Mother's Day

Our family had a good weekend. We went to Searcy Friday night to spend the weekend with Katie. She and Mom went to hear theh Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Friday night, so we had Willie, Kim, and little Jake over to visit for a while. Saturday, John got up and went riding with Willie, got cleaned up, and went to Waffle House to eat while we girls all got ready. We took Emily to play with her friend Melissa, and then Mom, Katie, and I went out for lunch and then did some shopping. It was fun just hanging out with the girls! We all met at Los Montano for supper and got to finally meet Scott. He's really nice and funny. Our kids liked him a lot. He seemed to like playing with them, though I'm sure they tried his patience a few times. We went to College church Sunday morning, and it was good to see old friends again. All their kids were bigger, of course, like ours. Katie made us a delicious brunch, and Scott came over to eat with us. We didn't get to go out on his boat this time, but that would be fun this summer.
Here I want to share some memories I have of my mom when I was growing up. Back when I was around 3 years old, I remember sitting in my neighbor's living room watching TV and hearing her concerned voice asking for me. I had been napping with her and woke up early, and decided to go over to my friend's house to watch "Land of the Lost." I'm sure I got a good spanking for that one. I remember her making us oatmeal for breakfast when I was in elementary school. While it was cooking on the stove, she would set out our bowls and put a pat of butter in each one. You'd be surprised at how much better oatmeal is with a little butter in it! Sometimes she would come get me during school so I could eat lunch at home (we lived right across the street). When I was in first grade, there was a tornado warning, and we all had to scrunch down in the hallway at school. I remember crying because I was scared, and then feeling very relieved when she came to get me. I remember crying when she spanked me (when I was old enough to remember it), not because it actually hurt, but because I didn't like to get a spanking. ;-) That smile's for you, Mom. There are so many things I remember, but most of the memories I have are of her taking care of other people and setting such a good example for my sister and me. No matter where we lived, she was always taking care of our neighbors, usually older people. She always spent time visiting with them, taking them food, etc. She also took us to the nursing home a lot to visit people there. My dad's parents lived in the same town, so she helped take care of them, too, plus her parents, who lived an hour away. She also helped my dad do Bible Hour on Sunday nights for years. She took great care of my dad when he got sick and stayed right by his side through all the chemo and radiation. He had tumors on his skin that she cleaned and bandaged several times a day. She is so strong that she seems to be like a rock, but I know that it's not all her - her strength comes from her Father. She is an inspiration to all those around her, and her faith shines through in all that she does. She's not perfect, of course, but she has been and is a wonderful mother, and I love her. Happy Mother's Day, Mom. This post is for you.
I'm including a picture of Mom with Ethan taken earlier this month.