When I began to write down these
tender memories, I didn't think I could make it to 100. When I was finished
typing, however, I couldn't believe how much there was to remember about my
mom. I will always love her and will do my best to honor her.
1.
The three most important things I
remember most about mom was: Family, The Gospel & The United States of
America.
2.
If there was a fourth, it would be
chocolate covered nuts.
3.
The fifth would be BYU.
4.
Her brown permed hair.
5.
Her excited response to no matter
what you would tell her.
6.
When she would call for dad when he
didn't have his hearing aid in: "Dad. Daddy! WAYNE!"
7.
Cottage cheese on chili or
spaghettio's
8.
The way her Spaghetti tasted, YUM!
9.
When she would heat up pot pies and
put them on rice.
10. Her helping me with my school project, that was due the week
before.
11. Saying "I didn't know that. Dad did you know
that?" When I told her something I just learned for the first time.
12. That sweet, sweet smile.
13. The red fingernails scratching your back.
14. When she would impersonate Jimmy Stewart's line from Mr.
Kruger's Christmas "A a a bass."
15. The way she quoted lines from any movie, especially What's
Up Doc!.
16. The way she would grab her heart and sigh when a particular
song or movie came on.
17. The way she lovingly looked back at my father.
18. The way she would 'pift' whenever something inappropriate
happened.
19. How she had the house on Terrace Dr painted pink and the
inside walls painted bright colors to remind her of Arizona.
20. That no matter what house we lived in, you could always find
the wall of family photos.
21. When she would repeat Dutch words.
22. Her love of grave sites and her reverence there.
23. The way she placed her dolls for display.
24. When she would say "mmm bye" instead of just bye
on the telephone.
25. Her love of flowers, especially roses.
26. Her moo moos.
27. The twinkle in her eye.
28. Her cheerful voice on the phone.
29. Her love of Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy.
30. The crush she had on Tyrone Power in her teens.
31. The countless items of tender jewelry she wore. From her
rings to her bracelets to her ear rings to her necklaces. She didn't wear them
to look important or fancy, for each piece had a special meaning and she wore
those items that she wanted to remember.
32. The way she said: "I love you." as she stared
right up into your eyes.
33. How much she loved to sit as a family and watch an episode
from the Dick Van Dyke show or the I Love Lucy Show, and watching her giggle
through them.
34. How her spiritual dial was always turned up to full blast.
35. Her love of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, which her father
sang in when he was younger.
36. The stories she would tell us about our ancestors.
37. The way she celebrated and decorated for holidays that
nobody cared about:
38. For Presidents Day she would have pictures of the presidents
all over the house.
39. For Memorial Day we would go and visit the grave sites of
our families.
40. For Veterans Day she would have an unproclaimed WWII movie
marathon.
41. For Thanksgiving the house would be decked out with Pilgrims
and turkeys.
42. The way she would blast the house with the Mormon Tabernacle
Choir every Sunday morning to get us out of bed.
43. The way she morphed the home for Christmas on the outside
and inside with two Christmas trees, her snow village, nutcrackers and
countless other items.
44. The way she treated the in-laws as her own children.
45. The way she treated each of us as her only child.
46. The way she fit into your arms when you hugged her.
47. The AVON products in the bathroom.
48. Her fingernails painted with Y's on them for game day.
49. The way she sang the BYU fight song with her fists punching
the air.
50. How she would take care of me when I was sick.
51. The way she tenderly placed Neosporin on an open wound.
52. When she would take me out in the neighborhood to put AVON pamphlets
on every door knob, and then we would go out to buy basketball cards
afterwards.
53. Seeing her in the back row at my performances, because she
chose to put everything off at the last moment to come see me.
54. Seeing her pull into the front of the school in the little
blue Rav 4 to pick me up.
55. The moment when she clutched my hand, as we began to slide
down from Terrace Dr. on the ice.
56. When we would go up into the mountains to see the leaves
change color.
57. Waking my mom up from a nap, knowing that my life was in
danger of another frantic maul.
58. When she would make Postum for us during the winter before
we left for school, and the toast wedges that we would dip in them.
59. I also remember how she would turn on the oven just for me,
so that I could put my legs on the open door to warm up.
60. When she moved to the room in the basement so that Grandma
& Grandpa Lewis could have their room upstairs.
61. Her love of dancing.
62. The way she would hug you as if it was the last hug,
especially within the last three years.
63. Coming into the home to see mom either doing the bills, the
meds, typing up a patriarchal blessing or just watching a movie. At her side
would be all kind of snacks.
64. One of the snacks was her all-time favorite: Lays chips with
yogurt.
65. The red cough medicine spray.
66. Her beautiful, and surprisingly legible, cursive penmanship.
67. I remember helping her make the bed on Briar and Terrace Dr.
with all of the frilly bedding and pillows. Every pillow had to go on a certain
way.
68. Seeing her face on Christmas Day as she watched us tear
through our presents.
69. Watching Luke II, at her request, on Christmas morning and
feeling a spirit that I would never forget.
70. The way she would kiss dad.
71. The way her hands would feel so soft.
72. How she reminded me of Josephine Hull.
73. The massive VHS collection of Disney movies.
74. Her love of anything made by Walt Disney.
75. That whenever she told you to watch a particular movie, that
movie would always change your life.
76. Her love of the Boy Scouts of America and how she motivated
me to finish my eagle and get my merit badges. I am forever grateful for that.
77. How she would pick out an actor in a scene that they did the
Temple Work for.
78. When we would look through her annual Year In Review edition
of the encyclopedia, to find out who had passed away. Each year she would give
at least ten “oh, not them!”
79. Having this conversation: "Hey Mom." /
"Hiiiiiiiiiii" / "How are you doing" / "Good!"
All while she attempts to get up from the bed in pain.
80. Her contagious laugh that sounded just like Grandma
Genevie's laugh.
81. Her fantastic intelligence. Her memory was amazing and she
seemed to know anything about everything.
82. The way she could apply any event to the gospel.
83. The short drives we would take past the homes we used to
live in or that our ancestors did.
84. Her heavily marked scriptures.
85. I remember the way she would hang on to things when you
would ask to borrow it: A movie, a book, a CD, a photo.
86. Her love of history. She had a way of applying any
historical event to God's Kingdom on earth.
87. How dad was the only one to tell me how much pain she was
in.
88. The way she treated each grandchild as if they were not only
her favorite grandchild, but the only grandchild.
89. I remember how much she hated gossip, and how she would
deflect it with: "That is so sad."
90. That no matter where she was or what was happening, she
would stop, stand as straight as possible, place her hand on her heart and
repeat the Pledge of Allegiance if it began to play. I distinctly remember
being late to school a few times if she discovered that it was playing on the
BYU campus as we drove through it.
91. How every bad thing done by her child was erased from her
memory as if it never happened.
92. How she loved you more for what you were (her child and a
child of God) then what you were doing.
93. Her contagious Christ-like attitude.
94. How anyone that knew her, was honored to know her.
95. Her unwavering honesty and obedience.
96. The way she would comb your hair with her fingers as you
cried in her lap.
97. Her comforting presence that made you feel everything was
going to be okay.
98. How every hobby she had was more than a hobby, it was a
passion: Her dolls, her movies, the holidays & her family.
99. Her optimism that changed lives, comforted your soul, and
moved mountains.
100. That her best friend was the Savior,
and that knowing her, helped you know Him better
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