Moving Forward with the Monarch of our Mothers...

As I was sitting watching the Prince Phillip funeral, it made me take time out to think about my parents, sisters, aunts, uncles, and cousins who have added to my life. Today I want to emphasize mothers. Mother’s Day is soon approaching and yes, these people do make a difference in your life.

My mother, Muriel, had some hardships she encountered in her life. The death of her only son when he was 5, caring for my grandmother and grandfather at different times in our home. Owning the responsibility of raising her siblings after my grandmother passed. Moving my grandfather to Minnesota to live with us while he was bedridden. And finally, when my Dad fell 40 feet from a grain elevator, she held the family together for almost two years while dad experienced several surgeries. At the time I never knew what she was teaching me. Strength, love and most importantly faith. Mom was so strong.

On a humorous side. Back in the early 60’s very few women would put their daughters in the car in Duluth and head off to the Twin Cities for their accordion contests. Now that was about the time that the cloverleafs were first being developed. I remember they were a challenge and some we just kept going around and around. My sister Merce was the copilot but through our laughter I do not think she was much help.

When my mother suffered her stroke at 67 and needed to be in skilled nursing, she took this next challenge with grace. Mom always had a smile, she taught us and her grandchildren so much through strength, love, and faith.

(Picture of my Mother and my sister Mercedes.)

My next mother like figure was my sister Mercedes.

.She was nine years older than I and always would check on me in her review mirror. She supplied the extra love, support, and faith when mom would just plain get tired. Merce raised two beautiful daughters and her memory lives on in my heart.

The final mother in my current Monarch was my mother-in-law, Ruby.

When I was a young bride, she would share her expectations with me and we all knew what she meant. Ruby was my Sunday School teacher, along with Curly’s dad Roy. She set the groundwork for our family and was a true example of faith to our daughters.

When we are young, we cling to our mothers. As we grow older, we see the importance of other women in our lives. Build your Monarch of Mothers. I have many more, my sister Elaine, aunts, nieces, neighbors, friends, etc. that have played a special part in my life. Aren’t we lucky to have these experiences?

Thank you, God, for putting these women in our life ... they taught us faith, love and discipline so we can go forward with facing disabilities in retirement.