The perfect curl. The serious countenance creating a hauntingly, classically beautiful stare. Look at her eyes. She manages to make that goofy short veil with the gigantic bow look elegant.
Are you lucky enough to have a beautiful mother?
Here she is again in the same wedding with her future husband, Fred. I think she's 18 in this picture and that must mean that it is 1965 or so. I forget how much my brothers look like him.
What were they doing before this picture was taken that caused her shoe to fall off? :-)
They were stationed in the Florida Keys before he died. I assume that's where she caught this fish. I think I look like her in this picture. She doesn't smile in many pictures from her youth. How lucky am I to look most like my mother when she does smile?
A few years ago, she was struggling with something and not feeling very good about herself so I made her these business cards. You can click on them to look enlarge the picture to show just a few of the things that make me proud of her.
Mom was a college drop-out at 19.
Mom was an officer's wife during the Vietnam War.
Mom was a widow by the time she was 22.
Mom managed to see some value in my father, whose only good decision in his youth involved asking my mom to marry him, according to most sources that knew him.
Mom raised 4 children who know without a shadow of a doubt that they are loved.
Mom was a perfect executive's wife, hobnobbing with the best of them and throwing fabulous parties when necessary.
Mom read mystery novels and watched Masterpiece Theater where her children could see her and ultimately join her.
Mom held me when I cried and said, "I don't know why those kids at school don't see in you what I do."
Mom ate sophisticated and simple things and always bought enough so that she could share with her children when they wanted to investigate something new.
Mom used the word "we" when she spoke about every stage of my father's sentencing, incarceration and re-entry to our daily family life.
Mom got a college degree when she was when she was 48 years old.
Mom hugged all the people that her children have brought to her for her blessing to be married and cried with happiness and pride.
Mom turns 61 years old today.
I think she and my father love each other more now than they ever have. It turns out that he's a pretty good egg.
I will be an even luckier woman than I am now when I'm her age if I live through half as much, respond half as well and look as good as she has in the past and continues to look now.
You are beautiful, Mom. Happy birthday.
8 comments:
PrincessMax is correct - her mother is more beautiful than when we married in 1975 and we are more in love. I do need to note that in the picture of us, I had to relocate her mother's right hand closer to my knee so as not to upset the photographer and our children. Her mother gets a bit frisky sometimes. Love, the dad
Holy cow, you do look like your mom in that picture! When it warms up, we should head down to the park and go fishing in hopes of recreating that picture...
Dave, I don't know that fishing will create quite as much joy in me. However, if you let me poke you in the stomach while we're fishing, it might re-create that smile. :-)
Whatever, Dad.
What a beautiful tribute.
Where does one find an awesome giant celery salt?
That's a really cool post...
I read AAALLLL 100 things on your page over there. And there were some really funny ones, and some surprising ones also. I used to watch WWE all the time when I had cable (and WCW in the 90's, man was that a good time to watch wrestling). My dad couldn't believe I had a master's degree in phil. and I watch wrestling!
It's cool your dad is one the "12 people" who read your blog...my dad does to but he doesn't comment like he used to. Says his mind has it...but he can't get the words out there.
Cheers.
So the boys & I play online over breakfast... When I scrolled past the photo of your Mom fishing Henry cried "Becca!". So yes, you look like your Mom. Happy B.Day to Your Mom from Us.
Wow, I'm within a two-year-old's tiny sphere of recognizable things! I'm on the same level as juice and grandma and poop! Probably Tiki, too, I know you all. That's the best thing to happen to me all day, especially since I just realized that I did all of my multi-variate regression wrong and have to do them all again for tomorrow.
Emily, the celery salt is at the Chicago Historical Society. When I get home tonight, I'll post the other pictures of the Rebecca Dog.
Nathan, sometimes I wish he wouldn't post (see above) but most of the time it's pretty cool. Thanks for being interested in all 100 Things About Me. It's a little out of date but still mostly true.
A little late but still a heartfelt birthday wish from me too :)
What a beautiful tribute from a daughter to her mother!
Warmly,
Baraka
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