Over the weekend we celebrated a very special birthday.
My Dear Mother's.
She has been gone now over 2 years, but I sometimes get very special messages from her.
Whenever I feel sad that she is no longer with us, I am always reminded that she is always in my heart.
As I was doing some organizing over the weekend, I opened a box of keepsakes and right on top was this lovely card.
In my Mother's beautiful script were written the most endearing words.
They were just what I needed.
She loved roses and I bought two bouquets; one for her and one to keep at home.
I wanted to celebrate her birthday with the roses she so loved.
She carried pink roses at her wedding.
My Dear Parents were married 58 years.
They rest side by side for eternity.
My Dear Mother loved birthday parties.
Here I have her and my sweet father's photos with angels, of course.
This is a favorite photo of her.
She is smiling as she gazes at her birthday cake.
Everything about this photo has captured my Mother's spirit. Her love of home with her favorite dishes in the hutch behind her, the pretty floral blouses she always wore, her can of diet coke, her beautiful, thick wavy hair.
Her sweet dimples.
I set out a few favorite photos of her here, too.
I have a small collection of 'posie' art and her original painting of sweet peas in a blue glass jar was my Mother's favorite. My father bought it for her on a trip to Seattle's art galleries.
She loved sweet peas.
Angels guard a small vial of roses.
Some favorite photos of her.
A vintage book relays a message.
The milk glass colonial wedding dish that my Father gave her.
Inside something borrowed, something blue,
along with a vintage photo of my sister's and me.
Sunshine casting shadows through the window on two of her collected vintage doorstops.
These are some of the ways I keep my Mother's memory alive.
Home and Family were the most important things to her.
As they are to me.
Do you have a loved one that you dearly miss?
How do you keep their memory alive?
xoxo
Hi Karen! I thoroughly enjoyed the words and pictures of this post about your dear mother. As I mentioned once before, I lost my mother, Violet, in 1986. She was 66 and I was 31. I am not a big memento keeper, but in an old dictionary I found a list of vocabulary words she had written. As she read, she would write down words she didn't know and then study them later. She also loved to read the dictionary -which is something I like to do, too. The list is in her beautiful Palmer Method script; something I was never able to master. So, I guess I keep her memory alive by using many of the same words and phrases she used when she spoke. Plus, I pronounce many words the way she did. And my mother loved snow and the hymn Good King Wenceslas. I think of her every time I encounter either. Stop by my blog and look at the August 7th post -a rather Special Edition if I do say so myself! Late Summer Blessings to you, xxoo, m
ReplyDeleteYou have written and accomplished such a lovely tribute to your mother. From what you've told us about her and what you've done, I'd say that you must take after her.
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely post, Karen...your mother sounds truly lovely...and the very special card you have from her perfectly shows her sweet spirit...XO
ReplyDeleteA wonderful post to honor your sweet Mom...I know she is so proud of you and loves the way you create beauty for all your family to enjoy...
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful mother she was and I am glad you have so many happy memories of her and more importantly, her values. Those are the real treasures passed down to the generations.
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ReplyDeleteThis was a beautiful post for your mother. It's wonderful that you celebrate her birthday - she was a very special person.
ReplyDeleteOh Beatrice this post has me sitting here with tears streaming down my face they are happy tears because I truly do understand this. Your Mom is always with you and what a perfect way to celebrate an obviously wonderful Mother who left a legacy of love and compassion in her daughters life. Oh this makes me so happy and sad but happy.
ReplyDeleteI miss my Dad terribly but like you I do know he is around. Your photos are beautiful.HUGS B
What a wonderful tribute to your mom! My mother died when I was 6, so I don't have many memories. But I keep a favorite photo of my parents out and look at it every day to keep them close to my heart.
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful post Karen. It made me cry. My mom is also gone from sight, as is your mom, but don't you love that you still have her in your heart, and what a special thing it is when you get these little "messages". I still get them and always so appreciate them. Your roses are lovely, and it is so nice to have them as a reminder of your mom. Butterflies are like that for me... Such a joyful thing to have had a mother that you so loved and all of the memories to go with it!
ReplyDeleteThis was such a beautiful and emotional post. We really do get special message from our lost loved ones don't they? This was a beautiful tribute :)
ReplyDeletethis was really lovely. she is with you always. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful tribute to your precious mother. It's wonderful that you have so many beautiful treasures around you to keep her memory alive.
ReplyDeleteOh my God, Karen! I'm crying, I'm very sensitive lately, I see my parents are older and they are having different illnesses we have to attack and it is very hard. Thanks for sharing your feelings in this beautiful way
ReplyDeleteMarina
Dearest Karen,
ReplyDeleteYour dear Mother lives very much through you...
You write about your Mother loving: sweet peas in a blue glass jar but it is you that collect the blue glass jars and thus her memory is very much alive.
Lovely post!
Hugs,
Mariette
Your mother must have been a very special lady!
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely collection of memories of your mother Karen. It is so hard at certain times of the year, the birthdays, Christmas etc. I have a house full of memories of my grandparents, mainly my Grandad. I am writing a book on his research which is mind boggling and with his CD's full of his words, sometimes I forget he has gone and go to ring him up with a question! Wonderful post as usual Karen. xx
ReplyDeleteIt's very sweet how remember her and celebrate her birthday. I bet seeing that card was like getting a big hug from her :) Two years isn't very long; I'm sure the pain is still raw at times. Sending you big hugs :)
ReplyDeleteWonderful tribute to your sweet Mother Karen...The roses are Beautiful, your Mum would be so proud of you...you are a very special lady...Hugs May x x x
ReplyDeleteThis truly captures Gramma. She absolutely loved parties and get-togethers with all of us piled around her kitchen table. She would prepare the yummiest meals all by scratch including dessert. I would love to listen to you, Gramma and all your sisters just laugh and laugh until the wee hours of the morning. I love that we continue that tradition with our family; the celebrations and love of home. She did have the prettiest hand writing and so do you. Love you Mom. XXOO
ReplyDelete~H~
A beautiful and dear tribute to your mom.
ReplyDeletetruly special post -- I can feel your love and honor towards your mom..
ReplyDeleteMy memory of my parent are still fresh - mother died in 2006 and my father just last Nov.. I look through the history photo book that I made for them.. it's all special and meaningful.. and I think to myself they passed away too00 soon -- I would have like more time to make even more wonderful memories..
Hugs
This is so beautiful Karen. I loved learning more about your sweet mom and you reminded me to save those little notes from my mom so I can always read them. The roses you got for the celebration were so stunning! I am sending you a hug because I can feel how much you miss her. But like you said she lives on through you. Hugs sweet friend. Nicole xoxo
ReplyDeleteHello Karen
ReplyDeleteGreat post - nice way to remember your mother. Wishing you and your a good weekend :) Hugs!
Oh Karen, you are making me cry! Your mother is a beautiful lady, inside and out. This post was truly touching and heart-felt. Thank you, friend, for sharing a glimpse into this lovely lady's life. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a lovely post Karen :) almost make cry.
ReplyDeleteI know this kind of feelings. My mom used to talking about this when she miss my grandma. The roses are so glorious, and the notes is sweet.
A beautiful post to remember your mother. Thanks for sharing your heart here.
Been praying for you Mrs. Karen :)
Love,
Delvalina
What sweet memories of your Mother and how special that you have such wonderful momentos to remind you of her.
ReplyDeleteHi Karen, what a wonderful post of your Mum's memory. Everything is so sweet and full of heartfelt longing for a mother's love. Family is so special and we are truly blessed to have them. I'm sending my hugs from down under. Hope you have a good autumn weekend.
ReplyDeleteTake care my friend
Aida
Happy birthday to your sweet mom! What a lovely tribute to her. I can only imagine how you miss her. The roses are gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteAll the best,
Jo
What a sweet memorial post for your mom!
ReplyDeleteI just popped over from your latest post. Aw, what a sweet post in honor of your mother. My mom enjoys flowers alot. I just visited her in the nursing home today. She's been laying down in the afternoons since her legs have been swelling. 2 weeks ago they were worse, getting better. I took her a fountain diet coke she asked for awhile back. She enjoyed it! We shared sweet moments together after I prayed for her prior to leaving. She's gonna be 90 years old next month. My dad remains in my heart as he has been gone for years, about 25. Parents have a special place in our hearts. Mine were good, they did what they knew best. Dad was a farmer, worked the land, my mom loved to garden.
ReplyDeleteReading your sweet tribute to your Mother makes me so appreciative to still have my Mom with me. As I read the post I was reminded of a beautiful saying I heard many years ago but can't remember who to attribute it to: She made flowers of my hours, every day was a bouquet. That sounds like the relationship you had (and still have) with your Mother. -- Jan
ReplyDeleteKaren, what a wonderful tribute to your mother! I lost my mother in May and miss her so much. My father died almost 20 years ago and now they lay side by side in the local cemetery. My mother loved her pink peonies. We had lots of them at her funeral and scatter their petals on her grave.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely tribute to your sweet mother, Karen. I know that she is happy to have raised a woman like you. What a testament to motherhood she is - and are you, too.
ReplyDeleteI still dearly miss Susan, and I will write a post soon on how I keep her memory alive. I'm just not ready to post yet. <3