"The Lord God Made Them All" : My Mothers

In true "Mother's style", I am just now getting around to writing about my reflections for Mother's Day.  I pondered this post while I had my massage that my boys got me for Mother's Day.  I spent that time reflecting on the wonderful mothers in my life that have influenced me and have helped to make me the mother I am today.

Meet "Cricket", my mom's mom.  She was a feisty one, obviously.  This was taken at her birthday in September of 05.  She was born in 1926.  She was the 10th of 10 children.  She was a southern girl, raised in the country, could shoot a shotgun better than most men and loved to spend time with me.  I will never forget our last really special time together.  Something (God) was telling me to go visit her one beautiful Spring afternoon in April of 06.  I drove to her house, like I often did, and spent the day sipping lemonade with her on her back screened in porch.  I remember the way the wind felt on my skin, the sound of her voice as we caught up on life, I can still taste that lemonade.  Just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes every time.  We had a special bond and I miss her dearly.

I think of her often and the days I spent near the end of her life helping her to understand the difference between reality and the evil disease that took her mind.  I remember teaching her to play UNO as she sat in her hospital bed.  I remember painting her nails for her as she sadly looked at me asking when she would go home.  I remember reading the bible with her and praying for her as we talked about God and his sovereignty in our lives.  My grandmother was one who I would have done anything for.  It came naturally.  If you ever wonder where I got my strength and fortitude, look at this lovely lady, "Annie Maude Lindsay Jones".  Grandma, your first great-granddaughter will be named after you.  Yes, I am revealing, our daughter's name is Lindsay, named after my grandma.

Here is another special lady.  Along with my grandma, is my "Minkie".  It is so amazing and wonderful that they were both at my college graduation.  I tried desperately to find my favorite picture ever of Minkie but it was not in the cards, so I will explain it.  Minkie was also a woman of strength.  She lived by herself until she was 90 years old.  She went into the hospital from her own residence and peacefully died there 2 weeks later.

One of my fondest memories of my Minkie was when I went to celebrate her 90th birthday with her.  There were tornadoes all up and down the east coast and "something" (God) was telling me to go anyway.  We had planned a surprise birthday party for Minkie and I just felt I had to be there.  Well, I didn't tell my dad we were coming because he was "none too pleased" with the idea of me being on the road in tornadoes.    I remember calling when we were very close and telling him I was on my way.  I spoke to Minkie and she told me, "Don't you worry, I am so glad you will be here."  We went on to celebrate her 90th birthday at a crab house and my favorite picture of her is one where she is holding a beer in one hand and a crab in the other...at 90 years old.  What a lady!

She was always dressed to the nines, had a particular gift for garnishing any food items she had, was wise...oh was she wise...and she loved to play the piano.  She had a "catchable" faith and I will never forget her last words uttered, the words of the Lord's Prayer.  I have to say that my strength also came from Mable Jeanette Minkler Frey, sometimes called "Jane" by some close friends.  Minkie, your first great granddaughter will be named after you too.  "Lindsay Jane"

I love this picture so much because Ma Cole was the only one of Stan and I's grandmothers who got to meet Landon.  She was so good with him, even at her frail elderly age.  She took him in her lap and read to him.  It was as if Landon knew she was special.  He actually sat still and was truly engaged.  I will never forget meeting Ma Cole.  She was what I would call the "quintessential" grandmother.  She was warm, caring, loving and just made me feel right at home from the very beginning.  I will never forget when she took me over to her curio cabinet and asked me to look at her collection of angels.  She wanted me to choose which one I thought was her favorite.  I, of course, picked the one with the child.  She looked at me with the sweetest eyes, saying, "Yes, I knew you would know."

She was a treasure, a rock and another woman of great strength.  She also had a great faith in the Lord.  By the age of 18 she was married and had all 4 of her children by the time she was 23 I believe.  She was a teacher and a fantastic one, at that.  She worked so hard to make sure that her family was taken care of and often told stories of walking in the snow and teaching in old schoolhouses just like you would picture on Little House on the Prairie.  It was a gift to know Ma Cole and she is deeply missed but I know she is enjoying her special time with LD in heaven.  She named her first daughter, another namesake for my little Lindsay Jane.  What a special group of ladies to be named after!!!

I tried to find a digital picture of Ma Lynch, Kay's mom.  There is trouble with technology in that anything pre-technology is often a little harder to translate into all this modern day "high techy-ness"- especially for someone like me.  So I will say, I will always remember sitting with Ma Lynch on her cough and watching her crochet.  She had such severe arthritis, it was hard to believe that her hands could even create something so intricately woven together.  It was a joy to watch.  She just felt the yarn and it was almost as if her hands knew the story they were writing without being told to do so.  I also remember her beautiful flowers as we approached her house.  She was quite a gardener, cook, mother and of course, a reader of romance novels. :)  I always love the stories that Stan and Anna tell about Ma Lynch and her special sweet treats and her telling Kay when the kids were getting wild, "Now, Kay, this too shall pass.  They won't be little forever."  I often hear that sweet voice during times of trial as a mom.

Now for my mama.  What a wonderful blessing to see her snuggled with my first born.  These two certainly have a special bond.  She also knows how to have fun with two boys, being a Tom-boy herself!  It is a wonderful thing to share in motherhood with my mom.  It is a really eye opening experience as I reflect on all she did for me.  It is a self-sacrifice that cannot be understood until you are in the midst of it yourself.

I am grateful for her example of strength and determination, the steadfast way she has loved my dad through thick and thin and her loving heart that overflows with sensitivity, honesty and goodness.  I love that she loves and treasures music and has always made it a point to make time for this gift she embodies.  I relish the times when I sit back and watch her with my kids.  I know she is making the same memories for them that I have with my grandmothers.  There is quite a special bond between a grandmother and her grandchildren and no one loves them more than my mama.

I treasure the many special talks my mom and I have shared over coffee in the morning and wine in the evening as we overlook the beauty of my parents' mountain home.  It has been in these quite times, my mom has been such an inspiration and encouragement to me as I have pursued my career and my role as a mom.  I remember the shine in her eyes as she watched me graduate from graduate school with my Master's degree.  Though there have been many times, I don't recall another time when I felt more sure that I had made her proud- except when Landon and Connor were born...  There is nothing like that feeling, especially for a 1st born...  :)

Then there is Nanny.  Another mother to love and learn from, what a blessing it has been.  I remember first meeting Kay and LD and I was not surprised a bit.  Stan was such a wonderful person, it was of no surprise to me that his parents were just "the salt of the earth" as my dad would say.  Kay and I became fast friends, a relationship I never dreamed would become so dear.

I remember her strength as she cared tirelessly for my father-in-law.  Self-sacrifice took on a whole other meaning for me as I watched her care for her husband.  Her love and devotion were such a strong example to me and such a witness to our whole family.  I remember many nights when LD was in the hospital and we would sit and review notes.  She kept everything together for him.  I will never forget the moment when I sat in the room with her as the doctor told us that he would likely not make it.  I cannot describe the feeling, though it is uncanny how I can remember the smells, the sounds, the clothes I was wearing and how desperately I wanted to take away her pain.

Kay is another strong lady I look up to.  Not only has she endured one of the most difficult things I can image, but she has raised two wonderful children who I pray my kids grow up to be like.  Raising children is no joke...I am grateful for the effort and time that she put in to raising my sweet Stan who is the best husband and father ever.  That is a true gift.

Oh, if I can be the kind of mother of those before me.  

The Lord God certainly made them all and certainly blessed me with each one.