Happy Mother's Day, Mom.

My mom and dad taken in 1982 at the Salton Sea CA, the year my father died.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom.

We didn't have a lot of money growing up. My mom made a lot of my clothes. She went to the salvation army, bought like new dresses and took them apart, then pin a pattern down on the material. After cutting the pattern pieces out, she pin the pieces together and sew a new dress for my sister and I.

She got creative with meals too. Left over mash potatoes became potato patties. Fried chicken went a long ways, and so did stew which she warmed over on top of the stove.

My dad fished all the time. She learned to fry fish the way my dad liked, and he was fussy and demanding. She cooked three big meals a day from scratch each day.

She found time to be with my sister and me, took care of her parents and ran errands (even the extra ones my dad gave her), and taught Sunday school at church or helped out in a class.

She took care of my dad when he was diagnosis with colon cancer. Cooked him special meals that she'd hoped he could eat to build his strength. And tried to hold it together when he took a turn for the worst.

When I get bogged down with what I have to do, I remind myself that my mom didn't have a microwave or dishwasher. She also didn't pay bills on the Internet. But she still managed to keep things running smoothly at home.