My Mom gave me many good memories and reasons to be thankful for her. I fondly remember our family outings to the farm where we gathered with my Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, etc for a day of food and fun. I remember for a number of years our family went to camp for a week of fun with about nine other families. At these events and during other times, I recall my Mom having fun in a variety of ways: playing softball, volleyball, canoeing, dancing, riding her bike, walking, swimming, cooking, sewing, visiting with others, and simply taking in the scenery around her. She really enjoyed swimming, which she continued well into her later years to stay fit. She made it a priority, and I think enjoyed, attending our extracurricular activities whether it was football, baseball, swimming, band, etc, and with four boys there were plenty of these events. She was also a devout Catholic, attending church every Sunday, hosting Bible studies teaching Catechism classes, and singing in the church choir. Many of her best friends were those she met through the Church, and many of them attended the camp mentioned above.
I’m really thankful to her for being a great Mom and teaching me good morals and family habits. She was very loving, caring, and hospitable. She was encouraging, supportive, and provided guidance, advice, and positive feedback. She ensured we always ate dinner and Sunday breakfast as a family, where we would catch up on everyone’s lives and discuss whatever was on our mind (no television or phone calls were allowed). I believe this was key to us building very strong bonds between us. She always wanted the best for us, and went the extra mile to support us no matter what. For Holidays, she always made them special and was very generous. I’ll never forget the dozens of cookies she would make at Christmas time and how they would last well beyond the Holidays, and how we gathered with our relatives to enjoy the special times.
I am very fortunate to have had her as my Mom and thank her for all the wonderful memories and lessons learned. She has had such a significant, positive influence on me. She will be greatly missed, but it brings me peace knowing she was close to God.
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