This one's for Mom

My Mom was talking to my sister Becky on the phone a couple days ago and she said, "If you’re looking for a Mother’s Day gift idea, write me a letter telling 3-5 reasons how having me as a mother has influenced you as an adult." Hmm, sounds suspiciously like an English class assignment. My mind instantly went to the movie A Christmas Story where Ralphie’s teacher says, "Children, we’re going to write a theme" and they all groan and moan. But the truth is, a letter is my favorite gift to receive so I decided to give it a go. And what better way to honor my Mom than to publicly extoll her virtues on the blog?

I believe this photo was taken either on Easter or Mother's Day in 1979.

Mom gave me roots. Being an Army brat pretty much guarantees that you won’t live near extended family. But despite the distance, I always felt close to my Cox cousins. Mom always made an effort to make our visits full of good times and fun memories and we were encouraged to keep in touch with letters and phone calls. Mom is also the genealogy queen. She has a passion for her ancestors and has a strong love and desire to give each of them all the opportunities of the gospel.

Mom taught me not to be idle. She is always involved in some sort of project, whether it’s working in the yard, doing honey-do’s for the Scottish Association, or volunteering at the Family History Center. She has never been one to sit around watching daytime television or otherwise wasting her time.

Mom taught me to respect and take care of my elders. I hope when the time comes, I can take as good care of my mother as she took of hers. She respected Gram’s autonomy, yet Gram knew she could rely on her daughter 100%, anytime day or night, no matter what she needed. Mom adored and respected her mother and always made sure Gram maintained her position as an integral part of the extended family.

Mom taught me the value of having a marketable skill. She completed nursing school while being a newlywed, having a baby and supporting her husband who was also a student. There were times when she was a stay-at-home mom, but she always maintained her skills and eventually made a great career out of being a nurse.

1965

1999

Mom taught me the value of traditions. Christmas was always such a magical time, due largely to Mom’s effort to create a warm ambiance and do the same things together every year. I have great memories of my birthdays. Mom always made fancy cakes and made sure we felt like the greatest kid in the world on our birthday. I try to remember that when I feel like blowing off those important days.

My second birthday, August 1977

I love you, Mom. You done good!