Mom

I know I have written a lot about my dad's influence on the direction of my life...it has been great and significant and I love him for it. (BTW he is facing a serious health issue right now and your prayers would be much appreciated.)

However, I don't think I have ever said enough about my mom. Her influence was different. Rather than leading us to who we were going to be, she saw who we already were and supported us in our directions...helped us become who we needed to be.

Christmas was a big time for that. Mom always loved Christmas. I shudder to imagine how hard she had to look to find middle brother that first guitar...but he was and is and always will be a music guy and she helped him on his way there...didn't say too much...didn't take any bows for her cleverness, just did it.

And when we were small she worked at Sears. Thus, the natural sciences kid...that was me...got a microscope and dissecting kit one Christmas (along with life-sized ready to paint bird models...gold finch for me and barn swallow for brother I think.)

I can remember the kitchen table at the old house on 5S (another frigid farm house like this one where we learned all about cold too)with all that stuff spread out all over, probably making a huge mess that someone else (mom no doubt) had to clean up.

I can't remember which critter I dissected first...sloppy job, hadn't a clue...or what we peered at through that microscope...but they were part of a wide open door to today and meant a lot to me. And when it came time in college to dissect this and that I was the only girl in the class not bothered (of course working for a veterinarian from the time I was fifteen may have had something to do with that too.)

It was always thus. Mom did try a few dolls on me. Barbie mine rode Michael's race cars down the ramp in the garage. But mostly she got the whole horse thing and I had dozens of plastic ones to love.

I guess if dad was the rock star of our youth, then mom was the back up singer....and ever the rock...where we all were anchored. Love you mom and dad...hope everything turns out fine and happy.