September 2003

Mom was my Grandma- my mother’s mother. I didn’t call her Mom because she raised me- that’s just what everyone called her. She passed on this year at the age of 92. Mom was never the kind of loving grandmother that most people dream of. In fact, she wasn’t very loving in traditional ways. But she influenced my life in many positive ways and I am very grateful I was born into her family. I learned so much from her example.

Mom lived in Claude, Texas- a small town in the Texas Panhandle. My mother was her 2^nd of 13 children and her oldest daughter, and I was one of her oldest grandchildren. I was always amazed with the birth process, and I was awed by someone who had 13 children. She never would talk about it much, but 12 of her 13 children were born at home with the assistance of a country doctor or a neighbor woman. She had one set of twins and two breech babies. They were all big- 8 to 13 pounds. The last baby was born at a hospital in the early 40's when doctors decided it was best for all babies to be born at the hospital.

Mom was an extremely calm person, and she rarely got upset or rattled. I believe my mother and I both inherited that from her. That is an important characteristic for a midwife!

Mom was a living example of a hard worker. She worked hard and never complained about anything. She made a wonderful home with very little. Her home was a gathering place for the whole family. I loved to go to her house for Sunday dinner and then sit around the big dining room table after lunch and listen to my mama and her sisters talk. That was during the years when they were all having babies, and I wanted to hear all about it. I was a nosy little kid.

Mom always had a beautiful garden. She raised tomatoes, okra, peas, beans, cucumbers, hollyhocks, dill, and other good things. And she used it all. Even when she died, she had a pantry full of beautiful canned goods. Mom was a great cook and I loved all the things she made. From her I learned how to make yeast bread, fresh vegetables from the garden, cakes, pies, and salads. She never really sat me down and showed me how to cook those things. I just figured it out from watching her over and over again.

All 13 of her children became hard workers and productive citizens. I am so glad she provided me with such a wonderful family that has been a constant source of support. A large, close family is a priceless blessing that money cannot buy.

Thank you, Mom.

Love, Jackie