"Moms..."

Mothers’ Day…

This weekend is Mother's Day...

I am biased...

I am of the opinion that I had the best  Mom in the world...

My Mom has been gone 34 years...

I was 27 when Mom died...

She's been gone from my Life for a period of time

longer than I knew her...

That seems so impossible...

Mom was an amazing woman...

She raised two families, really...

The first litter and the second litter...

What a dysfunctional group

we all turned out to be...

But she loved us anyway.

Mom

I love this photo of my Mom...

I assume she gave this photo to Dad...

and she gave it 'affectionately'...

She said so...

I look back at the wonderful times we all had...

Our family in general...

and I realize it was Mom that kept us all together.

Our family started to fragment when Mom died.

She was the glue.

What a tough job it is that Moms must have.

Mom...

Because I had such a wonderful Mother,

 I assumed that everyone had the same kind...

... but that isn't true.

There are 'absent' Moms out there...

There are emotionally abusive Moms out there...

There are verbally abusive Moms...

There are physically abusive Moms.

... and I got one that loved me...

...cared for me...

...cared about me.

I realize I am so fortunate.

Evelyn Ruth Ohl Brown
Mom, the later years...

I look at these images of my Mom...

and I hurt so.

The hole in my heart that was created 

when she died hasn't healed over.

The hurt is as bad today 

as it was then...

Of course, there are two other Mothers involved...

Mary Jane Coles Brown

This is my Grandmother Brown...

At the time when  women didn't go to college,

Mary Jane Coles was a graduate 

of Southern Illinois University in

Carbondale, Illinois.

She was a school teacher...

My Aunt Winnie is on the left side of the photo... 

... that other character is my Dad.

GrandMother Brown died on January 10, 1929...

I feel a very strong connection to her.

Dad loved his Mother...

He told me what a wonderful, 

loving woman she was.

He told me that the loss of his Mother was one 

of the most difficult things he ever endured.

Ann Elizabeth Helfrich Ohl

This is my Grandmother Ohl...

My Mom's Mom...

They were from Mascoutah, a small German settlement just outside of

East St. Louis, Illinois...

My Grandmother Ohl died on January 13, 1929...

Just a few days after my Grandmother Brown.

Dad said that they had just returned from the cemetery... 

that it was SO bitterly cold that day...

and that they had only been at the house for a few

moments when someone came to get Mom...

Her Mom was so ill...

My Mother adored her Mom...

I was with my Mother at home, the night before she died...

Mom sat up in bed and reached out...

calling for her Mother...

I do believe that her Mom came to take her Home...

So... I had a wonderful Mom...

Mom had a wonderful Mom...

Dad had a wonderful Mom...

Sometimes, things do work out...

Don't they?

I love you, Mom...

I miss you each and every day...

~Jim~