Sunday, May 11, 2008

Mother's Day 2008

Mother’s Day 2008 was cold and wet, though later in the afternoon it stopped raining, but it definitely got colder and much windier. After having a wonderful meal of Chinese food at http://www.yenchingchinese.com/ , which is a family tradition for many different holidays, it was back to mom’s farm. Though it was only 3 of us today, it was a well spent day together, making memories for the years to come, and revisiting those form years ago.

Before anything was started once we got back to mom’s place, Heidi and I had to put together a new bird feeder pole that mom had picked up at Fleetfarm, but couldn't quite figure out how to put it together. After looking at the one page instruction manual, I could understand why… it was a bit humorous for me, though I didn’t say anything, but the biggest obstacle that she couldn't get past was on how to get these holder things over the post. She had the screw that was to tighten that, screwed in to far so that it didn’t fit over the shaft… to funny, but Heidi and I kept it to ourselves. It always feels good being mom’s hero, better than those moments where I myself try to put something together, and find out afterwards, that it’s backwards. Yeah, men and the instructions we don’t need, but really should follow to make life easier.

If you look at the picture, the new feeder post we put up is on the left side of the branch in the middle. No sooner had we gotten in, started to play a game at the table there, when we saw two of the most beautiful blue little birds. Mom said that they were Buntings, I don't think that I've ever seen those before, but they were definitely in the finch family, about the same size and all.


Heidi helped mom reconcile her checking book... every time we come over, something gets done that she's not sure to do on her own. I told her that I would have to get her a computer to do all that on-line, and I got the most serious look, which with out words said "that's not going to happen!"

Things always change, but then that's life, each year I seem to look older and more like my dad, but mom says I look like her brother. She wanted to take a picture of me and Heidi, so after showing her how, and what needs to be pressed, and to NOT put her finger over the lens... ya, you guessed it, the first picture had that half moon which is her finger :-). And she clicked too soon so that the flash didn't initiate, but hey, at least she wasn't afraid of the new technology, though she mentioned that she wouldn't feel comfortable with a digital camera, the older ones are much easier to use. Not if you ask me, these new one's do it all for you, instead of having to have the setting all figured out, one just aims and clicks to take the picture. So she tried again, and did a much nicer job, only thing is that my head got cut off... oh well, she got the better side of me.

Heidi did a good job getting a picture of mom and I, and while technology has increased the speed at which we live, it does do a great job of capturing moments in time, and putting them up for all the world to see, and hopefully for family members who are all over the continent and world, Europe and Canada in particular. Giving mom another try at getting Heidi and I together without chopping heads finally worked, but then my limit of pictures is at about 700, so we could have tried several times, but it only took one extra take. Technology, it's unbelievable to think how fast it seems grow of such short time periods.

This is my favorite picture of mom, now that she's alone, but always with some company of some sorts, if only dogs. Mom, it was good to come home today into your house so warm with memories, a place that is always dear to my heart and a joy whenever I visit.
Proverbs says:
25Let your father and mother be glad; let her who bore you rejoice. Proverbs 23:25 (ESV)

Mom, may you find joy in your son, and in the manner in which he serves His Saviour, for it was by your prayers that brought this all about.

2 comments:

Mike said...

Ralph,
Thanks for this wonderful visit to your mom's! She is one wonderful lady, but then you knew that. I'm glad to see that she's doing okay, still on her own. Please greet her for me.

Our moms...so very dear that our hearts ache; and as they and we grow older, we have less and less time to make sure they know how precious they are and how much they have meant in our formation.

Our Lord has blessed us with such moms as only He would know we need. More than what they have given ought to come only from Him...and in time we learn that it all does.

Bless you, my brother.

Ralph said...

Yes and yes to what you've said. It is unfortunate that it usually takes us to get old before we understand their value. In our youth and those years we raise our own family, time slips away so fast.

Good to hear from you!