to see her -- I miss her tremendously -- but I was also apprehensive. Would she remember me? Would she know my name? Would she introduce me as her daughter? I didn't know what to expect. Thankfully, the answer to all those questions was Yes. While I'm incredibly heartbroken to see her there and know that that is where she has to be now, my visit with her was better than I imagined. She was thrilled to see me, especially on my first visit. Once, when I first got there and I looked for her, she saw me first and called, "Angie, Angie!" Words cannot describe the emotion that just hearing her say my name invoked.

This photo was taken last October, three months before she was admitted to the nursing home. Me, Mom, and my sister Lisa.

And this one a mere year ago when she and Lisa came to Louisiana for Eric's high school graduation.

It's overwhelming to me to realize how much things can change in the span of only one year.

This is Mom as a teenager.

And on her 70th birthday, just three years ago. Love you, Mom!

On the other end of the Mother's Day spectrum, our Eric comes home from college this weekend, just in time to spend the day with me. Andrew returns next weekend.

Wishing you all a Happy Mother's Day! How will you celebrate?

Mother's Day 2011

I’m feeling somewhat melancholy on this Mother’s Day. I don’t want to sound negative. But after all, the title of this blog is The Trials and Triumphs . . . . and I don’t always feel very triumphant. Some days are more of a challenge than others. This is the first year since my sons were born 16 years ago that I haven’t been with both of them on Mother’s Day.

On a positive note, Andrew and I drove to Natchitoches yesterday to see Eric and his mixed ensemble spring band concert. I did his laundry while I was there, and took him out to dinner. But darn, I failed to get someone to take a picture of me and the boys while we were together! It’s a tradition. Every year since they were born, I get my picture taken with my sons on Mother’s Day. (Read last year’s post here.)

I didn’t sleep well last night, had insomnia. I was keyed up after Andrew drove the whole two hours home from Natchitoches (but that’s another blog post.) Bob sailed in the Contraband Pirate Festival Regatta all day Saturday, and he awoke sore, stiff, and sun-burned. He wasn’t up to going to church. I finally roused Andrew out of bed and made it to church on time. No one said Happy Mother’s Day to me until Andrew noticed the sentiment on the fellowship hall projection screen.

“Oh yeah, happy mother’s day.”

“Thanks, Drew.”

On a positive note, upon returning home from church, I did receive two very nice cards; a sweet one from Bob and a funny one from Andrew.

This year, we had to improvise on the photo.


Thank goodness for Skype.

And I miss my mom. This is the fourth year in a row I haven’t seen her on Mother’s Day. On a positive note, I have the greatest Mom in the world and even when we’re not together, we know we love and miss each other and we’re still there for each other. My sisters, lucky for them, just happen to be a little bit more there.

On a positive note, Bob grilled burgers. He and Andrew washed my car. We took a nice walk. But my favorite part of the day was hearing Andrew play his saxophone in the praise band. And hearing Eric yesterday on his trumpet. I love seeing the talent these two boys possess. They make me incredibly proud to be their mother.


Not such a bad day after all! I hope all you mothers out there had a great day, too!