Mother's Day, my mother's birthday, and my parent's anniversary are all in May, so I really can't help but think of my mom. I sincerely believe that she was the strongest person I have ever known. You always think your mother is the best when you are little. After I grew up, I knew she was.
My mother was a Depression baby in the Smoky Mountains, and was the oldest of ten children. In those days, you definitely grew up early, especially with that many kids. She had to bear the tragedy of one of her brothers dying as a child. Her family home was a working farm with cows, horses, chickens, pigs, and a vegetable garden, so chores were plentiful My mother learned to sew, crochet, cook, and to can fruits and vegetables early on. But so much of my mother's early years are a mystery to me. As much as I would ask her to tell me about her growing up years, she refused. I may never know what it was that she didn't want to share.
My mother didn't go to college, but she did go to business school. She could take shorthand like a champ and could type quite fast. She moved to Washington, D.C. to work. When Pearl Harbor happened, my mother was inspired to join the Navy. I think all of her brothers served in one branch or another of the military.
It was in the Navy that my mother met my father. When they transferred to New Orleans, that became their permanent home. My parents were married for 15 years before my mother became pregnant with me. I am sure it was probably something they thought would never happen. But in those days, a woman could not serve in the military while being pregnant, so she was discharged. Not to be egotistical, but I don't think she ever regretted having me!
After leaving the Navy, my mother stayed at home with me. Unfortunately, by the time I was about three, my father (who had also left the Navy and worked as a barber in his own shop) began going blind. My mother was forced to put me in nursery school and go back to work. She was able to get a secretarial job at the Naval Hospital in New Orleans, so she was able to keep working for the Federal Government.
I really don't know how my mother did it all. She worked 40 hours a week, then came home and made supper for the family. She helped me with homework, She changed the beds twice a week. Many mornings, she would cook chicken legs for me to take to school for lunch, and would prepare a thermos of frozen Coke slushie for me. My mother ran the roads on Saturdays, doing our grocery shopping and any other errands. On Sundays, we all went to church. I can remember my mother falling asleep in front of the TV at night. I really didn't understand how tired she had to have been until after I had kids.
In addition to doing almost everything around the house, though my father tried to help out where he could, my mother did so much for me and with me. She took me to dance lessons. She attended every PTA meeting at school. She helped out withe the school carnival. She took me to church youth group, to friends' houses, to the library, bookstore, and mall. That's in addition to everything she did for my father, which became more and more as his health declined. And there was also the countless parade of pets we had - mainly dogs, but also hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, parakeets, a skunk, a rooster, ducks, and two monkeys! Most of the animal caretaking fell on my mother's shoulders. (I also understand that so much better these days!)
My mother was a rock. She was so strong no matter what was going on. She was strength personified. She had a wickedly sarcastic sense of humor. (Gee, is that where I got it from?!) She was a loyal friend, and loved her whole big family with all of her heart. She was my friend, but always my mother first. I miss being able to call her to ask a question, or to tell her about something going on with my kids. To sum it up, my mother was truly my hero.
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