Memories Of My Mother.

Noah is nearing the age of five, and I have to say that this has been one of my favorite stages of his life. He is speaking in clearer sentences, but still says the funniest and darnedest things! I often wonder how I was as a toddler and if my kids inherited any of my attributes, and sure enough when I ask my mom if I ever acted in such a manner like any of my kids her answer is usually 'yes.' Memories of my childhood come in spurts because in all honesty I've repressed a lot. Slowly, but surely so many of the good ones have come back, and boy they are worth remembering. They are literally tucked in my brain, and whenever I see a photo of myself when I was four or five I will vaguely remember something behind the depiction of that photo. 

And some of those memories have been absolutely lovely. 

Some of my fondest memories come from the first nine years of my life. I felt safe in my home, and so loved by my mom when it was just the three of us (her, me, and my sister.) Even though my mom was super strict her affection was limitless, and those were the happiest times of my life. Sometimes I wonder if God gave me those memories to hold onto to so that I could cope with the negative that had occurred throughout the time I was between the ages of 10-15. I honestly remember the first nine years of my life being filled with nothing but pure merriment. 

I remember my mom rocking me back and forth singing a lullaby, "oh night, night my little baby" in spanish. I had to have been at least four, almost five. Really strange that I remember that! Other fond memories include her cutting my afro curly hair in the backyard of our little small house on Richard St., except the one time she accidentally cut off a chunk of my skin (behind my neck) with the scissors. That I wasn't too fond of! I remember how joyful she was every time she planted something in the garden. She was big on growing chili peppers. The ones that are red, tiny, and super duper hot!!! She was deft in that department and just loved planting flowers. Our yard always looked flawless, and grandpa mowing the lawn every two weeks brought it to perfection. She loved digging her hands in the dirt so much that even when those huge red ants would come crawling up her hands from the ground she would go back out the next day with pink welts on her hand just to dig, and plant all over again. She'd forget about the pain. Stubborn woman. That's what I call someone with a true green thumb. 

I will always think of my mothers positive attitude in ways that she handled me as a child, and how hard she loved in doing her very best in giving me a great life. I don't always want to write about the the negative things that happened once my stepfather came into the picture, and how he "ruined our happiness" on this blog, but want to accentuate the beautiful side of 'life with mother as a child' with positivity. Her watch care in tending to me and my sister when we'd beg her to go in the yard and play in the little blue pool was solid. I'd always see her head peeking out throughout the tiny kitchen window making sure we weren't pulling any shenanigans. I remember running back and forth from the front of the house to the alley like a crazy child especially when a northern flew in (Texas is notorious for those), and how she'd yell at me in spanish not to run. I never listened. She would be taking the clothes off the clothesline while I was taking advantage and running around outside. Watching her wash clothes on the washboard was very intriguing to me, and helping her hang clothes on the clothesline was always fun. I was always playing with the clothespins. I sure miss those days, and still have a goal to put a clothes line in my backyard. 

I remember my mom always taking me to Bealls to go shopping, and then eating at Whataburger, or Big Cheese Pizza in Calallen. My mom always had the tendency to drive out of her comfort zone. She didn't mind driving an hour to Corpus Christi, or Calallen to take us shopping. That was the best bonding time we ever had as sisters with our mother. 

I remember the first time I learned how to ride a bike. I was eleven. Even though I started riding a bike late in age we couldn't afford to each have a bike so my mom bought one for my sister when she was about 11, and eventually I learned to ride it...without any training wheels. It was in the beginning of summer, and the weather was perfect because it wasn't too hot. I actually learned to ride it at night. There was less traffic, and our streets were usually quiet in our neighborhood. Living across the street from a Pentecostal church will do that to a neighborhood. I learned to ride that thing instantaneously. It only took one practice, and I was riding it in circles like the wind shouting out to my mom, and sister "Look y'all I'm riding, I'm riding!" I was so thrilled. No training wheels for this gal. I may have learned late, but never had the experience of how it felt to learn how to ride a bike with two extra wheels. I honestly don't believe in those training wheels! So far all of my kids have learned to ride a bike without training wheels. That's because they learned to ride later in age, and I've taught them that way! Shortly after mother bought my sister a 10 speed bike i ended up keeping hers. I was pleased as punch to have had my own bike even if it was a 'hand me down'. 

Those memories of my mother is what encourages me to continue to be a stay at home mom, the good kind, and to make fun memories with all my kids.

Especially Noah. 

I honestly believe that he is my last child (tear.) As much as we wanted for him to have a baby brother or sister it simply hasn't happened in the past four years, and we're okay with that. I'm going to make this year (and every year) very memorable for him just as my mother made it memorable for me for while I was a young child.

I have so much to offer to each of my kids individually, and want them to remember that no matter if there are dirty dishes in the sink, toys scattered all around the living around, sketchbooks, pencils, and papers strewn all over Lexie's desk, computer time for me, that they override all of those messy & 'worldly' things, and that they come first! 

Because my children are the most important work.

"Children are not a distraction from more important work. They are THE MOST important work."

~ C.S. Lewis