Mother's Day Tribute To A Wonderful Mother

My mother in Orlando, FL in 1942

Today is Mother's Day and I am lucky to have a loving grown son who treats me as if every day is Mother's Day. It is nice to know I am appreciated and must have done something right all those years ago in raising him. He did not have an easy time of it with his father and my first husband. But we got through it and still are  very close.

My Mom loved having grandchildren! She just had so much fun with my son when he was born. She did all kind of things with him and even taught him how to swim. I didn't realize when I had my son at a young age my Mother would love my child so much. She only had two children of her own due to health issues. She almost died having me but survived to be a very loving and caring Mother.

My Mother, Hazel Dorothy Neer Dran (1923-2002) and my son, Michael Jeffrey Dier

I lost my Mother in November 2002 and I miss her every day. Things happen in my life and I will wish I could talk to her and tell her about it. The funny thing I remember is her saying to me, "death is so final", because she wanted to tell her Mother or her sister something and could not. Now I feel the same way. She called me every day without fail. Seven o'clock comes and I look at that phone and wish it would ring with her on the other end. Mom was handicapped having suffered with Cushing's Syndrome since 1977. It caused her bones to disintegrate. She had to have her adrenal gland removed and take cortisone for the rest of her life. Eventually she ended up bedridden but at home. My father took good care of her. He rigged up a car horn that she could toot for him if he was outside working in the garden or in the garage. So that solved the problem of him working outside when she might need him inside.

My family, me, Mom, Daddy and my brother, Mickey

I think about her and all that we shared:

She loved to sew and she made all my clothes when I was a teenager. I wanted to be Cher and she made all kinds of bell bottom outfits and custom dresses for me.

She taught me how to drive.

She and I would go shopping at Belair Plaza in Daytona Beach and then would have pizza at Tony's pizza and she would let me play the juke box on the table.

She took me to see Gone With The Wind for the first time at Belair Plaza and it still is one of my favorites.

Shopping, even when she was on crutches, she drove to my home every week and we went to lunch and shopping.

I took her to see the Broadway show, Forty-Second Street, starring Lisa Brown who was one of her favorite actresses from The Guiding Light and As The World Turns.

I took her to see the Broadway show, Cats.

In later years when she was bedridden, we would watch the cooking shows and some of the soaps on tv together.

She loved to crochet and never used patterns. She crocheted over 50 baby sweaters for me to sell in her way to help me out.

She was an artist and shared her talent with her two grandsons.

Mom loved to fish with my father. During our years of living in Crescent City and Flagler Beach, FL we would pack a picnic and go fishing for the day. Beautiful memories for us!

When we lived in Crescent City, FL we used to swim at a beautiful lake, Lake Stella. She would be out in the deep water swimming back and forth without stopping the whole time. Many of the other parents would sit on the dock or on the white sand, but not my parents! They loved the water.

Mom with my brother, Mickey and me in Lake Stella in Cresecent City, FL


Copyright © 2010 Kathleen G. Lupole