Oakwood Cemetery

This week I am reflecting on the things that Mom gave me.  I realize this blog has been a part of grieving for me...to express my feelings on paper.
This is the week between her death and her burial one year ago. This last weekend we gathered as a family and extended family at the Oakwood Cemetery. The purpose was to see the work that Dad had done on the family plot and also to see the monument that had been set in place for Mom (and eventually Dad!). It was a sweet time as Dad also shared some genealogy information for direct descendants of Celeste Smith Rowley (my maternal great grandmother).
But back to the things that Mom gave me:

1. an example of patience     Mom had 3 children by the time she was 21 years old and then #4 at age 30. I always marveled at her extreme patience with us. I have very few memories of her ever being angry or irritated with us. She was not perfect, but patience was truly part of her character.
2. an example of embracing change  My private joke about Mom was that her middle initial (C for Celeste) really meant C for CHANGE. She loved change and she was never afraid of it...whether it was a move to the other side of the ocean or having a major change in a carefully planned 'event'. She was very, very flexible. I want to be like this.
3. her deep love for all of her family   She not only was an example here for me, but I believe that she actually deposited this in me over and over again.
4. desire for natural beauty  I'm not quite sure how to word this, but Mom was not one to get into lots of make up and clothes. I know she did love to 'shop' and she bought quite a few clothes...yes, quite a few! BUT she never seemed to make that her emphasis when she got ready for the day. She had beautiful soft brown curly hair and expressive eyebrows and a sweet dimple. She used Nivea lotion and I still have a 'flash flood' of memories when I smell that cream. She wanted to look pretty, but she also wanted to BE comfortable. As a result, she really was both. This is how I want to be!
5. her quiet trust in Jesus    When I was little, Mom would sing and hum as she worked around the house...I took that for granted as a kid, but now I know that was a contented heart that Mom had. I really don't have a knack for knowing lyrics or a singing voice, but the songs I DO know without thinking about it are the Jesus medleys she would sing as she went about her day. In later years as she shared with me about what she was praying for and hoping for...she again taught me by example to turn people, situations and desires over to Jesus. Thanks, Mom! This is a song that you would not have known, but the heart of it would be so familiar to you. 

Some photos from last weekend:

Green

Ask my grandchildren what Nana's favorite color is and they will always remember,

GREEN.

This is the year that I realized that maybe I could try to grow GREEN inside. I'm actually more of an outside plant person and not much of a 'nurturer' with those. If they aren't pretty tough, they simply don't make it. I knew I better read up on these 'houseplants'.

It started back in December with this 'fiddle leaf' fig. Ugliest plant ever, I thought. Then I fell in love with it.

Super proud of this guy's new growth (FINALLY!)

Earlier this month, my daughter in law gave me this orchid and I love it's classy lines. 

This 'closet plant' was given to me by a friend when my mom passed away last summer. It sits in a dark corner in my family room and is doing so well!

Then, my love affair with succulents started this spring. Oh my. Love these hardy little fellows.

Now, these are just cut flowers from HEB, but they are some of my mom's favorites and I love having them to remind me how often she had fresh flowers 'just because'. I love that my Dad still has fresh flowers on the kitchen table every week...not just because I've come in to visit.

"just because"

My cute little 'ugly' fiddle leaf fig back in the corner. This guy has been hard for me to figure out. I think I seriously underwatered him initially. Hopeful that he will grow, grow, grow!

Sweet little succulents. I used them for 'favors for a baby shower recently. 

My 'money tree'. This guy has REALLY  taken off. Super easy. Not so picky about water requirements.

I never realized how much a large green plant INSIDE would be so pleasing to me. It just feels 'fresher'. I enjoy watching them grow inch by inch. Also, succulents would not have appealed to me a few years ago, and now I think they are amazing!

indoor outdoor rug

I'm loving this indoor outdoor rug on our deck. It is softer than I thought it would be and I feel like it helped hide some of those 'bad' spots on our deck. This is just not the year for patio redo.

I have two umbrellas out there and the trees have really grown up in the last 10 years, so it's really pleasant spot to sit.

I think I've had this patio furniture for 100 years. I looked for new stuff last year, but couldn't find anything as comfortable as what I've got. If it works, why fix it?

I DID buy these new red plastic adirondak chairs, though, at Lowe's. I love them.

I'm also into succulents this year. This is a little pot I made up for my mother in law for Mother's Day. She was super pleased with it. :)

Next on my list is to buy a Thermacell Mosquito Repellant lantern. The reviews are awesome on it. I happen to have something in my blood that is extremely repellant to mosquitoes. I can look down and see about 50 of those buggers on my legs and NOT ONE of them wants a bite. The rest of the family is not so lucky.

Hope you all are having a great start to summer. I got my first official sunburn for 2014 today, sitting out in my chair reading a book.