My Favorite Moms

It's Mother's Day. My mom is off watching birds and my grandmas are busy hanging out with Jesus, but I felt like putting up a few pics of the moms who have meant the most to me. These are the women that showed me how it's done. 

Above is my mom. Reader of stories, leader of adventures, and the one that always tried to see what I was pointing at even if no one else in the world understood. She still does that. She was great at the art of mothering. She held on tight enough that we knew she was always there and that she cared more than anyone. But she let go just enough to allow us to figure out who we were and what God had for us. I pray I can find that fine line as gracefully as she did, and still does. 

My Grandma. She has always been one of my heroes. Not because she was perfect, but because she was real. She admitted it when she didn't know what she was doing. She said so when she was mad or unsure or worried or sad. And most of all, she loved like crazy. Everything we did or said was precious to her. I don't know if I've ever known a hug as tight as Grandma's. She was responsible for some of the most outrageous, fun moments of my life. I feel like everyone who didn't know Nellie Mae Hubble is missing out. Someday I'm going to get her story right, and then everyone else will be able to see her as I do.

Eileen. This list wouldn't be complete if I didn't introduce Grandma Eileen. She wasn't really related to me, but she took on the job of Grandma with all the gusto of the best grandmas in the world. She and her husband Joe were members of my dad's church in Illinois, and they became like family to our family for the first ten years of my life before they moved far away to Texas to be close to their own family. Eileen was tough. She was a school principal and you didn't mess around with her. But she was also sweet, and fun, and full of good advice. I am forever thankful for the woman who was one of my earliest best friends. I still miss her, and she's been living in Texas for 25 years now.

 My Grammy. Grammy was already in her 70's when I was born. I didn't go on any wild adventures with her and most of the time I spent with her she was sitting in her chair crocheting. But I was like my Grammy in many ways. I had inherited the ability to play music by ear, and she liked to listen to me play hymns and sing. She tried to teach me to crochet. We liked the same programs on television. She was a peaceful spirit who loved deeply. She took care of her invalid daughter every day, every night, never complaining about it or showing any impatience at all, until she was in her 90's. She taught by example more than by words. I'm thankful for her influence.

The day I became a mother I realized just how special each of these women were. I hope that I can follow their godly examples for the rest of my life.