Forty-Seven Years Without My Mother

Today is Mother's Day and my thoughts are with my Mother who is in the arms of our Lord. She was more of a friend than a mother. How we laughed about silly things. How we talked every single day. How we shared secrets. How I enjoyed hanging out with her, especially after my children were born. How I remember her little sayings:  Dime con quien andas y te dire quien eres. La tierra que entra a tu cuerpo es mejor que la tierra que sale de tu boca. Una boca cerrada no entra mosca. Lo barato sale caro. Mas vale tarde que nunca. No hay mal que por bien no venga. Ojos que no ven, corazon que no siente. Panza llena, corazon contento. And so on! 

Even though we never said "I love you," I knew she loved me. She thought I was perfect and always complimented me by telling me how pretty I looked, how she liked how I walked, how smart I was, how easily I got along with people, how she liked my thick hair, how she liked the hazel color of my eyes, how she liked my smile. She told me to always be kind to people, love God, do unto others as you want them to do to you, offer everything to God, 

I saw how she visited her family in Kersey, Colorado, in Albuquerque, New Mexico and those that lived in Weld County. The only reason I remember many of them is because I was always with her as she visited. Maybe because she was orphaned at three years old she felt that staying in touch with family was important. I also try to stay in touch with family and friends even if it is only on Facebook!

We traveled together and shopped together. Our tastes were different but we accepted each other's likes and dislikes. Once we got kicked out of Carlsbad Caverns because we could not stop giggling. In church we used to get to laughing and had to get up and leave because we could not control our laughter. One look and we knew what the other was thinking.

She was unselfish and thought about other's happiness before her own. Every weekend we went to the mountains on a picnic and as far as I remember we had fun. Years later she told me she hated those mountain trips but went along because she knew my father enjoyed them. I recall her slicing a pie in four sections for each of us to get 1/4 but if  my brother asked for more, she sliced her quarter in half to share it between my brother and me.

Growing up I was not impressed with her cooking; beans, potatoes, green or red chili, and homemade tortillas. Now, I'd give anything to be able to prepare something as tasty.

My Mother has been gone almost half of my life, yet I miss her every day. How I loved to see her dress up and out of her apron. She seemed so tall and strong and I thought she would be around forever. I can still remember a dress with tiny lavender flowers.

Happy Mother's Day to my Mother in heaven!

"God could not be everywhere,

and therefore he made Mothers."

Rudyard Kipling