This post is about my mom. It is about how she loves her grandchildren enough to suffer a layover in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on her way up here. It is about how her plane was struck by lightning as it sat on the runway in Milwaukee. It is about how a forty-five minute layover became an overnight stay in Milwaukee.
This post is about my mom. It is about how she used up her one curse word for the whole of 2007 when she spoke to me on the phone from Milwaukee. It is about her love for her grandkids and her display of generosity by not spending their inheritance on such a frivolous thing as a hotel room last night in Milwaukee. It is about how the janitorial staff at the Milwaukee airport told her not to get up, that they would just clean around her, at 4 AM this morning.
It's about how I'm convinced that lightning struck her plane because a million years ago she told the Dean of Baylor University to go to hell, using up her one curse word for the whole of 1962.
This post is about my mom. It's about how she always flies with the makings for bacon, tomato, and guacamole sandwiches in her carry-on. It's about how, once she got here, she asked if we were drinking vodka or gin martinis these days. It's about how she told the twins she was going upstairs to take a shower and Lila turned to me and asked distrustfully, "Granma gettin' naked?"
It's about how she reacts with equal enthusiasm when one twin sings her the alphabet song and the other twins tells her she's headed behind the couch to make a poop. It's about Victoria reaching up and stroking her hair as she read the twins good-night stories. It's about how tonight, when she finally got a bed to sleep in, she elected to share it with her oldest granddaughter, Kathryn.
This post is about my mom.
Your mommy sounds wonderful - I can't get mine to drive a half hour some days to visit!!! (My cousin told me what horrible storms they were having in Milwaukee last night - they thought their roof sprung a leak from the huge hailballs hitting it.)
Posted by: Loren | March 23, 2007 at 01:35 AM
Nice words for the Gmama to hear. Nice that she has an appreciative son. Enjoy and relax!
Posted by: Petunia | March 23, 2007 at 07:01 AM
Moms are the best! I miss mine.
Posted by: Anne Prince | March 23, 2007 at 07:21 AM
Oh, oh. Don't malign Mwocky! Next time The Gmama "gets" to come through Mwocky, let us know and we'll be there to greet her with flowers and live music and fresh avocados for her sandwiches. And if lightning strikes twice, we'll bring her home and give her fresh sheets to sleep on and feed her hearty Mwocky fare like cheese and bratwurst and beer and give her practice grandchildren for the night before she arrives at your place and they will do teen things like thrash around to songs entitled "Fergalicious" which will make her treasure behind-the-couch poops even more.
Glad The Gmama got there, but so very sorry Mwocky did not treat her nicely. We were out in that storm and the van got hail dents to compliment all the other signs of hard use it bears. Enjoy NJ, Gmama. And if you're flying back through, I'll e-mail your son my cell phone #!
Posted by: Shortie | March 23, 2007 at 07:37 AM
This is to your stay-at-home Gmama, who raised you and your brother to become the warm loving adults you are.
Gdada
Posted by: The Gdada | March 23, 2007 at 07:47 AM
The Dad's Mom sounds like a perfect Granma. They are hard to come by these days, you are all very blessed.
Posted by: Amber | March 23, 2007 at 08:26 AM
Wow, what a lovely mother you have! The world would certainly be a much worse place without grandparent-flavored love and patience.
Posted by: You can call me, 'Sir' | March 23, 2007 at 10:16 AM
She sounds lovely. Nice job on The Dad Gmama!
Posted by: Katherine | March 23, 2007 at 10:16 AM
Sounds like a great Grandma!
Posted by: Tuesday | March 23, 2007 at 10:46 AM
Beautiful mom, beautiful gramma.
Posted by: Amy | March 23, 2007 at 11:22 AM
So you are the son of a saint... not a bad pedigree...
Posted by: Dirk | March 23, 2007 at 11:57 AM
Okay, I actually got a little choked up when I read this post. Someone hand me a tissue..
Posted by: Kate | March 23, 2007 at 12:05 PM
How beautiful! The Gmama certainly is a treasure. :)
Posted by: ChristieNY | March 23, 2007 at 12:40 PM
Sweet.
You're a good son to say sweet things about your mom. My 4 year old called me "pretty" yesterday morning. Maybe you were a 4 year old like that.
I hope to be so lucky as your mom when my boys are all grown up.
Next time, though, she should spend your inheiritance.
Posted by: Tricia | March 23, 2007 at 03:02 PM
Being the daughter of a single Mom, I must say it takes an exceptional woman to do it and do it right!
Single Moms have to play a double roll. There's no one to blame the "negative" traits on. There's no one to back you up in a dispute. There's no one to fall back on when it gets tough to handle. It's all Mom! And at the end of the day she's left wondering if she did everything she could to make everything right.
I don't want to imply that married Moms have it easy, just that many single Moms deserve an extra star for making the best of what could be a bad situation.
I'm so glad you took the time to commend your Mom for being an awesome mother and g'mother!
Posted by: Ellie's Mommie | March 23, 2007 at 07:23 PM
Sniff, that was so sweet. I hope one day my son will be as appreciative and as complimentary as you are being. Glad you are getting some help with the children, hope you get some time for yourself.
Posted by: Angela | March 23, 2007 at 07:47 PM
I think there was some serious projecting going on by my readers on this post. Read it again. Never once did I say I liked this woman.
Posted by: The Dad | March 23, 2007 at 08:41 PM
Can I have custody of her for a weekend? It's almost springtime in Minnesota, if she hurries, she'll beat mosquito season.
Posted by: Amy the Mom | March 24, 2007 at 01:07 AM
First & foremost, your mom sounds amazing.
That aside, I think you're one hell of a brave man. The Wife is away on a trip, you missed spending your anniversary together, and now your gushing about your mom??
My husband's mom is the bees knees, we all agree. But, once my husband told me that he would stop a bus for me, but he would stop a TRAIN for his mom......let me stress to you that he said this only once.
My gut is there might not be a lot of 'anniversary magic' happening in Looky Daddy's house upon The Wife's return. At least your Mommy will be there to cheer you up.
Posted by: Jaci | March 24, 2007 at 08:40 AM
i just chanced upon your blog and i must say.. i got teary after reading this post... not many people treasure their mother as they should be.. you are obviously one of the great few..
Posted by: jon | March 24, 2007 at 09:14 PM
Your Mom sounds just perfect. I'd love to toss back a vodka martini with her sometime.
Posted by: susies | March 28, 2007 at 08:57 PM