My Mom is 90—What?

My mother turned 90 on Easter Sunday. We, meaning her descendants, can’t believe it! She recently went to the heart doctor who declared her healthier than her children, which is great for her, not-so-great for us. ☺ 

Days before her birthday, she let me know that no one was to give her anything for her birthday. “I don’t need anything,” she said. And, she doesn’t, of course. Ninety years gives one lots of time to accumulate plenty of “things.” So, what could she possibly need? 

Her comment lead me to think about the “things” she has accumulated. It’s true, she has a house full of things, plus, a car and a closet full of clothes and shoes. Her back porch is overflowing with patio furniture and her garage houses more such things. While I know she appreciates those things, I also know those are not the accumulations she values. Here are some of the “things” she has accumulated that I know she values.

 

 

She was raised in a strong, loving family. As a child, she lived through WWII and watched as her brothers went off to war and her parents worked hard to support their family. As a young lady, she cheered on a cheer squad and excelled on a debate team. She did well in high school, then went on to college for a bit. Through these formative years, she accumulated book knowledge, relationship awareness and life-management skills to help her with the future that lay before her. She married an amazing man and started a family. Mountains of skills started adding up then. Layers upon layers of decisions had to be made at a young age as her husband was called away to war. She accumulated disciplinary techniques and survival skills and more relationship skills as she welcomed her husband home and moved away from her parents. Each step of the way, she accumulated more “things” like patience, kindness, faithfulness, endurance, and courage. 

 

 

God gifted her with perfect pitch and she used that gift well, not on the radio as many would suggest, but singing at the sink while washing the dishes with her girls or singing a grandchild to sleep or joining in with a child or grandchild in a duet. She accumulated songs from every decade. So many that her family begged her to try her hand on the game show, Name That Tune. No doubt those “tunes” she’s accumulated have helped her weather hard days and celebrate good days. 

She spent a lifetime in “church,” where she accumulated scriptures, hymns, sermons and faithful friends who have stood beside her at weddings, funerals, baby showers, and pot lucks, which reminds me of all the recipes she’s accumulated. Surely enough for her own cookbook. At 90 years old, her kitchen is where everyone wants to be and if someone says “it’s taco night” the whole family will show up and she’ll make tacos until they are full.

 

 

I can’t stop without mentioning her accumulation of years of fashion. She would be the first to tell you that “pretty is as pretty does” as she firmly believes how we act outshines any outfit, but she also wouldn’t dare leave the house without being dressed in a way she feels is fitting to greet other people or the occasion. That includes hair is place, lipstick on and linen ironed. Her children have been blessed to watch her dress for nearly 7 of her 9 decades and she always, without exception, looks classy. She even pulled it off in the 80’s and 90’s! ☺ 

Most importantly, Mamaw Jo, as everyone calls her, has accumulated a family that loves her more than she knows. She has six children, twelve grandchildren, thirty great-grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren. This is, by far, her favorite accumulation, second only to the 50 plus years she accumulated loving her husband. 

 

 

 

We celebrated Mamaw on Easter Sunday, first at church and then at our house, before the Easter egg hunt. She is someone who deserves to be celebrated. She leads our family with strength and grace. And, because of that, we are the ones who get to accumulate more “things” from her and, by that, I mean, her wisdom. Her great-granddaughter, Sadie, says Mamaw has nuggets of gold that come out of her when she talks. We all agree and soak them up as much as possible

One of her favorite sayings is, “You’re not kind because people are kind to you; you are kind because you are a kind person.” That’s who my mom is. Always kind. Always loving. Always cheering us on. 

Here’s a little about from the technical side. The meal was catered (except I made two large sweet potato casseroles) as I didn’t want mom to cook and she would have. The house was decorated for Easter for the kids and birthday for mom. She didn’t mind sharing her day. She never minds sharing anything. The more the merrier is her battle cry. Our dear friend made three amazing cakes. My brother spoke the touching words said at church. Great-grandsons gave her flowers. The entire family, minus a few, sat together at church, taking up four long church pews. Pictures were out to remind others of a life well-lived and a sweet chalkboard told her happy birthday. After lunch, everyone had their time to get a pic with Mamaw and, of course, we organized the BIG family pic, before the Easter Egg hunt. 

It truly was a glorious day.   

I just wanted to share a little about my mom’s birthday. I hope you don’t mind.

Hugs, Chrys