May 8, 2011 is Mother's Day

Mom and Me. We just started our lives together. We thought an entire life time was ahead of us. We did start our with lots of promise. Three months after weight loss surgery, because of complications, Mom died. She was 43, and I was just 13. Not quite the entire life time we thought we'd have. Since then, Mother's Day has not always been rose petals, kisses and funny cards. Women who have experienced mother loss, regardless of age, may have feel the same. Below is a piece I've written about my experience with mother loss and Mother's Day.
Another View******Years ago, avoidance of the greeting card aisle near Mother’s Day rivaled my loveless affair with liver and onions. Even as I rushed past the cards, the words, “To My Dear Mother,” screamed at me. As people did their best to pick the most perfect Mother’s Day card, envy, not blood, flowed through my veins. Did they know how blessed they were?
My mother died from yellow liver atrophy almost three months to the day after surgery. She was forty-three. I was thirteen. She was too young to die and I was too young to be left without a mom. Now it was just my dad and me. Even at thirteen, I wondered how we would survive. I hated that my mom never hesitated to spank, yet I would let her spank me a thousand times over if God would bring her back.
My peaceful world was gone. No more ‘girls only’ nights when my dad worked late. We’d drive as far as time and ice cream took us. Laughs and song filled the air. No more would I watch her put on eyeshadow and wonder if I would ever be as pretty.
Mother’s Day soon became just another Sunday without football.
For twenty years, I permitted my mom’s death to be the root of my stumbles. Life moved on, but I lagged behind. I somehow had to learn from her life so I could finally live my own.
I was sick and tired of being sick and tired of not being able to change the past. I had to embrace my mom’s death and move on. God’s word opened that door with Psalms 121 (NIV): I lift up my eyes to the hills-where does my help come from? I knew where to start.
Now, I no longer avoid the Mother’s Day card aisle. Like everyone else, I hunt for the perfect one. How can I not celebrate the woman who introduced me to A & W onion rings while she explained changes a young girl experiences are a celebration? I sign my card with love and tuck it away with the others. Our life together lasted just thirteen years, yet was more valuable than rubies. My mother’s spirit dances within me every second, every minute, every day. I am truly blessed, for I know one day we’ll see each other again. Our laughter and songs will fill the air. Praise God.
©2011

Thoughts at 1:20 AM

It's Sunday Morning and I should be in bed. More time than intended was spent on a school paper. Part of our task was to turn it thru the Plagiarism dealy bop on the school's site. Gee, it spotted the quote (and my citation) of it as plagiarism...anyway. I finished all that a few minutes ago. I had to have it posted by 1:59AM.

I planned to be in bed by 1:59AM I still will be. Oh, and since this is an online class, our participation partly grade on our answer to discussion questions. Well, I notice a girl's response seemed familiar. I realized she'd copied and pasted her response from our online textbook. I was gonna through her under the bus and back over her, then I thought I'd e-mail her--then I thought know--I'll tell the teacher. Granted, the teach might already know--yet if I write those responses and mine are mine--then so should everybody!

Enough on that. On Saturday I attended a Remembering Mom luncheon. It was for those that have experienced mother loss. Today is hard for us--the hoopla surrounding Mom, and your mom isn't physically there for you to hoopla about. A hundred, mostly women and some men were there. At the end, we released balloons with little notes we attached, written to our moms. I got weepy then. I watched 'our' balloon soar high and out of site--pretty windy Dallas day. I prayed my mom was on the closet cloud and able to get my balloon.

I realized how much I missed Mom at that moment. How much I've missed out ON. I never really had a strong female role model after she passed. I knew that then, even though I couldn't define it.

My mom died 39 years ago at age 43. I've lived longer than Mom ever had a chance too. It's sad really. I've chartered territory we should have gone together. What adventures Mom and I would have had. That cats we would have fought over and the laughs we would have shared. How different my life would've been.

I know--things happen for a reason. God said it was time for Mom to go Home, those 39 years ago. But why when I was just a kid? The bible says God has a plan for me. My eyes and heart must be open to receive it. .

I wonder if they finally are.

Click here to read my Mother's Day post 2009.

I miss you, Mommy.

******UPDATE********
I made it to church this morning. Dragged alot. Not enough sleep. My Pastor Rickie Rush, of Inspiring of Christ Church spoke of Mothers, their purpose and their love for us. For me, I'd always wondered why my mother died when she and I were both so young. I carried alot of guilt about that.

Pastor Rush brought it on home to me. How Satan knows the child is a miracle. In my case, I was the try for a baby, after my parents suffered through four stillborns. How great things are in store for the child--so how to get at the child? I was born with one ear and nobody knew how far I would venture, then my mom dies when I'm 13. My main female influence was gone-so maybe my dreams, passions would die along with her.

Well, things may have been dormant for a spell, however you ain't seen nothing yet!

Stay tuned.