A Note to My Children

Hey kids!

 

 

Yeah, you guys!  Only you are all grown up now!

 

Just wanted to tell you how much I have loved being your mom!

 

You were funny, quirky, sometimes scheming, mostly obedient and most of all fun to be around most of the time.

 

I wanted to do everything to make your lives better, more fun and to protect you from all evil.

 

Sometimes I did a good job, some times -- not so much.

 

I am proud you have all chosen to be Christians.  I was proud of your choices most of the time. 

 

 

I likes most of your friends -- some better than others.  I didn't even object to most of your clothing choices -- except when those choices came from my closet and you forgot to return them.

 

There were advantages to you being so close in age -- you were going through the same stages at the same time. And, there were never more than two of you in diapers at the same time. WHEW!

 

There were disadvantages to you being so close in age -- you were going through the same stages at the same time.  You all wanted to use the car the same day and I was odd man out with no car!

 

 

There were times you disappointed me.  There were times I disappointed you.

 

I should have said "no" sometimes and didn't.  But, sometimes being a good mom also meant being the "bad guy" especially when your dad was out of town and there was just me.  I never liked that part -- the disciplining part, especially when it was hard to keep from laughing at what you did, but you needed to know it could be dangerous. And, yes, I did know you piled the mattresses at the bottom of the stairs so you could jump on them.  Not such a good idea, but none of you broke your necks, so I guess you had fun doing it.

 

I love you guys more than you can know.  Well, maybe you can since you all have kids of your own now.  I laugh when I hear my words coming out of your mouth when you are talking to your kids.

 

Well, just wanted you to know that for me, Mother's Day is a day to say "Thank you for making me a mom!"  I have loved the journey.

 

And to the grand kids, I want to say, "You are Perfect just the way you are no matter what your parents tell you!" 

 

Love you all!

 

xoxoXOXOxoxo

 

Lois a.k.a. Mom

 



More About Mom

Mom crocheted, quilted and sewed.  She was a top notch cook as well and she helped Dad with the farming during the growing and harvesting seasons.  She also was a gardener and grew both vegetables and flowers. She was tireless it seemed.

One of the quilts that Mom quilted and gave to me had been pieced by my grandmother from scraps that Mom had given her.  I recognize some of the fabrics as having been used for dresses for Mom, my sister and me.  It is a Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt which is fitting since Grandma and Mom both worked on it.  I don't know if Grandma made any other quilts, but this one is special to me.  It has been used and our younger daughter slept under it many years. Unfortunately, she also suffered nose bleeds and the damage was not always discovered early enough to get the stain out.  A busy quilt hides many sins! 

Mom also crocheted the lace bedspread draped over the end of the day bed.

Usually another quilt is on this bed as it has been the grand kid guest room and this one is too delicate for use.  I found a spot that I need to mend on one end when I put it on the bed.

Here is a closer view of those 50's & 60's fabrics and a closer look at the wonderful pink roses that are in the bedspread.

The dust ruffle is recycled from one that was on our older daughter's bed.  Day beds need one long side and two short sides -- just the opposite of regular beds.  The fabric is sort of like a dotted Swiss, but not exactly.  It needed the deep hem as it is quite sheer.

The teddy bear on this little night stand was given to me by my friend, Diane, when my mother died.  She thought I might want something to hug -- she was right!  The teddy bear is made from a quilt beyond repair -- a cutter quilt, beyond use on a bed, but not beyond use!

Don't you love the little Lucille Ball head vase?  These are from the same era as the quilt fabrics in the hexagon quilt.

I have decided to make use of this room as an office since the grand kids don't use it all that much anymore.  It will give me more room in my studio since I won't have to have the computer on the same L-shaped desk that I use for the sewing machine.  It will be much better when I'm quilting on a large quilt to have the extra surface.  I'll show you more of the room as the changes from child's guest room to a feminine office take place.

Friends, I hope you all have a wonderful Mother's Day!

You never get over being a child 'long as you have a mother to go to.

--Sarah Orne Jewett

xoxoXOXOxoxo

Lois

I remember Mama!

When May rolls around, I can't help but think of my mother.

Of course, Mother's Day is next Sunday, so that is natural.

But, my mother also died in May 18 years ago.  She had cancer.

I miss her.

When we were small girls, our mother taught my sister and me to crochet.

I remember crocheting yards and yards of chains.

Our mother said she learned to crochet when she was a young girl working for a family who had a new baby.  Mom started working for others when she was 13 and gave the money to her dad to help take care of the large family -- there were 15 kids altogether, though by this time they did not all live at home.

(Don't you love the legs of this old Singer Treadle cabinet?  There is no machine in it, I bought the cabinet many years ago thinking my newer Singer would fit in it.  It did not!)

Mom said the lady of the house taught her to do Irish crochet which is apparently more complicated than a lot of crochet as there are raised petals.  I wouldn't know, I've never done any Irish crochet.  I did progress beyond chains, though!

Mom made a crocheted lace collar or two for me.  The crochet is lovely with the pearls, don't you think?  I love the natural shades together.

The little plaque that says mother belonged to my grandmother, I think.  I recently found it in a drawer while looking for something else.

The wording says:

Mother

Twas woman felt the first great seed of life take root

--no other--

Her sons and daughters, blessed indeed

--give thanks to God --

for Mother!

May San Giovanni

copyright E. Meyer 1939

If your mother is still with you -- you are blessed!

Tell her you love her!

xoxoxo

Lois