JIM VAN FLEET's Blog

I remember playing games with my mom and most of my aunts in Ohio. My mom would laugh so full-heartedly. Her eyes would run. It was such a great sight to see her so happy, even if it was just for a little while. My mom is the type of person who gives and gives and asks for little to nothing in return. It's nice to see her get a little back for a change. I am really happy to have been adopted out to such a wonderful person.

Jim, I know it must have been hard, but thank you for sharing your treasured moments with us. After reading what you wrote, it brought back several of my childhood memories, happy and sad. My Mom was the one who kept our family together, strongly with love, faith, and a good ole' fashion punishing when we needed it. My Mom was, and still is the best friend I could ever want. She has this way of giving constructive criticism while making one feel good about it at the same time. About 20, years ago, my Mom's life would drastically change. She was diagnosed with breast and cervical cancer, and beat it. Two years after that, my father was diagnosed with a brain tumor that could not be operated on - my Mom stayed by his side every moment she could for almost two years, then my father passed away. My Mom did not have time to grieve for my father, as immediately after, her father, my grandfather, was diagnosed with prostate cancer which spread into his bones - my Mom stayed by his side for almost five years. Within three months time after my grandfather passed away, her mother, my grandmother, was diagnosed with cancer that had already spread throughout her body - my Mom stayed by her side for seven months. In trying to help my Mom and watching my family slowly slip away, my Mom would always be the one to comfort me, when I was trying to comfort her, and she would always state that."Love is not a sacrifice, but giving up the material things one thinks are so important to care every minute for the one's you love, is the sacrifice that make's it all worth while." My Mom alway

The memories of my Mom fill and flood my heart. There is not enough room to write down how excellent she was and possibly still is.

Funny thing, she's not really gone, even though she past away in 1999. I look around, she's everywhere.

I know for a fact we were all loved, even though I know, the oldest was her favorite. LOL It's a family joke.

Thanks for asking us to share, and for sharing with us.

I give anything to have my mommy right now..she was a very petite little thing weighing 80 lbs..but she can sure kick some butts...LOL..If I could just have that cup of coffee with her and share her cracker barrel cheese and crackers I'D BE IN HEAVEN...My mother was very strict with me but now I can appreciate it very much..GEESE..I am turning into her..LOL. but what I love the most is she was so witty she out witted my Dad all the times and she was a hell of a cook. My only regrets was not learning her herbal meds..wow they did work now that I think of it but one thing I find myself doing now is taking a tablespoon of pure olive oil with black coffee; and egg yolk and one garlic....I have been doing this for two months now..AND I FEEL GREAT....I feel...like crying..so I will be back..once I have composed all the memories in my head...........LOL

hey Jim..thanks for sharing your story..but I have to agree with Gammies..there's just not enough room to tell all those wonderful moments I had with both my parents. It is a shame that in this world today..SO MANY CHILDREN are missing out on what it is to have a father and mother at home. To all of you, I wish you all a joyful and happy Mother's Day. Enjoy each moment for we never know what's to come tomorrow...much love...

couldn't help it - in rememberance of my mother I was just thinking when we first came to this Country in 67 having gotten hit by a huge snow storm...my mother who was a very good housewife, etc. did the laundry and had hanged the clothes outside. Hold and behold the next day..it was hysterical.when our clothing was so stiff and iced....and a took an entire day to melt the stuff away...Gosh back in those days it was pure pleasure to walk around the streets of Newark in those storms...what a kick...we had..Wow..things we don't forget..but it is funny that while our parents are alive - we don't tend to appreciate what we have UNTIL ITS GONE...

I lost my mom a few years ago. Growing up, although she was often working 12-16 hours a day to try to keep food on the table, she always had a smile around us kids.

She LOVED the holidays. I don't know how she did it, but she always had presents under the tree on Christmas morning.

After we moved out on our own, my mom's house was THE place to be for Christmas, although it was always a day or 2 before or after Dec 25th. She always believe you should be home with your family on Christmas day. I missed most of those gatherings because I was usually stationed in some far-away place, but i'd always get pictures and later, videos of everyone at mom's opening Christmas presents.

She was a bit nuts...in a good way. Besides her horses (this is after the kids were gone, she raised Arabians), she found other "I gotta have" things like a real soda fountain, a player piano...even a snow sled here in Fla!!! She seldom had more than a few dollars I'm sure, but she would fine a way to take care of the horses, dogs and cats that always seemed to be around.

No matter the holiday, Christmas especailly, but T-giving, 4th of July, Halloween..you could count on her house being decorated "in case the grandkids come by."

I wasn't able to make the trip to Riverview a few years ago for the Chrismas gathering, but promised I'd be down "in a few weeks" to take her to lunch. Before I got down (Jan 4th, also my daughter birthday) she had a massive heart attack and passed away. I guess I could have really gotten down for her Christmas thing, but 5 brothers and sisters, their h

Oh yea..most favorite memory...my Mom LOVED the Sound of Music....her all time favorite.

While stationed in Germany, I got her over to visit and I took her to the Swiss Alps..I never saw her smile so big and we looked up on those snowcapped mountains.

FN...how sweet...I wish I could burried my parents in their homeland..that's what she always wanted...though she was greatful to be here..leaving my two elder brothers behind was very detrimental for her. Maybe someday when I hit a big jackpot I can exsume their coffins and make it happen. You reminded me of holidays in my house, my mother too, always believe in spending time with family and she was AN AWESOME cook..(learn most of my cooking by watching- as she knew it wasn't my thing back then) and she made some presentations..to making these little egg soldiers..it was hysterical..the talents she had were amazing. She was also a great seamstresss..that's one thing I still can't do..God forbid if I should tear a hole in my pants..LOL..

I have spent the entire day today thinking about my Mother..thanks Jim..this was a great blog...I am still thinking and balling my eyes out..THANKS..now I will look so pretty in the morning.....HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL..MAY YOU ALL HAVE A VERY WONDERFUL AND HAPPY DAY...enjoy it with your love ones..you just never know..when that empty spot will hit ya...

On April 21, 2008 I celebrated my 24th wedding anniversary and the 1 year mark of my mothers passing. She found her "stairway to heaven" in the one place she loved most...her kitchen. We found out later that she had been very sick for 8 months and being the woman she was she never said a word to anyone. Her entire focus stayed on my Dad who was fighting, colon, lung and bone cancer. There are no words to describe how I truly felt about this woman other than to say if I can be just 1/10th the wife, mother and woman she was I will be lucky. My most treasured and vivid memory of her was the day my 4th child was born. She came to the hospital to see me and she took my hands in hers, looked me in the eye and said....ARE YOU NUTS?? Then she leaned in close and hugged me while she whispered in my ear...you are a remarkable woman and you always make me proud, you are my Hero. I will carry those words with me always because the only real HERO was her. I am so thankful for having her in my life as my Mother and FRIEND!

Oh Boo.....that's so true..I was too a daddy's girl..so I cry and ball my eyes out in June too....there was nothing my fAther wouldn't do for me. That's a great Idea with the blanket..maybe you can put some letters in there with a small message..that's sweet

Jim, one of my favorite memories of my mom is an early one....

...when I was just learning the alphabet.

She made this great game of throwing those magnetic letters on the refrigerator when I got the letters right.

We would laugh so hard at her throwing those letters on the frige like a baseball pitcher.

...oh yeah...and it helped me learn to read before kindgergarten.

My Mom is still alive and even though we have our moments, she can never be replaced. I wish I was able to meet my Mother-in-law, she passed before my wife and I met.

amen, Jim. I lost my mother in 2004 and I hate it. She was a saint... did everything for her kids.. I am 1 of 5. But I was the black sheep doing different things. I did spoil her when I got my biz going after the Airlines job I left in 1991.

She loved her Grandkids (with my other bro and sisters since I am still not married). She was a young 76... people thought she was 60.

But My and her faith gives us (and hopefully you) knowledge that she is having fun in a better place. I dont think she would come back for anything and I couldnt convince her to come back if I had the power to do so.... always remember that.

When I was just out of high school, I went to work at the phone company and worked side by side with my mom as an operator for a couple of years. One day, a coworker said to me "I would give my right arm to have my mother back...." I remembered that and for the decades that followed, I cherished every moment I had with my mom, the good times, the bad times, happy and sad, I cherished them all.
It's almost 3 years that she's gone from this earth, but still she lives in our memories. Everywhere I look, there's a little something that will remind me of her.

Love you mom and I miss you everyday.

Jim Van Fleet, thanks for this place to blog about our moms and so sorry for your loss.