Joanne Kraft

Equipping Moms to Raise Great Kids

  • Home
  • The Mean Moms Podcast
  • Blog
    • Archives
  • About
    • My Story
    • Contact
  • Joanne’s Books
    • The Mean Mom’s Guide to Raising Great Kids
    • Just Too Busy–Taking Your Family on a Radical Sabbatical
  • Speaker

By JoanneKraft 15 Comments

I don’t usually do this…

I rarely post twice in one day. Today is special. My mom would have turned 64 today. I put my heart to words for her last year and thought it fitting to re-post it this year on her birthday. I’ll make sure to introduce you in Heaven.

You’re going to just LOVE her.

Is there a day on your calendar that is marked by your heart? October 27th is that day for me. It is my mom’s birthday. Growing up, us kids knew that this day was special for mom. Raising four children, this was the one day of the year that demanded we take our eyes off of ourselves and place them on her.

She would have turned sixty-three today.

This day used to be filled with phone calls, birthday cards, family dinners and birthday cake. For eight years now, October 27th has become painfully quiet.

In some ways, growing older I need her so much more. We used to talk every day, sometimes numerous times a day to share a story, an update about family, a laugh, or just to talk about what we had planned for the day. I miss her calls the most. I yearn for her to be on the other end of the telephone to share highlights of my children’s lives.

She would have loved to see Meghan go to her first dance Saturday night. Her heart would have swelled with pride over David’s graduation from junior high last year. No doubt she would have bragged to everyone about Grace’s first goal in soccer this year and made numerous calls to friends after hearing that Samuel scored five goals this Saturday at his game.

To fill you in on this special photograph, it was snapped a few months before cancer took her life. I had just stopped by to visit and while sitting on the stool beside her, I tried hard to talk to her about anything but the heartache staring me straight in the face. A very mischievous thought came to mind. I leaned down for dramatic affect, whispering in her ear. “You know what mom? I just had a great idea. I think I am going to toilet paper you.” Sadly immobile, a frightened smile lit her face, as she looked up at me with a you-wouldn’t-dare look in her beautiful green eyes.

My sister was my accomplice as we twirled the white toilet paper from top to bottom, creating beauty from the cold steel hospital bed. Lastly, placing a paper white bouquet in her hands. All the while laughing until our sides hurt, tears streaming down all of our faces.

Just like vanilla candles, Jean Nate, Aunt Jemimah coffee cake and Greek cookies, October 27th fills my heart with my mother. I loved her so much. I still do. So today, the day that has been forever marked by my heart, I thank God for my mom. Cancer took so much away from her, from all of us, but it never took away our joy and I am anxiously counting the days until I can laugh with her again.

Bookmark and Share

  • delicious Bookmark on Delicious
  • digg Digg this post
  • facebook Recommend on Facebook
  • reddit share via Reddit
  • stumble Share with Stumblers
  • twitter Tweet about it
  • rss Subscribe to the comments on this post
«
»

Filed Under: cancer, cancer grief, death of mother, Godly mom, mother's birthday Tagged With: California, life in the south

Comments

  1. Denise says

    October 27, 2009 at 8:08 pm

    Reply
  2. summur braley says

    October 27, 2009 at 8:15 pm

    Reply
  3. AJ says

    October 27, 2009 at 8:50 pm

    Reply
  4. Just Be Real says

    October 27, 2009 at 8:57 pm

    Reply
  5. Denise @ A Sacred Longing says

    October 28, 2009 at 3:43 am

    Reply
  6. The Real Me! says

    October 28, 2009 at 4:28 am

    Reply
  7. LisaShaw says

    October 28, 2009 at 6:47 am

    Reply
  8. Angie says

    October 28, 2009 at 7:08 am

    Reply
  9. Mari says

    October 28, 2009 at 9:08 am

    Reply
  10. Marsha says

    October 28, 2009 at 10:48 am

    Reply
  11. Barbara says

    October 28, 2009 at 5:02 pm

    Reply
  12. Beautiful Daughters says

    October 28, 2009 at 5:05 pm

    Reply
  13. a portland granny says

    October 29, 2009 at 12:55 pm

    Reply
  14. momstheword says

    October 29, 2009 at 7:05 pm

    Reply
  15. Tea With Tiffany says

    October 30, 2009 at 5:50 pm

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

One Click Away…

Just Too Busy? Learn how to slow down!

Cool Weekly Stuff!



Sign up for some AWESOMENESS!

Share with a friend!

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Search This Site

Recent Posts

  • A New Word for Ministry Leaders – Augausted
  • Our 7 Year Tenniversary
  • My Gift to YOU Mom
  • Break Free From Busyness {Episode 08}
  • The Cure for Mom Guilt {Episode 07}

Share with a friend!

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

My Boards are Cuter than Yours! (MomLuvs2Pin)

Follow Joanne Kraft's board Alpha & Omega on Pinterest.

Archives

Copyright © 2022 Crown Laid Down Designs All Rights Reserved · Log in
  • follow:follow:
  • Become my Facebook friend Become my Facebook friend
  • RSS RSS