Mom

[susandennis]

Today's is my Mom's birthday she died in 2005 after living 82 excellent years. I was remembering her birthdays and two stand out.

When I was 6 and my sister was 5 and my brother was 2, my Dad took us out shopping for a birthday present for Mom. This was huge is many ways. My Dad traveled a lot and was never home. When he was, he rarely took all of us on his own. And when it did it was for fun stuff like sledding or the zoo. Shopping??? I think back on it now and it's kind of amazing to think he even did that.

It was wonderful. We went to Macy's which was wonderful. (This was in Kansas City, Missouri.) The whole thing was magical. We bought her some beautiful - I mean to a 6 year old girl they were the most amazing wonderful beautiful house slippers ever. Pink with a big fuzzy ball on the top of each one. (The antithesis of my Mom's taste by the way.)

All the way home - even over the ice cream we stopped to enjoy - my Dad kept telling us over and over again that this was a secret. Do you know what secret means? We cannot tell her. It must be a surprise. When she opens the package tomorrow morning. We cannot spoil the surprise. It is a secret.

So, of course, we walk in the door and Mom greets us and my sister blurts in her most excited voice "They sure do have gorgeous slippers at Macy's!!!!!"

It was our family code for all secrets from then on. "Where ya been?" "They sure do have gorgeous slippers at Macy's." "oh, ok"

Her other birthday I remember is her 80th. She picked the restaurant. I made the arrangements. My brother and his wife came up (to Charleston, SC) from Jacksonville. A limo picked them all up (also included was my Mom's BFF) and took them to an elegant dinner with appropriate birthday acknowledgement, waited for them and took them back home. The woman from the restaurant called me after to report that everyone looked like they were having a great time. I thought that was so classy. Mom had fun and that's what counted.

Miss you, Mom. If there's an afterlife, I hope you are having a great time.

Comments

[carriea31.livejournal.com]

What a nice post. :)

[susandennis]

Thank you.

[opakele.livejournal.com]

Great picture of your mom.

[susandennis]

Thanks. I took it about a year before she died and she loved it so, of course, so do I.

[albatrossxwing.livejournal.com]

Susan, that is a great homage to your mother. <3

[susandennis]

Thank you. I totally won the Mom lottery with her.

[albatrossxwing.livejournal.com]

My mother and I are estranged. She and I have issues. My father and I are closer.

[lenine2.livejournal.com]

Those are lovely memories! That made me remember one of my mother's birthdays. My older sister and younger brother and I saved up our money and bought her an iced tea pitcher and four glasses. This had to be when we were all in elementary school, because I remember still having the bedroom my sister and I shared.

Funny how those memories come up with the tiniest poke.

[susandennis]

Nice.

[christalin80.livejournal.com]

Lovely post. I've been thinking about my mom too, she passed in 2015. Still miss that awesome lady so very much.

[nanila]

You have the same smile. Awesome.

[susandennis]

I've never had anyone say that before and I love it. Thank you.

[daphnep.livejournal.com]

Aww, this is really sweet. ♥️

[mac-arthur-park.livejournal.com]

Thnks for sharing those wonderful memories.

[lady-bird.livejournal.com]

It was our family code for all secrets from then on. "Where ya been?" "They sure do have gorgeous slippers at Macy's." "oh, ok"

This made me chuckle. I love anecdotes like that!

[becomingkate.livejournal.com]

Those are great stories! I love the one with the punchline that you still used. Those are the best memories.

[colestainedpage.livejournal.com]

What great memories. Happy (belated) birthday Susan's mom!

My mom's birthday was on the 1st. She would have been 77.