Generations of Mothers to celebrate!

In just a few days, it will be Mother's Day again. With age, comes it perks, and one of them, is being a "Mother" on Mother's Day.

I was thinking back over the years I was the celebrator of Mother's Day. Paying homage to my mom, Dallas. I made the special cards - although my artistic talent was very lacking. I remember going to the "dime" store to purchase the special gifts. Oh! The "Blue Waltz" perfume - It came in a cobalt blue bottle with a fancy silver stopper. If you paid more, and got a bigger bottle, it had a fringed tassle around the cork and was packed in a fancy box with blue velvet lining. None of the fancy rapping altered the fact - that stuff stunk to high heaven! Later, came Avon and Topez cologne! Woo-woo! More stink! Very strong stink.

I pulled out some old pictures of my grandmothers - great grandmothers too. They were powerful ladies.

Let's talk about Abigail Beaty Williams. Married to James W Williams, she lived from 1840- 1920. She was a very tiny little lady. She reminds me alot of my mom. Abigail has quite the reputation - depending to whom you are speaking.

Small in stature, she was called "Mama" by everyone. She was widowed for many years and even though there were several adult sons in the home - she ruled the roost. Her son's first wife died young (my grandmother, Naomi), and "Mama" took over their children as well. Rumor has it, her sons were not very stable. They liked to play music, and have a good time.

My grandfather had many grand money making schemes - none of which worked for him, mostly because he was tender hearted and did not demand payment from his customers. For that reason, my great grandmother controlled the money and was said to have kept it in a cloth bag between her feather mattresses. If you needed money, you had to ask "mama".

Naomi Boatwright Williams was the first wife of James A Williams. (son of Abigail). She lived on the family farm that came from her father's family. The hoard of Williams' men (and Mama)- moved in and Naomi was busy raising her brood of 6 children. She died young, leaving her children in the care of "mama" and later a step-mother, Arlee Richardson Williams. Mama did not make life easy for wife number two- but she produced 3 sons and provided a loving female for the children of Naomi.

One of Naomi's children, was my mother Dallas Williams Campbell. Raised on a farm in KY, she knew that was not the life for her. She left KY when she was 18 and moved to Ohio where she trained to become a nurse, met my Dad and gave birh to a son, Arthur Yule in 1930 and a daughter, me in 1947. Dallas did not have an easy life. She was crippled with Rheumatoid Arthritis from her early twenties. She tried every cure that came along, but got little relief. Married in 1929 to the love of her life, she managed to raise a daughter in spite of her physical limitations. (Their son died at the age of 7 months.)

I truly do not remember her complaining a lot about her pain. And she had lots of it! She took cortisone daily and the side effects eventually killed her. Like her grandmother before her (Abigail), she faced the trials life gave her and plowed ahead.

My greatest triumph is my two children. My oldest, Scott, is a treasure. He loves without limits and asks so little in return. Labled:mentally retarded, special needs, developmentally delayed - he is just Scott and he is someone that inspires me to get up each day and keep going! When I want to quit, am tired and somedays at my lowest web, I think of Scott and know I have been blessed and need to get over myself.

And then there is my baby:Dawn Marie. Oh! How I waited for her to come into this world! I had so many dreams and plans for our life together. My husband was adament that she would be a girl -he just knew it and wanted it that way. She has always been Daddy's girl - but I breath in each day with her and hold it deep inside as long as I can. I can smell her hair on her pillow after she has been home for a visit - it can bring me to tears with longing for her nearness - yet comfort me in her absence.

Children leave home and grow up. That is as it should be. I am proud that she grew up to be a compasionate woman, filled with love for her husband and son. The challenges she faces over the next years with Sawyer's health and hurdles in life may slow her down but they will never crumble her. She is her father's daughter and I know she has the strength of character to take on the world for those she loves.

So this Mother's Day, I will remember the generations before me that were called "Mother", "Mama", "Mom" etc. - and know that in some measure they made me the mother I am - good or bad. There is no other title in this world (well maybe Grandma) of which I am more proud! We have a pretty good club and I am so happy God let me be a member of this "Mom's Club!"