Being a Mother...........................

[Teresa Heilevang]

I'll move this later..but for now I want everyone to see and read it..
 I got this from my mama...

BEING A MOTHER...

After 17 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to
take another woman out to dinner and a movie. She
said, 'I love you, but I know this other woman loves
you and would love to spend some time with you.'
* * *
The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit
was my MOTHER, who has been alone for 20 years,
but the demands of my work and my two boys had
made it possible to visit her only occasionally.
* * *
That night I called to invite her to go out for
dinner and a movie.
* * *
'What's wrong, aren't you well,' she asked?
* * *
My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a
late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign
of bad news.
* * *
'I thought it would be pleasant to spend some
time with you,' I responded. 'Just the two of us.'
She thought about it for a moment, and then said,
'I would like that very much.'
* * *
That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick
her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her
house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous
about our date. She waited in the door. She had curled her hair and was wearing the
dress that she had worn to celebrate her last
birthday on November 19th.
* * *
She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an
angel's. 'I told my friends that I was going to go
out with my son, and they were impressed,' she said,
as she got into that new white van. 'They can't wait to hear about our date'.
* * *
We went to a restaurant that, although not
elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my
arm as if she were the First Lady. After we sat
down, I had to read the menu. Her eyes could only
read large print. Half way through the entries, I
lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at
me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips. 'It was I
who used to have to read the menu when you were
small,' she said. 'Then it's time that you relax and
let me return the favor,' I responded.
* * *
During the dinner, we had an agreeable
conversation- -nothing extraordinary but catching up
on recent events of each other's life. We talked so
much that we missed the movie.
* * *
As we arrived at her house later, she said,
'I'll go out with you again, but only if you let me
invite you.' I agreed.
* * *
'How was your dinner date ?'
asked my wife when I got home.
'Very nice. Much more so than I could have imagined,'
I answered.
* * *
A few days later, my mother died of a massive
heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn't
have a chance to do anything for her.
* * *
Some time later, I received an envelope with a
copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place
mother and I had dined. An attached note said: 'I
paid this bill in advance. I wasn't sure that I
could be there; but nevertheless, I paid for two
plates - one for you and the other for your wife.
You will never know what that night meant for me.
I love you, son.'
* * *
At that moment, I understood the importance of
saying in time: 'I LOVE YOU' and to give our loved
ones the time that they deserve. Nothing in life is
more important than your family. Give them the time
they deserve, because these things cannot be put off
till 'some other time.'

[bjtraz]

It must be allergy season, my eyes are watering...........................

[Dakotaranger]

It must be allergy season, my eyes are watering...........................

Yeah, it is allergy season

[jaybet]

Thanks for that. My mom has been gone for 15 years, but Maggie's mom lives in a little apartment in our home. She's winding down into altzheimer's and we're keeping her here at home as long as possible because it's what she loves. Maggie and her sisters and brothers spend a lot of time with her and it make's her very happy.

Like that story says, it's not just mom.  I have found myself out with Maggie when she often asks me to dance with her at times when no one else is dancing and it would make me feel like a nut. It makes me uncomfortable and I sometimes decline, to the point where she gets mad at me. After recent events in our life I'll never say no again. You just don't know when you are looking at your last chance.

[Pathfinder]

Thanks, M'ette.

I am privileged to have repaired a huge falling out with my Mom, and there were many times we would meet for lunch - Cracker Barrel in Elgin, IL was her favorite - and just chat over lunch. I wish I could go back.

She's been gone for 11 years now, this month.

[Sponsor]

[Teresa Heilevang]

I get together with my Mama every chance I get.. We go shopping and out to eat or to the casinos.. LOL
 She is 80..and I count my blessings to still have her and daddy here with me.

And yeah.. allergy season really hit me bad today too..  

[Solus]

Several years ago, my phone rang at 3:30 AM.  It was my sister in tears..she finally got out that Mom was in bad shape, taken to the hospital.  The hospital was 45 minutes from my home and I spent the drive there realizing I didn't remember the last time I told my mother I loved her.....

It was very close, but she recovered, and I got the chance to tell her I loved her again.

It became obvious that Mom and Dad really couldn't stay living in their Appt. so we had  them move in with me.

I was able to have breakfast with Mom each weekend day and dinner with them both each evening.  They had grown up through the Great Depression and only ever had margarine and Miracle Whip in the house.  I would serve them sandwiches with real butter and mayonnaise and was so thrilled when they would tell me they were the best they had ever had (their memories weren't what they used to be..but I was still thrilled).

One incident I cherish.  Mom cut her finger and I cleaned it, and put a band-aid on the cut.  I was surprised at how pleased and tickled I was to be able to do that.

Mom and Dad would often want take-out for dinner, so I would call when I was leaving work to see if they wanted me to stop for anything.  It was not rare for Mom to tell me no, then as I walked int he door at home, tell me they changed their minds and ask if I would mind going back out to get something. 

At first I had to suppress the urge to complain that I had just called so i would not have to go back out, but I quickly found that this inconvenience was such a terribly small price to pay for having them with me.  After that, these times would bring a smile to my face, thankful I had this "hardship".

Mom lived with me for 23 months before she passed away and there is little in my life I am more grateful for than those last months we had.

[MikeBjerum]

Not fair M'ette!

A benefit of my recent change is that I will get to spend more time with mom - something I have not done enough of in recent years.

Thanks!

[m25operator]

Very nice story in an odd kind of way, ( hate the ending ) , but nice none the less.

I lost my mom 10 years ago, a strong independent woman, for a long while a single mom, which made me head of the family, I had a close relationship with my mom, because of it. Her name is Myrna, and my M1a is named after her, I have no names for any other firearm.  When she turned 60, she had been to hemo dialysis for renal failure, for about a week, on her 60th birthday she had a heart attack while on dialysis and they did not recognize it, the para medics caught it real quick, so for her birthday, she got a quadruple bypass, the doc said 30% chance of survival, but she made it, and my wife took on my mom as her own, she took all the classes, read all the books, and started the menu's that make life easier, I got a lot more involved with my mom's life, and she actually got good enough to go back to work, I drove her every day, and the renal failure just would not let her go to work on a regular basis, her bosses and clients,  loved her and let her work as she could. Finally she had to quit, but we got  together much more as a family, and being a decent cook, tried to make her lean meals better. She lasted another year, and I have good video of her playing with her grandchildren, at xmas, knowing she was in pain, but put on the happy face, which was not all fake, she did love her children!

My wife was her keeper, daily, through that time as she had no job, and when we talk about God calling us, that was the way it was, My wife took 30 minutes to go deposit my paycheck, and came back to my mothers house to find her on the floor, not breathing, she called 911 and started cpr, did not take, emt's could not revive her. We got to spend a while with her, after her passing, and the hospital people were very nice.

My mom would hate this, but the day before her passing, I took her to lunch, to be followed by dialysis, after a good lunch, and the dialysis center was only 500 yards away, she said she did not want to go, we argued a little bit, and she finally said she had peed herself, ( maybe TMI ) and we went home instead of dialysis.

My mother was the best focal point of my life, I miss her more than I can ever say, she was called early, she cared for me and my sister as a single mom, and we ate well, but cheap, but never went hungry, I was a latch key kid since I was 6, on my 6th birthday, I asked for a dictionary, and it appeared, dog eared, and coming apart, but I still have it.  I learned to read, and yes, she was a " look it up in the encyclopedia " type of mom, and it has served me well.

God bless all you Moms out there, you do make a difference.

10 years later this kind of stuff, still makes me weep.  I hate it, but cherish it at the same time. Believe it or not, it helps in the grieving, even after 10 years.

Spend time with the Moms, it is worth it. Not to mention Dads.  You will regret it later if you don't. Grand parents too.

[PegLeg45]

Very nice story in an odd kind of way, ( hate the ending ) , but nice none the less.

Spend time with the Moms, it is worth it. Not to mention Dads.  You will regret it later if you don't. Grand parents too.

+1000000...

And anyone else you hold near and dear.......none of us are promised tomorrow.


Thanks, I need to do some visiting tomorrow.