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Author:  BarbraG
E-mail:  not available
Date:  10/31/2009 9:58:41 PM
Subject:  Re: My sweet Mom
Message:  Ro,

If you talked to her on the phone, you would
think she is in her 30's. I kid you not.
She has a voice that is like no one else. When
she answers the phone, she just says ..."Yeahhh?"
But, she does have caller ID. She is the only
person I know that can have a real conversation
with a telemarketer and enjoy it, even though
she never buys anything. If you're standing in
line at a store, there is no getting around Mom.

She's gonna talk to you even if you don't answer.
Sometimes, I just go and sit down and wait, so
she won't feel rushed. She loves telling folks
she is "92" , and watching their shock and awe
that she doesn't look it. If you happen to last
three or four minutes, somehow she will bring
Dad and his Special Forces service up. She
remembers family history going way back to when
she was a very little girl, and has even begun
to write her life story. She manages her own
affairs, and mine, too. Smile. Wish I could
bring her to the Gathering. Forgot to mention...
she only had a sixth grade education. She had
to quit to help take care of the younger children. After Dad died when she was 56, she
went to Cosmetology School 25 miles away so that
she could draw from his GI bill since he was
100% disabled. She had become a foster parent
and took a baby (Jennifer) when she was three
weeks old who had been born dead and was brought
back, with all kinds of physical problems. Mom
took Jennifer with her to school every day,
having to be in school at 8 a.m., many times
driving in heavy fog. She passed that course,
and the next year, she took a class in Child
Care, still hauling Jennifer. Mom adopted
Jennifer when she was about 4 years old, and
now she is 34 ... living as a child in an adult,
Dolly Partonish body. Her world is very small,
encapsulated in the world of Barney the dinosaur,
Baby Bop, B.J., Spongebob Squarepants, and the
like.

Doctors said Jen would never be able to walk,
feed herself, or anything. But, with Mom
treating her a lot like she did the rest of us,
Jennifer learned to read, write her name and
copy stories from easy books, prepare her lunch, talk on the phone (she didn't do that for years), take care of her monthly female stuff,
and more. She recently has begun to take showers on her own. She has been dressing herself since she was little. But, she will never be able to
function in the world. It's so hard sometimes,
but Jennifer keeps us focused on things that
matter. You know?

This has been long, Ro, but it just started
pouring out.     

I stand in awe when I look at things Mom has
accomplished while walking in a man's shoes since
Dad died in 1973. She's ITCHING to get out
on the riding lawn mower.

Good night, sweet Ro.
Love ya,
Barb


 My sweet Mom by BarbraG at 10/30/2009 8:38:23 PM
 Re: My sweet Mom by Mamie at 10/31/2009 8:12:28 AM
 Re: My sweet Mom by Karen Runk at 10/31/2009 8:58:52 AM
 Re: My sweet Mom by susie g at 10/31/2009 9:54:32 AM
 Re: My sweet Mom by Bill Smith at 10/31/2009 12:20:11 PM
 Re: My sweet Mom by Ro at 10/31/2009 6:05:50 PM
 Re: My sweet Mom by BarbraG at 10/31/2009 9:58:41 PM
 Re: My sweet Mom by Roisin at 11/1/2009 4:47:34 PM
 Re: My sweet Mom by Judy C. at 11/1/2009 9:54:23 AM
 Re: My sweet Mom by BarbraG at 11/1/2009 9:39:25 PM
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