There isn’t much to say about Mom. She didn’t do anything the world would call Amazing. She was alway quiet, but she definitely was Dad’s wife. She went with him every place he went and that was a lot of places. He was pastor in the northern part of Minnesota while I was growing up. It wasn’t easy for her, but she washed our clothes and sewed most of them. She got us to bed and up in the morning to get us ready for school. and she made wonderful meals. Now all that was difficult in Northern Minnesota during the great depression. First she had to carry water almost a block in order to wash clothes. She made our clothes from clothes our aunts gave her. She made our meals on what she had canned. Yes, she was amazing! It was far different from Moms of today. I know there are men who say the mothers should stay home and never go out in the work force.  I tend to agree with them because there isn’t much work at home especially after the children are in school. Still. Mom is needed at home.

My mom got together all the colored paper she could find so we could make Valentines for all our schoolmates and for the may baskets which we set on our best friend’s door knobs. That reminds me, we don’t do that anymore. That was fun! You’d put flowers and some candy in the baskets and if the person you were giving it to was home, she or he would run and if they caught you they were to give you a kiss!

Mom didn’t tell us stories at all, not even Bible stories. She was so quiet. I wonder now what she was thinking. And she never told us she loved us. I often waited for her to tell us that. Four years after my first husband died, she wouldn’t even come to my wedding! But when she was lying in bed in our home, and I knew it wouldn’t be long before she was gone,  she raised up her bed and said, “I love you and I love Frank too.” I had waited over 80 years to hear that. A few days later Mom died in my arms as I was singing the old hymns to her.

That was my Mom. I cared for her but I never knew whether she was happy and I never knew what she was thinking, but she did care for us but I know she is happy in her new home now.

We were just a young couple with a baby boy when we first went to that Lutheran Church, “It seems so big, but I guess this is where we will join.” My husband whispered to me. He had just signed his contract to teach boys and girls in Math and Chemistry so we had just moved to this city. When we left the church our unforgettable friend came over to us. We talked for awhile then she invited us over to her house for dinner! All of us had a good time with her husband, two daughters, two sons and our unforgettable friend. When we got home to our little apartment my husband and me agreed that this was a wonderful way to spend our first day.

We became friends and spent quite a bit of time with them. Their oldest daughter became our baby sitter and their oldest son was one of Eddie’s students. She taught me how to make different recipes. She played the piano and I love to sing so we spent afternoons playing and singing, We always had a great time with this family.

A few years later, my husband died. At that time we were living way up North in Wisconsin where Eddie was Assistant Superintendent of schools. He dropped dead teaching a group of students how to play fencing. He was still in his thirties and we had two sons and one daughter. After the funeral was over, I was left alone with my three children, wondering how I could raise them.

My son and daughter left for school for the first time after their daddy died and I was sitting at the kitchen table watching my little boy playing with his trucks. The phone rang and it was my unforgettable friend. She said. “Are you alone?” I said, “Yes except for your Godchild.” She laughed a little about that  and added, “Put the coffee on. I’ll be right there!” “Sure you will.  You will have to fly that 200 miles,” I answered. “No, I’m serious. I’m coming to spend a few days with you,” “You can’t do that. It’s Thanksgiving day in a couple of days and you’ll want to be with your family” I argued. I’ve talked to my family and we have decided to put off the turkey awhile,” she argued back. So she came and I had the coffee hot for her.

We had a wonderful time during the next few days. We were invited to another friend’s  home for Thanksgiving Day and besides eating our dinner, we made ornaments for our church bazaar. When we came home and put the kids to bed, I told her how worried I was on how to raise the kids, All our money had gone to pay for his education. He was studying for his Doctor’s degree. She said, “You have tremendous talent, Yvonne. Just tell God to take over your life and it will be better than you ever dreamed. After all He gave you the talents you have and He knows you better than you know yourself!”

I did ask god to take over my life and he has done very well with it. My unforgettable friend has gone to her heavenly home, but her words I’ve on. I’ll never forget my unforgettable friend!