I have been sitting here trying to think of what to write about my mom. She was a strong woman and a stong woman of faith. She touched so many peoples lives and ment so much to not only me but the people she knew.
My mom graduated from Illinois State University in 1968 with a teaching degree. She loved teaching and taught right up until I was about 6 or 7. Then my dad lost his job and we moved from Illinois to Iowa. My dad due to health reasons was never able to work after that so my mom was the bread winner in the family. She wasn't able to get another teaching position in Iowa so she found a job working for the Department of Human Services (DHS). She loved her job and you could tell. My mom knew what it was like to have to apply for assitance, and she knew just how hard it was for some people to have to ask for help. I think that is what made her job so enjoyable for her, and the people she helped had a respect for her that I had never seen before. I worked with many of her clients at one time and when they found out who my mom was I heard nothing but compliments about her.
Mom and I had a good relationship, I wouldn't say we were as close as I was with my dad, but I loved her the same. We fought sometimes as moms and daughters do about stuff and even more so once I got married. I know now that she was only trying to give advice and was haveing a hard time letting go of her daughter, but at the time I just wanted to have my independance. That is one thing that I will always regret is that I never got the chance to tell her how sorry I was for all the stupid things I said.
Mom also had health problemas and the one major one was her kidney disease. She had a transplant in 98 and was doing really good. She got very lucky in that she didn't have to stay on dialysis for very long at all. Yet on December 1, 2000 I lost my mom. Not due to health reasons but due to a car accident. She was driving my brother and herself to work. It was a little slick out that day due to some snow the night before. She dropped my brother off at work and was heading to her job. She was just outside the city limits when she hit a slick spot on the road and slid into oncoming traffic. She was gone instantly. I think that this has been the hardest for me to deal with. How could God take my mom so soon after giveing her a new lease on life. It's one of those things that you never know why and it's hard to understand. For right now I just reasure myself that I will be with her again some day and that even though she may not be with me in the physical sence she will always be with me in spirit. |
