Kim's Thoughts
Just a few thoughts I feel worthy of jotting down!
Happy Mother’s Day, Mom
Mother’s Day is a very special day! I won’t be spending the actual day with my Mom, but that’s OK – we celebrated early this year. I usually plan a trip up to my home town during May for a couple of reasons: 1) Mother’s Day! No other explanation needed. 2) Memorial Day – I really enjoy helping her put together and set out the urns at the cemetary for our various family members who have left us. I also enjoy helping her start the potted flowers on her patio. But, this year, she was just here and we took a little trip together that took up a large portion of April. So, I won’t be going up now until sometime during the summer – maybe in July to celebrate her birthday!
So – since I won’t be there with her this Mother’s Day, here is my gift to her – a tribute to what she means to me now and forever! I wrote another Mother’s Day Tribute in 2008 that pretty much tells our story – click here to read it. This won’t be a repeat of that – so if you really wanna know more – use the link and go read for yourself!
Mom was all we had and always made sure that was enough — meaning, we never felt like we were missing out on anything because there wasn’t a father figure there! She worked hard, sacrificed, and struggled, but still always had fun and made sure we had a great childhood! If I had to summarize my memories with her, it could be covered in one word – FUN! We always had fun and there was a LOT of laughing – gut aching, can’t breathe type of laughing! And we always made do…..it doesn’t matter how much or how little you have of something – make the most of what you do have and live life to the fullest, regardless of everything!
Valuable things she taught me:
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If you’re down, don’t whine about it – pick yourself up and do something about it! No one is going to help you if you don’t help yourself, first – there is no shame if you need help occasionally, but you gotta help yourself first and be an active participant in your own destiny so that the help you get is a “helping hand” not a “hand out”. Make the most of whatever path your life is taking and the cards you are dealt.
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The value of hard work and the money you earn from it – she worked 3 jobs most of our childhood to make ends meet and ensure our needs were met. She made us work for any extras we wanted and if it was something really big, she’d make us a deal that if we could save up 1/2 the cost, she would pay the other 1/2. When she’d get home after a shift as a waitress, she would let us help her count her tips and talk to us about how important it is to do a good job to make more money. And, if you don’t have the money to buy something, you have to save up until you do – don’t rob Peter to pay Paul!
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Take care of family! They took care of you! Mom devoted her life to caring for my grandparents when they needed it. She was determined neither would ever go to a nursing home! Grandma, unfortunately, needed more constant medical care in her last couple of years than Mom could provide in her home, so it ended up being necessary, but she was a constant presence there making sure Grandma was cared for and treated appropriately!
- Have fun!!! You only live once! You gotta find the fun and laugh – sometimes that’s the only way to get through a bad situation – find a way to enjoy the good stuff around you and not focus on the crap!
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How to throw a hell of a party! Everything from our birthday parties and slumber parties to impromptu “everyone meet at Marilyn’s for a pool party after the bars close” parties to all the fun GE parties! Mom was President of the GE Employee’s Association and that year the parties were the best in the history – before and after her reign! She was always ready to whip together a party!
My Mom in pictures:
My Mom with her Mom
Mom with me (age 2) on the day she brought my new brother home – 1958
Mom helping me get ready for my wedding – 1985
One of our several road trips to Atlantic City – Mom is the one with the white wig standing on the right – I am scrunched down in front of her and that’s my brother with the gun to his head! The other lady is a friend of Mom’s that traveled with us and her daughter is scrunched down between my brother and me.
The prettiest Mom – EVER!
Mom – how happy she was with Charlie (my Poppie)
Mom at work at GE
Grandma, Mom, and me – another Mother’s Day – 1989
Me, Mom, and Kevin – summer of 1966
Mom and me dancing at a GE party – 1974
Mom – having fun – as usual!
Mom ALWAYS has a tube of lipstick in her pocket, but this was the only time I saw her use one in a sword fight! hahaha
She didn’t need a clown to make her laugh, but this one sure did!
Dancing…..she’s why I have such a love for music and dancing!
Mom and me in Las Vegas – June 2006
Mom and me with a wax Elvis in Vegas – June 2006
Mom and me on a cruise – April 2010
Mom, Kevin, and me – April 2009
That’s my Mom — I love her more than life itself! I want her HERE with me so we can be together every day more than anything I have ever wanted in my life – I hope some day she will give in and come live with me! Until then, we will take every opportunity to continue making wonderful memories and share great experiences together – like we have all of our lives! I can’t wait to find out what adventure will come our way next!
Happy Mother’s Day, Mom — I love you!
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