Monday, March 18, 2013

16 candles and then some.



Today my mom, Toots is 89.
 


I am blessed.
I have a great mom.
She raised me in a home filled with love.
She taught me many things.
She taught me to respect your husband
and put your relationship first.
She was married to my dad for 71 years
and demonstrated that over and over.
She schooled me in the art of housekeeping,
the creativity in decorating,
and the practice of homemade meals.
She makes the best potato salad and coconut cream pie.
Sadly not as much now that she lives in assisted living.
I am hoping my sister, Judy takes over again.
Ain't nobody got time for that.
Except Judy, I hope.
One of my favorite things about her is her fun-loving spirit.

 
She loves to have a good time.
She went crazy every year for Halloween.
There was a contest for best costumes at the school
and she was always vying for us to win.
She square danced and she yodeled.
I can't say I always appreciated the yodeling
but now I see she was finding her joy
and it made her a happy camper.
She moved furniture every week.
You never knew where your bed would be.
Once she told Dad I'll race you to bed.
He took off before she warned him she had re-arranged the room.
He dove for the bed.
and found the floor because the bed was moved.
 
 


(Her kitchen band. She is on the far right)
 
She also taught me to love God.
I remember many times walking into the living room
to see her in a chair with her bible in her lap.
She has one of those great bibles that is falling apart from use.
I think it is one of the reasons I collect discarded bibles.
I love that they have been read so much
 they are dog-eared and tattered.
When Stuart and I had our twins
and were in those dark days
waiting for them to go home with the Lord,
I had a doctor ask me where I got my faith.
I answered "my mom".
She led by example.
It's one of the reasons I sing hymns as lullabies to my grands.
Start a chorus of He Lives or Trust and Obey
and you will see little Cliff's eyes grow heavy.
Then again, maybe he just gives it up to sleep so I don't start yodeling.
You  have heard the saying
Mirror, mirror on the wall
I am my mother after all.
Or the one...
I open my mouth and my mother comes out.
It's true.
My mom is famous in our family for her "Tootisms".
She has her own lingo.
She calls Dollar General, the General Dollar store.
She takes Tidelenol and has been known to plant clitoris(clematis) in her garden.
She told me last week she would like to get a coral cardinal for Spring.
She is jonesing for a coral cardigan for those of you who don't speak Toots. 
Truthfully, it runs in the family.
Remember the time I told the waiter I wasn't sure
whether I was to pay my bill at the table or the counter because
I didn't know the roll call.
Then realized oh my gosh... Er, protocal.
My sister Linda cannot talk about Dancing with the Stars
and not mention Chrisitie Allen.
Translation...Kirstie Alley.
Today, she and I are taking Mom to lunch,
shopping and to a movie.
We are taking Linda's husband, David along
as our translator.
If you see us out and about
give a shout out to Toots.
She is my favorite.
 
Her children arise and call her blessed...
Proverbs 31:28
 
 
 
 
 
 

Labels:

31 Comments:

At March 18, 2013 at 6:41 AM , Blogger Jensamom23 said...

Have a wonderful day and give her a birthday hug from California!

 
At March 18, 2013 at 6:45 AM , Blogger Rebecca said...

SO good to "hear" you again - and WHAT an occasion! Happy Birthday to your Mom.

Sounds like you're putting a lot of pressure on Judy in the Food Prep Department...

I don't have to tell you to enjoy the day. Hope it's not as cold/wet/icky as where I am!

(What movie, by the way? I remember the one you saw with her that wasn't exactly one you'd have chosen for shared mother/daughter viewing (just can't remember the name of it - which is SO typical of me).

 
At March 18, 2013 at 6:53 AM , Blogger Mary said...

oh, janie!
this is the best.
you have me giggling and crying all at once!
wish i could meet you all.
happy birthday, Toots!
xoxo

 
At March 18, 2013 at 10:21 AM , Blogger gena said...

You are blessed! Happy birthday to your beautiful Toots!!!!!!!

hugs from jersey,
gena

 
At March 18, 2013 at 11:18 AM , Blogger Reenie said...

Happy Birthday to your Mom!!

 
At March 18, 2013 at 12:25 PM , Blogger Debby said...

Happy birthday to your sweet mom. Hope you have a great day. Lobe your new picture. You look great.

 
At March 18, 2013 at 1:58 PM , Blogger Unknown said...

Oh my gosh the clitoris in the garden pretty much killed me. I am dead.




I loved every word of this. What a sweet legacy.

 
At March 18, 2013 at 3:17 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Happy birthday to your mom! She is lucky to have you as a daughter.

 
At March 18, 2013 at 3:45 PM , Blogger Snickelfritz said...

How blessed to still have your mother. She sounds like a wonderful woman and role model for us all. Happy birthday, Toots!

 
At March 18, 2013 at 3:48 PM , Blogger Bethanie said...

What a precious tribute to your mama! She raised you right, you have so many of her same wonderful qualities!! My mother in law shops at Plublix (Publix for the rest of the world), she also likes Chick-a-fil (Chick-fil-a). Drives.me.crazy. Hope you had a wonderful day celebrating Toots, just her name makes me happy! :)

 
At March 18, 2013 at 4:11 PM , Blogger Elma said...

What a Blessed mother that God has given you!! Happy Birthday to her!!!

 
At March 18, 2013 at 4:31 PM , Blogger Laurie said...

What a great birthday tribute to your mom. Hope you have many more wonderful birthdays with her.

 
At March 18, 2013 at 8:12 PM , Blogger mamajan said...

How lucky you are to still have your mom. She sounds like a riot! Hope you all had a wonderful day with her and wish her a happy birthday from one of your "fans".

 
At March 18, 2013 at 8:47 PM , Blogger Lisa said...

Happy Birthday BEAUTIFUL lady!!! You are GLORIOUS !! I'd love to be your shadow for a day!!!!

 
At March 19, 2013 at 6:37 AM , Blogger Judy said...

Awww. I always KNEW you came from good people.
Keep singing those hymns. I once was trying as best as I could to explain what 'trinity' meant to my then six year old grandson. Apparently I wasn't doing so well, as his 4 year old sister jumped in with the hymn "Holy, Holy, Holy." They soak it all in, don't they?

 
At March 19, 2013 at 10:57 AM , Blogger SZM said...

This just showed up in my reader today....so happy belated birthday Toots!!! You are an inspiration!

 
At March 19, 2013 at 10:58 AM , Blogger Between You and Me said...

I literally laughed all the way through this...My mom has many of her own little momisms....she calls Chicago..CHICARGO...and she's been known to call an atomic bomb...an atomic BUM.
you can see the FUN in your mom's eyes!

Oh, it is wonderful to bless our parents...to make sure they know how wonderful we think they are....

 
At March 19, 2013 at 8:21 PM , Blogger flower power momma said...

happy birthday to your fun momma. she's a sweetie, like her daughter.

 
At March 19, 2013 at 10:10 PM , Blogger Nancy said...

Aw what a great Mom, shudda known you came from good stock miss janie. . . by the way, you look wonderful, love the picture, no really, did you touch it up with photo shop, honest, you look about 27, just beautiful. . . God Bless Mom on her Birthday and always, may she never stop smilin' Ü

 
At March 21, 2013 at 3:10 PM , Blogger Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeper said...

you are blessed indeed! I was just thinking of you and your momma today...made me smile real big. I texted you a picture of my food today and you didn't text back. Fine.

Wait...I thought you quit blogging? ; -)

 
At March 22, 2013 at 5:32 PM , Blogger Leslie @ Farm Fresh Fun said...

Wishin' you a fun year Toots!!! Thanks for makin' such a beautiful family that makes me happy just knowin' they're out there!
(((hugs)))
Leslie

 
At April 1, 2013 at 2:31 PM , Blogger Julie said...

I hope hope hope that when I'm 89, my children will think of me with this much love, joy, respect.

What a lovely tribute from one beautiful woman to another.

 
At April 13, 2013 at 2:38 PM , Blogger Jamie said...

Oh my gosh Janie, what a beautiful post. Beautiful.

 
At May 3, 2013 at 4:45 PM , Blogger Nancy @ Wrapped In Love said...

I am a little late reading this...... but I am rolling on the floor with laughter only for my husband to ask me what is going on and I tell him Toots is planting clitoris in her garden....... baaaaaaaa haaaaaa
What a wonderful Momma you have!!!!

Nancy

 
At July 17, 2013 at 2:39 AM , Blogger Unknown said...

Nice post with awesome points! Can’t wait for the next one.

HP - 15.6" Refurbished Pavilion Laptop - 6GB Memory - 640GB Hard Drive - Steel Gray

 
At August 1, 2013 at 5:16 AM , Blogger Gretchen said...

New hear, thanks to Becky at Farmgirl Paints. What a joy your blog is... And please tell whomever it is that thinks your not funny, to stuff it!!! lol. You are hilarious! I so have enjoyed reading the 6 or 8 most recent posts. Good stuff girl has been penned by you in between the Walton's reruns, the house fire tasks, The grandkids, glamping in the driveway, and tending to your gardens. You are a talented writer, whether your grammar is correct or not doesn't really matter to those of us that enjoy you.
Gretchen of
Mimi-Toria's Designs

 
At August 1, 2013 at 5:17 AM , Blogger Gretchen said...

New hear, thanks to Becky at Farmgirl Paints. What a joy your blog is... And please tell whomever it is that thinks your not funny, to stuff it!!! lol. You are hilarious! I so have enjoyed reading the 6 or 8 most recent posts. Good stuff girl has been penned by you in between the Walton's reruns, the house fire tasks, The grandkids, glamping in the driveway, and tending to your gardens. You are a talented writer, whether your grammar is correct or not doesn't really matter to those of us that enjoy you.
Gretchen of
Mimi-Toria's Designs

 
At May 4, 2022 at 5:44 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

MMORPG
instagram takipçi satın al
tiktok jeton hilesi
tiktok jeton hilesi
antalya saç ekimi
referans kimliği nedir
İNSTAGRAM TAKİPÇİ SATIN AL
Mt2 Pvp
instagram takipçi satın al

 
At May 15, 2022 at 7:27 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

perde modelleri
SMS ONAY
mobil ödeme bozdurma
nft nasıl alınır
ankara evden eve nakliyat
trafik sigortası
DEDEKTÖR
web sitesi kurma
Aşk Romanları

 
At June 3, 2022 at 11:13 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

beykoz bosch klima servisi
üsküdar bosch klima servisi
beykoz arçelik klima servisi
üsküdar arçelik klima servisi
kartal lg klima servisi
ümraniye lg klima servisi
kartal alarko carrier klima servisi
ümraniye alarko carrier klima servisi
kartal daikin klima servisi

 
At June 27, 2022 at 8:32 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

minecraft premium
yurtdışı kargo
en son çıkan perde modelleri
nft nasıl alınır
lisans satın al
uc satın al
özel ambulans
en son çıkan perde modelleri

 

Post a Comment

Thanks for reading my blather. I read every comment. They make my heart happy!

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home