We visited mom on the same week that she was babysitting my sister's five kids. In total mom's 900 sq foot home with one working shower, had 11 people and 1 dog staying in it! The kids were over the top happy to have all of their cousins there and to be spoiled rotten by mom. She managed to take them all horseback riding, tubing, swimming, water parking, hot tubing, had a camp fire, to the park, rock painting, the movies, the farmer market, church, and the list goes on and on!!! You could tell that her goal from the get go was to "SPOIL"! Well.....goal was achieved.
Now the volume level in the house was way beyond acceptable, especially at meal time but Mom just kept on trucking. She is truly amazing. Graham and I were done on about day two :-). I figured that the easiest thing to do was just to GO NOWHERE....but mom insisted on not letting the numbers intimate her. She even invited up Jason, Chantelle and Justin on Friday night to stay over (now we were up to 14 people) and she made a couple of roasts and a huge dinner. Ok, you get the point......this is one Nanny who isn't slowing down anytime soon.
It was funny to watch her parent young kids again. I realized that so much of who I am is made up of her. She has huge emotions. She doesn't mince words. She doesn't often hold her tongue. She needs to talk out any problems that appear, to death. She loves with such intensity that I have never seen it matched. It is the kind of love that you feel to your core. You never doubt it; you know there is never anything you can do to lose it.
Mom's unconditional love is the super glue that binds our family together. It hasn't mattered where we have lived (from Australia to Dawson Creek) we have all remained close. She has raised kids with both "Roots" and "Wings". I love you mom and I can only hope that I can follow in your footsteps and raise my kids with the same sense of security and strength that I feel from your love.
Wow your mother must be busting with pride right now. What nice things you have said about her. Something every mother wants to hear for sure. She sounds as if she is a real trooper and enjoying every minute of it to! Glad to hear your enjoying your trip to the west Julie. Have you decided what comes next when you leave in September from Toronto? Hope to see you again before you go.
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Man Julie,your Mom has more energy than I have.Just reading about it all has exhausted me!And I spoke to her this morning and she isn't finished yet!There are more little kiddies arriving tonight ,and "Charlie" is also leaving tonight.I love him as he reminds me of "Timmy".Love "Lily" too,of course:)She did tell me she enjoyed having all of you and looks forward to having Alex&Amelie ,I think, this weekend.We are going to try having Mr. Landon for the night friday.Krista loves her new job but is getting full-time hours all summer.This mes that Theresa hasn't had any holidays ,even when she is on holidays,which she's supposed to be this week.If it works out maybe we can help more often.We just aren't used to having babies overnight and I'm afraid I may forget we have him :) He'll be in a playpen though and will call if he wakes up :)I'm glad your trip West has been fun!It's nice that the kids got to meet all of their relatives too.Look forward to hearing from all of you.......Gail
ReplyDeleteI just looked at the photos from "Mom's House" and it looked like everyone had a ball!The horseback riding looked like fun as did the campfire and the group photo is geat! Donna should enlarge and frame it!All the kids are growing so fast !!It was nice that Justin,Jason and Chantelle were able to visit,as well.Bye for now and hope your trip back to T.O. is a good one.......Gail
ReplyDeleteThank you for all the nice things you said. I loved having everyone here and I love all of my grandkids. I want them to know me, the way you do. The Good the Bad and the Ugly. We did have fun didn't we. Take care on your trip and enjoy your freedom for a little while
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hey alex
ReplyDeletejust catching up on all these.:)
ReplyDeleteThere is no match to a mothers love and the many forms it comes in. Growing up my mom and i were not all that close and haveing a teenage daughter of my own i now face the challanges it brings. But my mom and i now are dear friends and i look back at all the sacrifices she made for us that at the time we just didnt appreciate.I think one of the greatest gifts in this life is the opportunity to be a mother. I too only hope i can be the kind of mother i had. The sacrifices, the unconditional love and the strength are what makes a mom a mom and a woman a woman.