Meet My Mom

My Mom is what we refer to as our Matriarch Widow.  She just celebrated her 84th birthday. Was married for 58 of those. She is one of 12 children and along with our Dad has raised 16 children (9 boys 7 girls) of her own. Those children have blessed her with 50 grandchildren, who have blessed her even more with 36 great-grandchildren.  She was an epitome of the stay at home Mom. She scrimped and saved, canned, grew her own vegetables, washed clothes for 18 people with an old wringer washer.She knew how to stretch a dollar farther than any of us could imagine. Their door was always open to anyone who needed a bed, for a day, a week or months.   I guess the old addage is true.  Where there is a will, there is a way.

Things that amazed us about her (way too many to list) but to look at her and see the life she led. She had to learn to cook at 6 to help with her siblings.  At 17 she was working at Armour packing house killing and butcher hogs.  Hummm at 17 my hair being perfect and make up just right and of course boys is what I was thinking about.  Can't imagine..........

How we started....

My Dad died in 2003 leaving my Mom alone after being married for 58 years. The following year Jim died from esophageal cancer.  I naturally began to spend more time with my Mom.  A sister of her's had moved to Colorado after losing her husband in 2002.  We started to get together once in a while.  In 2006 a good friend of my Mom's lost her husband,  Here were these three women who had spent most of their lives being married and now were basically alone.  They all had wonderful children but something was missing.
In August of 2007after selling our house in Bailey, we decided it was best for me to move in with my Mom.  I quit my job and decided to chill for awhile. Sit back and enjoy what GOD had put before us.  A friend had mentioned going to the Cathedral of the Plains, Victoria,  KS. My parents were both from that area and I hadn't been there since I was small. It sparked a desire to go see where they began.  Well if Moma & I were going to take the trip, why not ask Aunt Lamie. And of course there was Bina, she too was from that area. So began the "Widows Gone Wild". Four widows out to prove that life does go on after death.