I keep feeling like I need to record a couple of amazing blessings. It should be prefaced with some stats:
2015: Last visits to KC from Mom and Dad Nielson and also Mom Wimmer
2016: We saw Mom and Dad thrice in Utah.
March 2017-March 2018: I saw my mom NINE times, all in Utah. (As a bonus, I also got to see my other mom JoAnn nine times during that year.)
The last year of my Mom's life was a busy one for me, having two daughters get married and one graduate from BYU. But it also gave me the chance to visit her SO MANY times-- often while she was hurting too much to consider travel.
The last time I saw my mom alive was on her 79th birthday this year. I kept feeling like I needed to interview her about her life, but she was feeling so terrible. She did put up with me asking her a few questions:
H: What accomplishment are you most proud of?
PON: Finishing the book about my mom.
H: What are you looking forward to?
PON: Working on the book about my dad.
H: What accomplishment are you most proud of, Dad?
FPN: Let me think about that. (Later) I know what it is. Marrying your mom. That was the best thing I ever did.
I had a dear friend (Shelley Beatty) who gave me a gift card at a nursery and told me to buy something that blooms every year to remind me of my mom. We planted roses and a lilac, because one of the best things about Mom is how much she loved this beautiful world and pointed out its beauties to us. She taught me this song:
Whenever I hear the song of a bird or look at the blue, blue sky,
Whenever I feel the rain on my face or the wind as it rushes by,
Whenever I touch a velvet rose or walk by a lilac tree,
I'm glad that I live in this beautiful world Heavenly Father created for me.
2015: Last visits to KC from Mom and Dad Nielson and also Mom Wimmer
2016: We saw Mom and Dad thrice in Utah.
March 2017-March 2018: I saw my mom NINE times, all in Utah. (As a bonus, I also got to see my other mom JoAnn nine times during that year.)
The last year of my Mom's life was a busy one for me, having two daughters get married and one graduate from BYU. But it also gave me the chance to visit her SO MANY times-- often while she was hurting too much to consider travel.
The last time I saw my mom alive was on her 79th birthday this year. I kept feeling like I needed to interview her about her life, but she was feeling so terrible. She did put up with me asking her a few questions:
H: What accomplishment are you most proud of?
PON: Finishing the book about my mom.
H: What are you looking forward to?
PON: Working on the book about my dad.
H: What accomplishment are you most proud of, Dad?
FPN: Let me think about that. (Later) I know what it is. Marrying your mom. That was the best thing I ever did.
I had a dear friend (Shelley Beatty) who gave me a gift card at a nursery and told me to buy something that blooms every year to remind me of my mom. We planted roses and a lilac, because one of the best things about Mom is how much she loved this beautiful world and pointed out its beauties to us. She taught me this song:
Whenever I hear the song of a bird or look at the blue, blue sky,
Whenever I feel the rain on my face or the wind as it rushes by,
Whenever I touch a velvet rose or walk by a lilac tree,
I'm glad that I live in this beautiful world Heavenly Father created for me.
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| Alan and Wyatt helping me plant the carpet roses in the front yard. |
Sniffle.
ReplyDeleteYeah.
Heather, thank you for sharing thoughts if your mom..I still feel tears in my throat when I think of her..but good tears... she was a very special lady... xo momw
ReplyDeleteHeather, I hit send before I thought of something else... what a thoughtful gift.. the live plant to remember your mom.. I love it..every time you see it you will have thoughts of your mom enter your mind fir a moment . Xo momw
She really excelled at appreciating the beauty of the world. I can't say how much I think of her. I need to call Dad. It helps me.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love it that you planted flowers in her honor. Not only something beautiful, but work is very cathartic. When we went to dress her and M'Li said, "Let's get to work. I don't want to get stuck here cyring," I really was impacted by that. It's true. Nothing like hard work and purpose to get the ball rolling again. Oh, how I miss her though.