Our Mom ~ 40 Years of blessing lives during their most difficult times.

 

Words cannot express how proud of our mother we are.  40+ years of caring for the sick, the injured, mothers’ who had just lost their first, 2^nd, 3^rd or 4^th baby, heroes trying to fight off cancer with their 10^th round of chemo, those finally saying goodbye to their gall bladders, those who were mentally struggling – but as mom always pointed out, were the most creative and “when up” the happiest people she knew, and soooo many more.

Today marks a new beginning for mom, retirement from nursing in the “formal” sense.  However, she will continue being a wonderful mother, pushing her big kids along to reach our dreams, and of course entering year 6 of being the most amazing grandmother EVER!! 

We truly only have great memories of the hospital…visiting mom after church on Sundays to have lunch together as a family when she worked weekends.  Calling her at work once we were old enough to stay home during the summers, amazingly she always found 30 seconds to speak to us to resolve the fight over the phone.  Seeing her 2-North patients (mental health) at Burger King in their rainbow of colors or crossing the street with a grocery cart.  They always waved and said hi to mom…we would ask, “Mom, who is that?”  Her response, “Just one of mommy’s friends!”  Never allowing us to judge them.

For those of you who would come up to us as we got older stating, “Yeah, I am sure your mom told you that she helped to take care of me last week, last month or last year.”  Please know, that she NEVER EVER broke that patient/nurse confidentiality, but we thank you for always telling us she was the best nurse you had ever encountered!
 

Mom, we cannot wait to see you up past 7:30pm!!  It was so important to you that your departments were up and running and ready for your early morning patients.  It was CRITICAL that the TV was on when they came in to put them at ease.

Mom, there is so much more we could say, but we would be here for weeks.  We love you, are soooo unbelievably proud of you managing multiple departments, loving your employees, and ensuring they knew you had their back.  Managing the farm and DAD!!!  Good Lord that is a full-time job in itself, building a home, getting your four year degree, all the while ensuring we had our homework done, made it to all of our activities and so much more. 

YOU ARE AMAZING!!  May these be the BEST years of your life!  Let the canning, baking, staying up late, lunching with friends, continued snuggles with the grandbabies and "occasionally" working with dad on the farm begin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  (Just a friendly reminder below from the Lord!!)  Ha!