Happy Mother's Day to all you wonderful Mamas out there!

This is my 4th Mother's Day, I remember my first; I was pretty pregnant and very excited about my baby girl's arrival. I was given a carnation from the cashier at the grocery store and felt so special, like I was part of an exclusive club. I now feel like a full-fledged, card carrying member of the club and I have to say, it has lived up to all I'd hoped it to be. One of the unexpected advantages of this membership has been all the other mother's I've met and become close to during these past 4 years. Mothering is hard work, but doing it alongside other caring woman makes it easier on those tough Mama days.

This mother's day is bittersweet. My 4th year as a mother on Mother's Day (and Patricia's first as it happens) is also my 5th year without my mother. Being a Mom without a Mom has proved to be a hard road. Of course I am thankful for my new step-mother, mother-in-law, and step-mother-in-law but the very honest truth is no one can replace my Mom. This in itself gives me pain and pleasure; obviously the pain is in being without my Mom but the pleasure is knowing that I am that special person for my own kids - its kinda nice to know you are irreplaceable!

When my Mom died 5 years ago I made a list of the things I wanted to remember about her. I've looked at the list many times over the years, it has made me laugh and cry every time. I look forward to sharing this list and all the stories that go with it when Clara and Leo are older and, hopefully interested in my life before they were born. What I'd like is to see some additions to my list. I've love for Dad, Patricia, Ann Marie, and all the other people who read this blog and who knew my Mom to send me more... more stories, more memories; no matter how silly, sad, or seemingly obvious they may be. To see it all written down in black and white in front of my eyes makes me feel good and makes the memories more real. I also think it will make it that much easier for to share Mom with Clara and Leo which is so very, very important to me. So without further ado...

All about Beverley

• Blue eyes
• Cold toes
• Hands that could hold hot things
• Wedding rings on her fingers
• Tense when she skied
• Cackle when she laughs
• Drinks coffee in the morning
• Drinks tea at night
• Sings
• Wrapped in the brown poncho
• Cooks our favorites
• Crafts
• “I could make that”
• “Hi Laurel, it’s Mom”
• Wrinkled nose at just the right times
• Shopping
• Driving down the 116
• Meetings, meetings, meetings
• Long distance phone calls
• Scurrying with purse tucked under her arm
• Holts, Liz, Bay days
• Little feet
• “Are you awake, when did you get home?”
• Star Trek, Coronation Street
• Elton John, Billy Joel, Rita
• Proud smile
• Excited blush
• Dancing
• Baby fine hair
• Putting up the tent
• “Selling features”
• Telephone calls
• Talking to strangers
• Verdun
• Leaning to knit
• Chili pepper necklace
• Eternity ring
• Christmas cake
• Christmas breakfast
• Harveys Bristol Cream
• Evesham
• Scars on her ankles
• 6 weeks bed rest
• Lobster in bed
• Cottage cheese and fruit for Lunch
• Shared Margarita – too strong for her!
• Apple everything
• Maeve Binchy
• Musicals
• Rita McNeil
• Cheiftans concert that was not
• Parking at the Cathedral
• Sleeping in the car
• Matching dresses
• Jitterbug at the Legion steak dinner
• Half a beer
• “Jade, I’m home!”
• Urban Peasant – flavors that “marry”
• Blue Boxes
• Conferences
• Shakespeare Festival
• Dawson Boys and Girls Club
• Choir
• Hallelujah Chorus
• Knitted Christmas decorations
• The Beatles
• Shopping for ICI
• Hugging babies
• Volunteering
• Babysitting course
• Breakfast in bed with Dad
• Summer school that she didn’t HAVE to do
• Expo ’67
• Pulp Fiction, she said she laughed at the most disgusting parts
• Threatening to chaperone an RVR dance
• Homemade strawberry jam
• Head stuck in the banister at Uncle Bruce’s when she was little
• Sleep walking to uncle Bruce’s when she was little
• Stuck on the radiator (uncle Freddy would put her there)
• Burning with a spoon incident (gave or received?) when young
• Likes a good party
• Meeting with Lance at the Grad party while she was trying to move her car, he said she looked young!
• Organized, lists, plans
• Rubbermade boxes being loaded with food
• QM at camp
• The scrambled eggs she made on her last Christmas morning – delicious as always!
• Paper crown that was always too big for her head at Christmas.
• Putting her hair behind her ear when I was little – she liked it.
• Burying her toes under our butts on the couch
• Costumes for Halloween
  

I took this picture, I don't know when and I don't know why and I'm quite sure Mom would not approve of it as my choice for publishing in the blog but I love it. I'm sure she was saying something like "my daughter is taking my picture right now" to whomever she was talking on the phone with in a slightly disapproving, I'm not ready for a portrait sort of tone. Anyway, there she is - Happy Mother's Day Mom. Thanks for teaching me how to Mother my own kids through your loving example.