DO YOU REMEMBER?

So many precious moments I remember sharing with each of you! And still do. As I read your cards over and over I am touched by the beautiful words. My eyes fill with tears of thankfulness.

Yes you were great kids! You are great adults!

I remember falling in love with each one of you the first time I held you.
I remember lots of scraped kness and taking care of you when you were sick. I remember leaving Kenny in hospital when he was sick and being told we were not allowed to visit.

I remember dressing you up for Hallo'ween with homemade costumes.
I wond up Carol in bandages which all came unravelled, Rick was a T.V. and Sandra a Geisha girl and Kenny maybe a pirate.


I remember your birthday parties and especially the clown cake and the fun of blowing out candles . I am glad Sandra can remember her gift of a locket with a tiny doll inside. Birthday parties were a lot of work but I did my best.

I remember taking the wagon and walking down to the beach in very hot summer weather. You all played so well to-gether there, there were no toys or dolls to fight over. We had peanit butter and Jam sadwiches. Kenny fell into the water while I was spashing the other children and nearly drowned.

I remember holidays at Cultus Lake and one year it rained a lot but we still had fun. One year we took to the road to Barker Ville with the camping trailer. . I remember dad having to back up after going down the wrong road.

I remember going to drive-in movies with you all piled in with blankets. etc.etc into the car. You would finally fall asleep after the first show. We also went to the little old movie house in Ladner . Everyone seems to remember different movies.

I remember cheering you on at sports and other activities like ballet. I think only Sandra took ballet; Carol quit early on. There was baseball, hockey, swimming and track.

Christmas was so much fun seeing you wake up and open your presents. We would decorate the tree together and also decorate the cookies. Christmas Eve was special as we went to church and when you were all in bed I would enjoy a quiet time just gazing at the tree and the beautiful colors.

I like it when you came home for lunch and I would make muffins, or cookies or lemon pie. I would look out the window waiting for you to come home after school. Yes, Sandra there was one time I was not there but I cannot remember why.

I remember sending Rick to the store when he was very little. I depended on his help in other ways. I sent him for milk and perscriptions. He rescued Carol when she jumped and cut her foot; getting toilet paper to wrap it up and bringing her home on his bike. Then it was over to the doctor's to be stitched up.

I enjoyed reading to you and I am glad you all continue to enjoy reading books. My love for music has also become apart of all our lives.

I have always felt happy going to church even when I was small so I took you all to church. Visiting grandparents or having them visit us was important to me. I would work so hard to get the house clean when my parents came. I so appreciatte your visits when they were at the Nursing Home. Those were very sad years for me seeing my parents failing in health.

We had quite a few animals over the years; and I am not sure how they came into our family but they did. We certainly remember getting Diamond, the big black horse with a white star on his forhead. and Carol climbing into the trailer to get him to back out. I remember when Carol would ride him home from Point Robberts and he ate all our corn.

Do you remember the huge dog house dad built. I think one side was for the dog and the other for a rabbit.
Also getting to know some of your friends. Do you remember me making wakie cake? or oatmeal squares and peanut butter cookies.

You have given me great joy and I am glad we can laugh together A good sense of humor is so important.. There have been times when I worried about each one of you and times when I got very angry. I am sure without a doubt you probably were being naughty. Yes, I did say "just wait till your dad comes home" but I do not remember dad getting annoyed with you.

I am sorry and ask you to forgive me for times when I lost my temper. Life for me got very stressful especially when dad's grandmother came to stay for awhile. She was hard to please and spoilt the boys and was very hard on the girls. I believe we are a family that can forgive one another and appreciatte the good days.

You all had minds of your own very early in life which I am now glad of.
I am proud of you as you worked at raising your own families.

These things are so ordinary when I describe them but the ordinary woven together create a treasure chest full of memories. I will read your mother's day cards with tears in my eyes. I am so thankful for each one of you.

You are in my prayers daily first thing in the morning.

"I will love you forever"

Love and God's blessings