My first Mother’s Day was celebrated on May 10th, 1964, exactly one week after our son, Eric, was born. Eric’s birth came as a big surprise to both Jim and me as our baby was not due for another month. He arrived at 4 pounds 14 ounces and remained in the hospital (DAFB) until reaching the required 5 pound mark. So that is where we celebrated my first Mother’s Day, sort of unusual but a very joyous one! Like most preemies, one would never guess today that Eric fit into that category.
In 1966 I celebrated being the mother of two, Eric and Erica (don’t ask as I have no idea where those names came from). Erica was a full-term baby, almost, and arrived at 6 pounds 7 ½ ounces. She was born just after Jim’s separation from the Air Force so she was a civilian baby making her first appearance at Dover’s Kent General Hospital. We were in on a Friday evening and out on Sunday afternoon.
Eric & Erica at around 4 & 5 years old.
This year will be my 57th Mother’s Day celebration. That seems very unreal! My Jacksonville daughter always makes a point of visiting that day, my son not so much as he lives in North Dakota, but distance celebratory sharing is not as much of a problem as it used to be. Thanks to Covid-19 we now have Zoom.
During those 57 years I have been given grandchildren and great grandchildren providing many more voices of celebration.
This is one of my very favorite cards from Erica’s Mandy and Jimmy, two of my grandchildren. The card is about 25 years old.
I have to include my 2 great grandsons who are fairly new additions to the family. I can’t wait to get Mother’s Day cards from them but that will be a while yet. Their mother is Eric’s Connie Elizabeth, my granddaughter who was named after me (the Connie part).
Russell (2+) and Colt (7 mos.)
My own mother passed away in 1975 and I have missed her now for 45 Mother’s Day celebrations, missed but always remembered not just on Mother’s Day but everyday. Below are some keepsakes from my mommy. In the photo I am probably around 3 years old. The picture was taken at the end of my pop-pop’s farmhouse lane in Caroline County, Maryland, near the town of Ridgely. We most likely had walked down to the mailbox. The little bauble is a pin found in “Mom’s” cedar box, one of many, but this one bears that special word Mother.
I remember going to the Holiday Inn restaurant at the corner of Newberry and Tower Road for their Mother’s Day special buffet. Usually, we went after church with other couples. They had every food you could imagine including scrumptious desserts and even a long-stemmed red rose for all the mommies. It was sad to see them close many years ago.
Even those who have no babies can still celebrate Mother’s Day. We all have a mommy, right? So I wish everyone a happy Mother’s Day and may we all stay safe and healthy and be around to celebrate many more.
