a tribute to some worthy mothers

Here's my mom helping take care of my daughters. Ainsleigh's in her underwear, like always. It was potty-training time. Oh, Mom. What would I have done without you? How you had five kids and still managed to volunteer at church, be crafty and creative, teach us all you did, homeschool and keep your sanity, I'll never know.

This is my mother-in-law Deb and her mother, Tim's grandma Lois on her 80th birthday. These, like all the women in my life, are some strong ladies. I am so glad that I have gotten to know Lois better over the last few years. She is a really smart lady and I am always impressed by her love for her family and her ability to be very straight-forward and no-nonsense. She was a maternity nurse and worked third shift while raising 4 kids and being a wife to a fire chief. She's got some wonderful stories to tell and so much to show for her life. My mother-in-law is also amazing. I have watched her accomplish so much in the middle of a really difficult time in her life. She became a college graduate in her fifties. She took care of Ainsleigh quite a bit right after she was born and I had to return to work. I would have loved to stay home then, but I think the relationship she and Ainsleigh had was really cool and I'm glad they spent that time together. 

This is a photo of my mom's mother, my grandma Ann, and my grandpa Lewis (she's always calls him "Nick."). She left her family in Sioux City, Iowa to marry my grandpa and move to the middle of nowhere to raise a huge family and be the wife of a farmer. What a life for such a young woman! When we were kids, we ran across some of her art and were so amazed! I think the tendency of my mother and sisters and I to want to be creative comes from her. We lived right down the street from her growing up and during the summer, we'd ride bikes up to her house for lemonade, cookies, and a game of scrabble. She's lost some children herself and I don't know how she dealt with her own pain while taking care of her large family. Our grandparents were such hard workers and while I know our life today has its own stresses, I am so amazed by their strength and all that their days held when they were young parents.


This is my Dad's mother, my grandma Arlene. She passed away the January after Ainsleigh was born and I miss her presence in my life so much! She was a truly thoughtful and loving person. She was a women with a thousand friends and she went out dancing and spending time with her friends and family into her 80's. We could always count on her for the best trick-or-treat bags on Halloween and for her whole house to be decorated for Christmas. Family meant everything to her and our pictures were everywhere on her walls. I don't know much about her life as a young woman. I do know she had retired from a factory before I was born. One of the last times I saw her, I had brought Ainsleigh up to see her in the hospital. She just loved spending time with her grandkids and she was so happy to see Ainsleigh. She just kept telling us how beautiful she was, and that she looked like a porcelain doll. It's kind of neat to imagine the grandparents and family who have passed away spending time with Addie in heaven.

Tim and I went out to lunch today and spent some time talking about our mothers and how lucky we are to have grown up with the genuine love and support of these amazing women. We've watched them continually give of themselves and always, always want what was best for us. I feel so lucky to have them both in my life and in Ainsleigh's. I can put it all in perspective a little more, now that I'm a mother myself. How did they do it? And with so many kids? I'm having trouble keeping up with my three year old! There isn't much time to be selfish. 

Thanks Mom and Deb for your love and support, especially during some really tough times when we needed every ounce you had to give...and then some. Thanks too, for teaching us about what is truly valuable in life. I hope you know how much you are appreciated.