Mother

Editor's Note:   this is the tribute I ended up writing, based on the collection of stories I included in the previous post.  It was hastily written the days leading up to her funeral.   A blur in many ways, and yet it also feels like it happened just a little while ago.

Mother

Although words such as kind, loving, thoughtful and guiding are often used to describe one's mother, I feel a more appropriate word for my mom is dedicated.   Now, of course, she was loving, helping and guiding ect but her dedication God, her work, her family and finally her battle against cancer are more appropriate to write about.

She displayed her dedication to God by attending worship throughout her life, singing in the choir, teaching Sunday School and assisting with the Christian education program.

Her dedication to her worked should through.   Throughout her numerous jobs, I can always remember her fussing about her work, yet she'd turn around the very next day and go in early to help out or stay late to finish up "just one more letter.".   When she was finally forced to leave her work due to her illness, I can recall the emptiness.

Her family dedication was seen in her always striving to provide a home that was full of love, happiness and support.   She was always there for Dad, Laura and myself by providing all of our needs plus numerous wants. Although mom, I am still wanting my Excalibur.

Her family values extended beyond the immediate family to include outsiders.   Not too many women would open their home to 7 crazy college junior nursing students.   The assorted adopted kids she picked up along the way along with the subsequent grandchildren are further evidence of her dedication to family.

Her final dedication is seen in her long 4.5 year battle with cancer.   From that first diagnosistic test when were were all told how severe it was through the last hospitalization and hospice involvement her constant cry was "I'm going to beat this.".   Although there were certainly bad days, I can proudly claim the happy days certainly outweight the down days.   She used all types of ways to remain upbeat, the most used one being humor.

I recall one memorable day when she cam upstairs after a shower, shed her towel to show a bald head and calmly asked our family friend, Kelly Nygaard, if she had time to give Mom a cut, curl and rinse before Mom and Barb (Kelly's mom) went out for the evening.

It is her dedication that got her through all of this.   I hope and pray that Laura and I inherited some of that dedication.

And hey, Honey, you finally are home!

Editor's update
I wrote this at the tender age of 22, just months after finishing college.   I look at it and am impressed with my maturity and yet also struck by the style of writing I used.   Still rather collegiate vs. what I now prefer as a more casual style of story telling.   I guess these days I'm more worried about telling the story than writing an essay for a college.   Our styles change:   not just fashion but also writing style as well.

I would like to believe that I have taken lessons from my mom's playbook:   dedicating myself to God, family and community.   We shall see when my story telling days come to a close, and the tributes flow in, if others perceive me to be this way.   But for now, I try live a life filled with hope that I am honoring my mom's memory and following in the path she creating.   And just as she scribbled little notes on the back of pictures, making sure her stories are being remembered, I too will continue to tell the stories....as I recall them to be true (which means there could be a bit of embellishing happening from time to time...)