In 1870, Juliet Ward Howe, author of "The Battle Hymn Of The Republic", was the first in America to want to honor the mother's that had lost sons in the civil war. She was so tired of all the carnage and called on mother's to come to her aid. She wanted an international Mother's day celebrating peace and motherhood. It never came to fruitation but the seed had been planted. A West Virginia women's group led by Anna Reeves Jarvis began to celebrate an adaptation of Howe's holiday. It was to observe and re-unite families and neighbors that had been divided between the Union and Confederate sides of the war. After Mrs. Reeves death, her daughter campaigned for the creation of an official Mother's Day in remembrance of her mother and in honor of peace. But it wasn't until 1914 that Woodrow Wilson signed it into observance. The second Sunday in May was decided on for the day to honor all mothers and has remained to this day.
"A MOTHER'S LOVE"
~based on I Corinthians 13~
A Mother's love is patient, through all her daily work and care.
A Mother's love is kind to all whether great or small in God's Kingdom.
A Mother's love is not jealous, but rejoices in all good things.
A Mother's love is not arrogant or rude, but is humble, mild and modest.
A Mother's love doesn't focus on self, but gives herself to others.
A Mother's love is not irritable, even when frustrations overwhelm.
A Mother's love does not keep track of wrongs; she thinks of doing good.
A Mother's love is happy with the truth, and seeks to share truth with her children.
Never stops being, patient, never stops believing, never stops hoping, never gives up.
A Mother's love never comes to an end.
Mother's Day has just passed and I was fortunate enough for all my children to attend my home for a impromptu supper. Although I did most of the cooking, and my husband stated that it should be cooked for me, I think Mother's Day should be for what you want to do. So while I am still able, I will cook. There may come a day when I am not able and the children have to cook for me. Besides, if I do the cooking, it will suit my taste buds and I can do without all the sugar. I still surprise them with what has sugar and what does not.
I was lucky enough to have 3 mothers in my life time. My biological mother, I had for 15 years and then she was killed in an automobile accident. But while her time here on earth, I was loved just like a little girl and treated as such. All the frilly dresses and fancy shoes, taking dancing lessons and piano lessons, taught to cook fancy and sew a straight seam, even crocheting, came from my mom. My mom was a very talented woman. She could make any sort of dress just by looking at a picture. She was a great hairdresser. She drew pictures, with colored pencils or charcoal. She played the piano. She was a great chef and cake decorator. And flowers, she could make beautiful arrangements as well grow the flowers that she put in the vase. I was never that lucky. I really thought my mom could do anything. Except die. That was the shock of my life, learning to live without her. But I did and survived with the help of 2 other women. Ruby Franks Dean and Evelyn Johnson Dudley Beall
I married in 1962 and met Granny Ruby. She sort of adopted me since my mom was dead. I had been so spoiled that I didn't really know how to do alot of things in the kitchen. Especially make biscuits. She could make the best biscuits that I ever tasted. It is no wonder that I gained so much weight. This was a home where biscuits were cooked every morning and sometimes for dinner. No cold cereal here. I guess that is why Marvin does not eat cold cereal now. Mostly it was gravy and biscuits, with 2 kinds of meat. Eggs, grits or oatmeal, and sometimes creamed corn with sliced tomatoes. I had never eaten those 2 foods for breakfast. I thought they were crazy. Well I set about to learn how to make these biscuits. I thought the task would be easy since it looked so simple. Little did I know. The first ones, I was told that they had to much powder on the faces. Really hurt my feelings, but they tasted good. After about 2 years, I had accomplished the task. Then she set to teaching me how to make quilts. On a treadle sewing machine, no less. I couldn't sew a very good, tight seam by hand. There was alot more to it than I thought. I knew how to sew, and that helped a little. It takes some time to cut enough pieces to make a quilt top. The first one, I was lucky in that Ruby had a top ready. Since it was cold weather and we needed it in a hurry, she decided to hand turf the quilt. A turfing needle is not like a regular needle. It is about 3 inches long and has a larger eye to put in larger thread. This was cotton thread that she got at a chenille bedspread factory. So to start, you have to have a lining and filler, then the top. For this particular quilt, she didn't use batting but an old threadbare blanket. She said it would work better in a hand turfed quilt. It wouldn't bunch up after washing. The process is this: with a long thread, you sew a seam through all layers. Each stitch is about 3 to 4 inches apart. After the whole thing is done, you go back and clip between each stitch and tie the ends in a knot. This makes knots all over the top. You then hem around the edges and you have a very warm quilt. After I finished, I was thrilled that I had made this project. So I decided to make a smaller one for my baby, Jimmy. I later learned to make a quilt by the process of a quilting frame. But it never thrilled me as much as the first one because the top was made by Ruby's mother, Katie Eller.
Over the years, Granny Ruby was there for me in so many ways. She never forgot my birthday and would bring me some little something even if it was a candy bar to let me know she remembered. She watched my children while I worked at night. I never had to have a babysitter. When ever we would have a dinner, Rhonda had to make the slaw. I still make it today, the same way that she liked it. She died in 2006 and I miss her.
Miss Evelyn, I met at the Krystal before she ever married my dad. When I stayed with her, we would get up at 4:30 in the morning to be at work by 6 am. She called me her personal beautician. If ever a little grey started showing, we would put on the auburn. French twist hairstyles were popular at that time so this is how it would be fixed. Everyone bragged on her hairstyle. I can recall her saying," I have a personal beautician." I also remember one Christmas when I sat up just about all night so that the Barbie Dream house would be ready for Deborah when she woke up the next morning. Evelyn had given out of energy by the time we got to that project. After she married my dad, she did not show the least bit of difference between the children. They were all hers and she would fight for you in more ways that one. I remember once when I lived in Rome, Jeff was playing in the backyard and the neighborhood children started throwing things at each other. One boy threw a piece of glass and hit Jeff right between the eyes. He needed stitches so I called Evelyn. She came right over and took him to the emergency room. When she came back, she proceeded to go and talk to the child and his mother. Well an argument erupted from this and I thought it would become a fight. Evelyn told her right quick that they better not mess with her grand babies again or she would call the police to take care of the matter. She was intolerant of injustice in any form. We lost her in March of 2011 and I miss her so much. I still remember the trip she made to my house once to bring my children some clothes. I wasn't at home, and the door was locked. I had gone to the store for some reason but I was cooking pinto beans for supper. Evelyn said the smell was so good, that she almost tried to climb through a window. She said the only thing that stopped her was a police car rode by. I would sometimes cook her beans when I visited her. And she would make egg salad when she knew that I was coming to her house. David went hiking one summer with his son so I went to Evelyn's house to stay all night. She thought that she still had to wait on me and I could walk better that her. She loved her family more than anything except my dad. I will see you again in the hereafter. You filled a void in my life when I really needed a mom.
