Mother's Day comes each year and I have celebrated it for more than 40 years now with my two sons. I love them both more than life itself. They are the joys of my heart. They make me laugh and cry. AND now they have given me beautiful grandchildren.
I also celebrate Mother's Day with my own mother and my brother when he is able. After all he lives several hours away in the bay area. My mom's birthday is on the 11 May which is usually a separate day but not always. For several years over the last couple of decades we have celebrated the two special days as one. How convenient is that! But I always look forward to celebrating both days separately........... after all her birth has nothing to do with her being a mother or the other ways around.
My mother, Mary Jane (Little) Gardner was born in Cuba, Allegany, New York on 11 May 1920. She was an only child. She graduated high school and went off to Buffalo, New York for nurses training at Buffalo General. Upon graduation she joined the Army Nurses Corp as a first Lt, met my dad, John Patterson Gardner, married him 9 April 1943 at Ft George G Meade, Anne Arundel, Maryland and then both were shipped separately overseas. Dad, Lt John Patterson Gardner, Jr went to many areas in Germany while mom went to Africa, Italy and France..............both honorably discharged and ready to settle down and start a family in Alliance Stark, Ohio.
Mom was a nurse during the war but when she started a family (ME) she became a full time homemaker, raising me and my brother. My dad was in the Army so we traveled a lot. Mom was a trooper, having to pack and unpack, pack and unpack, etc etc and take care of two young children. As an officers wife she was expected to step forward and help and support her husband in public, join the other wives in the officers club and do a lot of entertaining in the home. I always remember helping mom polish all the silver for another party. We helped bake cookies and our reward was a couple of cookies. An officers wife needed to put that best foot forward, a good role model for all wife's of officers and NCO ranks. I think it could be a lot of stress. Mom rebelled back and would not do somethings. ......... on my goodness can you imagine that especially in the 1950's & 60's......... wow, kudos Mom!!
Thank You for all the help and support with my two boys. Your devotion and love for them meant a lot to me as they were growing up. Working full time and raising two boys was not an easy thing so I really appreciated all the help. I know that they were thrilled to go on all the many trips you took in the motor home. They got to meet other people from all over the country, see other places they may never have gotten to see....... what a great legacy !! thank you.
Happy Mother's Day and I hope we both have many more to come together.........................
No comments:
Post a Comment