When I went to Romania to adopt my most beautiful daughter. my mom was super thrilled to come along as i was.  

Random Memories Rag clad trees because of naughty goats, taking a bloated goat to the vet as it had got into some antifreeze, sadly the goat was left at the dump. Carrots washed at the laundry mat, not sure how impressed the owner was ;) ticking metronome, Denise must practice her piano before she can play. Wooden benches at the table, classic picture of man praying before eating his loaf of bread. A flickering flame under the hot water tank, no electricity there. Cats, Soot comes to mind later favorite cat and favorite dog, not in the same category but in the same name list, favorite husband. Goat's milk being pasteurized, learning to peal carrots at her sink. An afternoon bath in her tub after my sister and my adventure of "swimming" in a mud puddle. A garden of coal black soil, mosquitoes that nearly carried us off. Cranberry picking, an outing for all. Skip a few years another house, children are grown and the list of grandbabies is growing. "Mother" and "Granddaddy", a glass of milk by "Mothers" plate even though she always poured it in her bowl???  Rhubarb Kuchen, my favorite and sometimes would make it for me. Peanut butter in mini crocks, margarine on the table but only used by us. orange juice on popcorn, would not eat the heals of the bread from the bakery as "they are filled with oil". blanket clad veranda and sliding glass window so we could tan in privacy. Drawing in dust on nicknack shelves, being given the Friday job to dust! Ticking and gonging clocks all through the house. Exercising, staying fit, enduring a sports injuring. Cleaning the seat of her car as one of her charges had an accident, scrub scrub scrub she did! Endless sewing, even pretty short nighties. Comedy how to janitor video, books on how to dress for ones body shape, how to accessorize and use the clothes that you own look new. Pencil skirts.  Being chastised for drying my hands on her bath towel, OOPS! still feel embarrassed about that one. A bottle of disinfectant in her bathroom for use after others used it. Bleach stains in my cloths from washing dishes, my mother wasn't impressed.  Giving up her bedroom to care for Janice while being bedridden during one of the pregnancies. A special fancy meal, place mats made just for the occasion for naughty girls that didn't deserve it, heaping coals of fire is what comes to mind, and no I wasn't the naughty girl, not this time. Sitting in the dining room while the woman of grace and manners walks in and lets out a belch that rivaled any logger belch. I think it shocked her as much as is shocked me, the hand to the mouth and the red face told it all! Rows of peaches, apricots, Rhubarb, applesauce, homemade pickles. Canning over an open fire in a huge welded metal box with legs. Having to pause a conversation while the train clattered past, the collection of blue plates on the walls would dance.  Charlie's haircuts in the kitchen, trimming LONG eyebrows which to this day impress me, those haircuts and trimming I KNOW will be missed... Coming "home" at lunch and seeing special food made for just the two of them, made your mouth water. Those meals were always eaten at the small island in the kitchen, it wasn't just the food it was the special quiet time alone as their house was always shared with teenagers, aging family members and at the time Neranda.  These memories I was gifted and to be half the woman of grace and class and devoted wife as she was would be a high standard to reach. I thank God for Marilyn being part of my life.

I attribute my conversion to my dear mother. She was a perfect example of practical Christianity. And she lived it in the home. I remember her quoting some verses to me periodically as we went about our work. Ezekiel 14:20 and Mark 8:36 come to mind. "Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter, they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness." I got out of that verse that she was telling me that her walk with God wasn't going to do me any good. I was going to have to have my own personal relationship. And then there was the verse, "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" I got out of that verse that I needed to pay careful attention to my priorities. I think that that verse really stuck with me, because over the years, I have put a lot of thought into trying to make sure that my priorities are right. I remember after lunch, when my brother and I were reading age, that we would sit down with her and take turns reading paragraphs from a Conflict of the Ages book. Mom put our spiritual welfare and character development so high on her priority list, that she chose to endure many hardships that come from living far out in the country. They bought crown land, and we sawed our own lumber and built our own house. It was a pioneer house that used sawdust for insulation and wasn't finished in the same way that you would expect a finished house to be.  We had no electricity, because we were too far off the highway. I remember having the chore of cleaning the kerosine lamps and refilling them.  We cut and split our own wood. To try and help my dad, Mom would keep the house cooler during the day to save on wood and then get the house warmer, just before Dad came home from teaching school. Since we didn't have electricity, she would have to take all the laundry that five kids can create and take it into town to wash at the laundry mat, taking those five little kids along. Then once a month she would have to take a whole day to travel with five kids to buy groceries to last a month. I remember that she would usually come home with a migraine headache. As a kid, I didn't realize all the sacrifices that my mother was making for us, until I grew up and got to know the kind of woman that she really was. I found out that she liked the things one can do with constant electricity, and that she liked the finer things of life. It was then that I really realized what a sacrifice Mom had made for us kids. She modelled what practical self sacrifice really looked like. Besides sacrificing for us children, she cared for her aunt during the last period of her life until her aunt's death. And then after that, she cared for her parents for the last ten years of their lives. Mom's life was full of sacrifice for others.

Another thing that I owe to my mother is my lifelong interest in health. That is a gift that I am greatly indebted and thank her for. 

  One thing that I really admired about my mother is the fact that everything she did was done in a professional way. When she focused on sewing for a number of years, she did it in a professional way. And even though Mom's interests weren't always my interests, I always enjoyed listening to her and learning from her about those things. And I was very proud of how well she mastered something that she put her mind to. And then I remembered her telling me over the phone one day, after she had moved to Arizona, that she had a goal that she wanted to accomplish before she died. She said, "I want to learn to make good bread before I die. So for the next number of years, she focused 24/7 on developing recipes for ancient grains sprouted breads. And then she decided that she wanted to perfect gluten free bread. My mom was an excellent R&D person. She kept careful notes of all her experiments, all organized like. When I would go visit her in Arizona, I was so proud of her little bakery. It looked so professional and organized. It looked like it would be a wonderful home based business. So I guess that she did accomplish her goal of making good bread.   

I will really miss my mother, but I am so happy that I have no doubts that I will meet her soon. Until then...  I love you, Mom, and wish you hadn't had to leave so soon and so unexpected.   

From the very start of my memories you were there, "you don't have to go to sleep just close your eyes" you said. "Always sit while you are eating", that sad story of your twin sister was the example.  My first move away from home was to your home the sting of homesickness was lessened as you took the role of second Mom.  Your homemaking skills, especially those on keeping a beautiful home have greatly influenced my own taste in decor, in a way you surround me. Tonight for supper we ate your potato soup, I let my memories take me... The last place I lived before I got married was once again in your home. I think you enjoyed the romance in the air and the wedding planning, you even skillfully sewed the bodice of my wedding dress as my own mother had struggled with. When I was preparing to move out into my own home you pulled my fuzzy pajamas out of the garbage can and arranged for them to be gifted to me at my lingerie party, I'm sure you got a few laughs out of that one.
 My dear second Mom, although the miles have seperated us over the years seeing you four years ago at another sad occation was like no time had been in between, I will never forget the twinkle in your eye as you told me about having your own bakery at your age, and yes it was something to be proud of. Now it's not miles that separate us but time, for you it won't seem long but for those of us who wait until Resurrection morning we'll once again sing a song that years ago we tearfully sang as you and your family prepared to leave for Weimar. To this day when these words are sung my memory takes me back to that tearful moment.

Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above. Before our Father’s throne,
We pour our ardent prayers;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one,
Our comforts, and our cares. We share our mutual woes,
Our mutual burdens bear;
And often for each other flows
The sympathizing tear. When we asunder part,
It gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be joined in heart,
And hope to meet again.

I love you Second Mom and will miss you, I'm asking our Dear Father to surround each of your loved ones and soften the ache in their hearts.  See you in the Morning!

Love,  Shawna