My mother was born, on this day in 1955, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Although, you'd never guess as much upon meeting her as she lacks a thick Southern accent. Honestly, she lacks a thin one, too. Ha. Even still, she somehow managed to raise three daughters with substaintial Southern accents. She tried her best to correct us. The good Lord knows she did! Epic fail. Bless her heart!
She was born into a military family, and spent most of her childhood being raised up in what we Southerner's lovingly refer to those northern states as "Yankee Land" (for those of you in the UK, here in the States, "Yanks" or "Yankees" are Northerners. I know that you all call ALL of us Americans "Yanks" but, honey, those are fightin words here in the South. Only teasing...sort of! Heh.).
Much to her dismay, Mama Meme Marme Mo was the nickname I bestowed upon her, years ago. MeMe was only added to it after she became a grandmother. When I was a little girl, before seat belts were mandated (yes...I'm that old.), I sat perched on the edge of the back seat listening to my mom sing. This would become one of my oldest and most fondest memories of her.
"Mama he's crazy, crazy over me, and in my life is where he says he always wants to be, I've never been so in love, he beats all I've ever seen, And mama he's crazy, he's crazy over me"
I thought she harmonized perfectly with The Judd's and I was certain that my mom had the most beautiful singing voice I'd ever heard! Her face was relaxed as she sang and she was just beautiful. Our life was anything but relaxed, during that time, so seeing her that way stuck with me. I loved seeing her being free of anything that could weigh her down. She was simply lost in the music. It's a feeling that I would become familiar with myself, time and time again. She introduced me to an eclectic array of music, growing up. Fleetwood Mac, Queen, Bonnie Raitt, various Motown legends, Creedence Clearwater Revival...just to name a few. And as she got older, contemporary Christian music would become her favorite genre. A few year ago, we went to see Big Daddy Weave in concert. Their sound borders the side of Christian rock. Seeing my sixty-something year old mama dancing and belting out the words to loud Christian rock songs would create another memory to add to my bank of favorites! That was such an awesome night with my family.
Another fond memory I have is from a time just before I started kindergarten. She sat me down at the kitchen table with a writing tablet and wrote my name at the top of the page. As she taught me how to write each letter in my name, on the line below, she gently praised me for a job well done. My mom has never been overly loud or enthusiastic, and she wasn't then, either. But she was proud and her face was beaming. That made me feel incredibly smart and special. Making my mom proud would be something that I'd spend all these years striving for.
And I couldn't be more proud to call her my mother.
Dearest Mama MeMe Marme Mo,
For sixty-seven whopping years you've graced this world with your intelligent mind, beauty, grace, and faith. Your eyes light up, when you smile...just like your mother. I love that about you. Also like your mother, you have been assiduous all of your adult life. Still working at sixty-seven, in fact! You are one of the most honest people I know. You are fastidious with your words. You are also one of the most dependable people I know....I wanna be just like you when I grow up, in fact! You are my constant, in this life, my biggest prayer warrior, the best advice giver...and the one person I instantly want to come to when I am down and out, as your voice is my comfort. I'm forever grateful that God created you and made you my mama and my baby's grandmother. I pray that this sixty-seventh year of life finds you going on adventures, immersing yourself in acts of kindness, loving and being so completely loved in return, continuing to serve with a grateful heart, and being blessed in abundance just as you are such a blessing to everyone who knows you.
I love you to the ends of the earth! Happy, happy birthday ya lil beauty queen!!!
Relishing in His goodness...
Christy
