Thursday, May 5, 2016

The Mom Behind the Blog

This may be one of my favorite posts ever, and not just because I didn't write it!  Today I am featuring my mom on the blog!  My mom is one of the most loving and giving people you will ever meet.  She is talented and creative; from making Homecoming mums (if you're not from the south, google it, they're crazy), to the most amazing recipes you have ever tasted, to sewing Jentry's baby bedding...I haven't found much that my mom cannot do.  I emailed her a few questions last week and her answers are below in italics.

Let me introduce, my mom (aka Kendall, Jess and Jentry's Gigi)...



Emily has asked me to answer questions about “my favorites”.  I don’t think of myself as having favorites.   It would probably be easier to do my not favorites.  I noticed that none of the questions have to do with music, could that be because I love country and if you are one of Emily’s regular blog readers you know she is not.  But, the assignment is my favorites so here we go:


What is your favorite thing about being a mom?

My favorite thing about being your Mom is making memories/spending time with you.  Having the privilege of being a stay-at-home mom from the time you were born until you started kindergarten allowed me to be there for all of your first:  first words, first tooth, first steps, and first day of school in your cute little sailor dress.  Then I went to work at the school and got to experience watching you play on the playground, seeing you at lunch and riding to and from school together.  Except on days when you weren’t ready because of a wrinkle in your sock.  This would mean that both shoes and socks would come off to fix that one wrinkle and Daddy would have to bring you to school.  Not all memories are good ones.  There were the trips to the ER, such as asthma attaches and a broken leg.  I guess my favorite memories were vacations.  For vacations, I would make a vacation journal for you.  The journal included activities to keep you busy on long trips, it also included maps to avoid the “Are we there, yet?” It also had place for you, at the end of the day to write any memories you had made.  No matter your age every day is an adventure.  I hope to continue making memories with you.  Did you make a memory today?

What is your favorite thing about being a Gigi?

My favorite thing about being a Gigi is the unconditional love from Kendall (16), Jesse (4½), Jentry (2½) and granddog Bella.  My favorite is their unconditional love. 

Kendall has such a sweet spirit.  It’s so hard to believe that she is sixteen.  She has been my encourager for most of those sixteen years.  I loved to watch her and my mother as they would read the Sunday funnies together.  Kendall would scooch her little bottom next to mother even after she could ready them herself and her bottom really didn’t fit anymore.  I am so proud of her merciful spirit, patience and compassion for others.


Jesse, my Dad’s and Granddad’s namesake, is so full of energy and excitement.  He is the total opposite of his namesake’s.  My dad and granddad were both more on the quiet and reserved side.  He would have been so honored to have a grandson named after both of them.  He probably would have bought him a pony.


Emily's Note: My grandparents had two grandchildren, they bought one grandchild a pony.  That means one of us did NOT get a pony.  I'll let you figure out which one did not get a pony.  #StillALittleBitter


Jenry is my grandchild that can’t walk, she runs everywhere.  This child is so full of life and the desire to soak up and experience life.  She is her big brother’s shadow.  She brightens my day with her smiles and hugs.  I so wish my mother and daddy could have experienced her love.  I’m sure her great-granddad would have made a gardener out of her.


(Emily's Note:  Gigi, You and Jentry need an updated picture together)

Bella is my granddog and if you have pets you know what I mean by unconditional love.


What is your favorite memory of raising me?

My favorite Emily moments were watching your successes in life and now watching you beam with pride and even shedding a tear or two when your children succeed.  Watching you as a small child choosing to follow Christ and seeing you now as you lead your children to also follow Christ.  As a child your favorite hymn was “Holy, Holy, Holy”  I thought it was because it was page 1 in the hymnal.  “Holy, Holy, Holy, merciful and mighty, God in three persons, blessed Trinity.” What more could a Mom hope for than seeing prayers answered and you following not only in the footsteps of Jesus, but also in the heritage of your family members over many generations.


What words of encouragement or piece of advice would you give to mom's raising small children, like me?

When you were born, your Aunt Kathey, gave me a plaque with a chicken surrounded by her baby chicks.  The saying was “Lord, help me to endure my blessings.”  I must admit that there have been several times I have whispered this prayer.  From a newborn baby that didn’t want to sleep in her bed, anticipating 20-25 teenagers for a party and 50 showing up, and “Mom, will you answer a few questions for my blog”.  There seems there is never a time when as a mom you are not saying, Lord Help.  Mom’s you remember checking to make sure that infant is breathing, handing over the car keys to a sixteen year old, dropping them off at college,  watching them start their a family of their own.  Your job as Mother is never over, your job is to pray “Lord, Help.”



What is one of your most cherished memories of your mom (my grandmother...aka Mamma)?

My cherished memories of my Mother were her sacrificial giving of herself.  My Mother worked on an assembly line, 10-hour days, then home to prepare a home cooked meal.  I remember many nights her sewing into the middle of the night to make sure I had a new dress for the first day of school, picture day, costumes and uniforms.




What is one of your favorite recipes?

Mother and Daddy hosted my many family dinners, with usually an attendance of 40-50 people.  I loved the getting together with aunts, uncles and cousins for a day of fun and food.  My Mother was a great cook and it is hard to choose one recipe, but the one I usually asked for on my birthday was her strawberry cake.


Thank you so much to my beautiful mom for letting me interview her today.  I hope you enjoyed this post as much as I did!

Today I am linking up with Michelle for Party at My Place, and Annie and Natalie for Thoughts on Thursday.  Have a great day!

Emily




18 comments:

  1. Is it crazy that I'm crying reading this post? What a blessing of a mama and woman to the world. (And I had no clue what a mum was - to me it is the flower - and I'm in NC!!!!) xo sweet friend! Happy Mother's Day to you both!

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    1. I guess Homecoming mums are just a Texas thing. They used to be somewhat normal, now they're ridiculous!

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  2. Sweet post!! Your mom sounds like an amazing mom and gigi! Hope you both have a wonderful Mother's Day!!

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    1. Thank you! We are blessed to have her in our lives. Happy Mother's Day to you, too.

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  3. Aww this is beautiful! I love that she included your pup =) She speaks (aka types ha) in the same style as you. The vacation journal is such a great idea!

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    1. Thanks, Jacquelyn! I always looked forward to the vacation journals every year. She is so creative!

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  4. I love that you featured your mom. So sweet! Her words were exactly what a Gigi would say. Y'all are so lucky to have such a sweet soul around.

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    1. Thanks, Ashley. We are blessed to have her in our lives. She always knows exactly what to say.

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  5. Your Mama is SO sweet! I see where you get it from. Just by reading this you can tell how proud of and how much she loves her family.

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    1. Aww, thank you, Jacie! You're right, she is sweet! Hope you have a great Mother's Day!

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  6. A lovely tribute. This whole post made me smile.

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    1. Thanks, Michelle. Thank you for hosting the link up, too!

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  7. What a great idea to interview your mom! I love it. Her answers are so sweet. I love that your mom made vacation journals for you. I might need to borrow that idea. Love this post!

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    1. Thanks, Crystal. I loved the vacation journals. I may have to have her dig around in my old scrapbooks and find some. I always looked forward to them. I made them a few years for my oldest daughter, too. It's a great way to capture memories through kids eyes.

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  8. Oh goodness this was just the best idea. I love that you put the spot light on your mama friend. Have a wonderful Mothers Day weekend.

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    1. Thank you, Beth. I love spotlighting the people I love on the blog, even if they are a little hesitant at first. Have a great Mother's Day!

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