1965
Looky here. Mom's looking so slim and trip and properly upright. Nanny looks a tad more relaxed but not by much. Paula and Kathy are enduring the picture taking ritual. I love that Paula and Mom have hats on for one side of the picture but Nanny and Kathy don't for the other.
Summer 1959
I picked this one because Mom is smiling and looking pretty relaxed. Then I got thinking. I got thinking about how I could not sit like that with my legs out to the side for very long--never mind holding up a squirming baby. And smiling. Then I did some math and realized that Mom is probably pregnant with Paula in this picture. So, she's smiling, relaxed, in a yoga pose only a master could appreciate holding an infant upright. I'm eating animal crackers and Chris is unhappy. Probably about the sand up his bum.
More math: at the time Mom and Dad celebrated their 5th wedding anniversary in 1960, Mom had 4 children. She had been pregnant 3.5 years out the the previous 5. Her body had only 18 months rest over that entire period. It was accepted and expected practice in those days, but YIKES! So definite cheers to Mom.
I still miss her. Sometimes I forget for a brief time that she's gone and it feels like she's still there for me. Just fleeting moments, but even almost 10 years later sometimes it's like she's still here. I think she did a great job with us. It isn't like children are raised today but something must have worked as I am proud of all of us for our accomplishments and place in life. We share that commonality despite the differences in our current lives. I hope the same for my children. Cheers!
1 comment:
Happy Mother's Day, Mom. I celebrated my memory of Mom by having popcorn in the bowl that she and I admired in a store once. She ended up buying it, as I was short on cash that week. I took it from their house when we were all splitting things up after their passing. Every time I use that bowl, I remember our day of shopping.
We had many good days shopping. It was fun to spend the day checking things out in the stores. I especially enjoyed the walks around Rockport. All those wonderful shops!
I love the pictures, Patty Anne. I don't think I'd ever seen either, so this was fun. My heart goes out to Chris in the second photo. He was not happy. I love how lady like the four of us are in the first one. But I noticed that the REAL ladies kept their feet together while standing for a photo... wait, I'm the only one with my feet apart! Shoot! I guess we all knew I wasn't much of a "lady". Oh well. Seriously, how often do you see girls/women stand with their feet booth together these days? Hardly ever! I love how beautiful both Mom and Nanny are in this picture. All of us dressed so nice. Probably for church. We had such a good childhood. (Although by the looks of it, Chris would disagree. At least at the moment of the bottom picture!)
Happy Mother's Day, Mom. You must have done it right. We did turn out pretty good.
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