Black & White World

Love this pic!

My daughter posted it on Facebook in honor of Mother's Day

I'm the toddler

My very young Mom & Dad

Dressed in their best

Not sure what the occasion was

Have to ask Mom before the memory is gone forever

I remember the car well

My brother Tim wasn't born yet 

Neither was Todd

Or Joe

Young family

with their whole lives ahead of them

The location is my Grandparents farm

My Mom's parents

Willie and Minnie

Grandpa had fought for Germany in WWI

And even after all those years

Spoke with a strong German accent

He always carried (and shared) a roll of Lifesavers candy

Grandma's family had lived in the area for generations

 I will never forget her wide smile

And the pink frosting she would put on grocery store bought longjohns

(not the clothing type longjohns.....the bakery donut-like type ;-)

I so wish I had known them better

Asked more questions

Hugged them more

Told them how priceless they were

How much I loved them

Life was so black 

And white

then

Simple

Hopeful

Unassuming

Solid

In the eyes of a 2-year old that is

The farm was sold long ago

Grandma passed in the late 70's

Grandpa went shortly after

Dad went to the great fishing hole in the sky in 1992

He was only 59

The old Plymouth is probably in the shelter belt***

 North of the farm 

Where Dad left it after it was beyond repair

No trade-ins in those days 

***(for you non-mid-west-farm folks, that's a grove of trees used as a wind break to keep the topsoil from blowing away.  An invention of the dirty dust-bowl 1930's)

But Mom...

Alive & very well

Just down the road

In an "Adult Community"

Full of Piss & Vinegar

Always there when I need her

Always

Always

Always

Here's to Mom's everywhere

(And any Female who ever loved a child over and beyond all understanding

For one does not need to share blood with a child to feel the passion of Motherhood)

Who survived the challenges of Motherhood

The loss of their own Mothers

Husbands

And yes, some have even survived the loss of their own children

I can't imagine their strength

Just incredibly grateful

I walk among them

Let no Man stand in the path of a Mother protecting her child

She carries a strength unequaled by any force on Earth

If you doubt any part of that statement

I invite you to meet my Mom!  ;-)