When fall-in-love and get married the in-laws come along as part of the package. You don’t get to pick them, nor they have much of a choice in picking the son-in-law.

I am very fortunate – I have the greatest mother-in-law and father-in-law one could ever ask for.

One incident I recall was shortly after my remaining parent had passed away.  I mentioned to Esther that I was now an orphan!

Her reply was simple: “Know you’re not!” 

I truly miss Esther and her simple way at looking at life.  Thank you for including me in your life and being part of your family.

Your favorite son-in-law, 
Jim

THE BROKEN CHAIN

We little knew the day that

God was going to call your name,

In life we loved you dearly,

in death we do the same.

 

It broke our hearts to lose you,

but in God we put our trust,

In times as difficult as this,

faith is such a must.

 

You left us peaceful memories,

your love is still our guide,

And though we cannot see you,

you are always at our side.

 

Our family chain is broken,

and nothing seems the same,

But as God calls us one by one,

the chain will link again.

" I Love You Mama and I will forever miss you."

Today I shared this poem with all the wonderful people that came to Mom's service. Thank you all for your love and support. 

I will always remember all the camping we did. Mom loved to fish and I can remember very early how she taught me to put a worm on a hook. I remember riding motorcycles when we were only ten and Dad teaching Mom In the back yard how to ride her Honda 55, She turned the throttle and ran through a rose bush and a red wood fence. That was last time I think she rode. We learned how to sew, bake, tend a garden, drive, and how to be a gentle man. Teaching  me how to walk on the sidewalk on the outside of a lady. I'm still not sure why, I guess in the event someone drives up on the sidewalk the man would get it first. We now days have a Kid or two and have our careers to be able to get by. Having four kids kind of immerses you into motherhood. Now Your in it to win it. While she raised us she always did child care in the summer for Wanda Butler across the street. And then keep Scotty myers to have a baby around. She was a professional Mom. Children, Eat what Is on the table. And there was always a wide verity of things she'd canned or invented in the kitchen. I don't know if this in any cook book or not. If you have this original recipe I'd like to have it. Creamed tuna with peas on waffles. You see there's a method to the mom madness the peas would stick in the waffle holes and you had to eat them. She was care taker to the Monroes next door and traded that for being able to pick there fruit trees. We boys had our first jobs mowing, watering lawns, raking leaves and weeding for little pay. It was a win win deal with the added benefit of teaching us how to work hard. Dad worked swing shift at Tille Lewis foods during the summers seven days a week just 10 hours on Sunday and Mom would shave our heads. We had our own barber. We ran around like little Indians until someone would get into a fight and she'd line us up and paddle us. It didn't matter who started it because we all pointed the finger. It was just easier to go though the line. Kris says i was a legend on the day she upgraded her paddle. Remember that toy you would buy in the five and dime that was a paddle and a ball that you played with until the rubber band broke. Now what can you use it for. I remember it as the early paddle until she broke it on me. There's no rule book for Mom's, she had to learn to be tough. She was so gracious and with our care it allowed her to leave with the most respect and highest dignity. I know she wasn't in pain as I was trying to help her with the bed pan one night she got mad, Hey are you trying to shave my butt off. No Mom I'm so sorry. As she left us she taught her last and most important lesson. She woke always with a loving smile. She spoke, and this is the truth, two words, and this sums up what is inside a person, straight from a dream, two words..............................Butternut squash. Karen asked her what that meant and she didn't know. If your a mom maybe you understand. I think she was worried about the left over butternut squash soap in the refrigerator. Thank you.

I remember Esther for many things, probably first as the mother of the little red haired girl next door, who could throw rocks even in a clean little white dress and then the celebrated bride for my bachelor uncle,  but also for many more simple things like a tuna sandwich on brown bread with butter, passed thru a screen door of the house in Salida or the Chex mix at Christmas,  which James loved.  I am sure I pestered Mom for months afterward as to why all sandwiches don’t come with butter and brown bread.  ..of all I remember, the best for me is she is the only person who can say my name, TerryJoe without a Missouri-Oklahoma -Arkansas accent and still make me feel loved….