Well, it is Mother's Day, and I'm too cheap to send flowers internationally. So being the nerdy one of the family, I thought I would put up a little tribute to the lady I know as mom.
From what I have been told, over thirty years ago she took a chance. She was told her second child would be mentally disabled and would not be able to take care of himself. The doctor recommended ending the pregnancy, but she didn't even consider it an option. Months later a little redheaded child appeared to the world, and proved that doctor wrong. (Although if I lived by his expectations, tying my shoes in the morning is a great accomplishment. I could stop there, and have a great day.!)
Skip ahead a few years, she and her family are on vacation. She decides to take her child on the rope swing, as she had done many times before. While swinging that day the rope decides to break, sending mother and child to the ground. She was the only one injured in the fall. (Although I still use the excuse that I was dropped as a child when needed.)
Those that know her, know that you can take the girl off the farm, but not the farm out of the girl. She brought her hard work ethic with her when a hot shot from Chicago swept her off the farm. She has worked at several banks, a city utility office, the local A&W, a feed store (where word was she could carry heavier bags of grain than some of the male employees), and even ran a
semi-truck elevator. She currently works crazy hours at a bakery. Luckily she has passed down some of that work ethic to her kids... although I think she also passed down the desire for odd and random jobs too.
I know it wasn't easy for her when this nomad left years ago for a summer in Ireland. It was tougher when I took off for what I thought was going to be two years in Germany. And I don't think she ever expected I'd end up in Asia. But I still remember the words of my parents when they told me they raised me to be independent and wanted us to be happy in what we did. They knew God was leading me in this direction and were proud that I was following. If she (and dad) didn't do such a good job of raising me, I still would be living in their basement.
I could fill pages telling stories of a woman people on several continents call Eleanor or Elle, yet I still call mom. I could also probably get in trouble for putting up more photos of her through years. So I guess I will end this post with a funny note I got from my mom. It was on a bag of Musli she sent me in a care package. It says, "To Ryan: From IKEA 11/27/05 You can take out the raisins if you don't like."
You gotta love a mom who allows you to be a picky eater, even when you are half a world away and in your thirties.
So mom, if you are reading this... Thank you for all you did to help raise me right. Thank you for being supportive of my vagabond lifestyle. Thank you for being a Godly example of caring for others before yourself. Thank you for providing a place I know I can always return to. Thank you. You are appreciated and loved.
Currently listening to:
Danny Plett -
(one of my mom's favorite albums)
2 comments:
You do have a great mom. She cooks lots of food so we all have enough to eat while at the cabin.
Tell her hello from me!
She was a great hostess when Sally and I visited for the great pumpkin festival. She didn't even think it was odd when we "borrowed" the leg from her garage. :)
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