Thursday, September 7, 2023

Simple Little Reminders... of Mom on Her Seventy-sixth Birthday

Barbara Kay
Ramsbottom Conklin Hall
1947-1999
May her name be blessed forever!

I was blessed to have a young mother. She and Dad married when she was sixteen, and I came along just shy of a year later when she was seventeen. She was energetic and full of life and fun. In a way, we grew up together. ~smile~ She loved it when someone thought I was her little sister! She moved to Heaven many years ago. I look forward to our reunion. I really miss her and what might have been.

Do you have a loved one who's moved to Heaven? Isn't it a wonderful comfort knowing that if we both love Jesus and have accepted Him as our savior, that we can see each other again?

I believe that Jesus is coming back soon. We'll be caught up with Him, and there will be quite a reunion. Yes. I'm looking forward to that. If you're not absolutely sure that you've given your heart and your life to Jesus, and trusted Him for salvation, please don't wait. Click here to learn more.

Until then... Simple little reminders of Mom...

~ Silent Night

~ Sweet Hour of Prayer

~ Amazing Grace

~ Away in a Manger

~ Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire

~ decorating for Christmas

~ rocking chairs

~ smiling and talking to everyone

~ yard sales

~ my daughters singing

~ hot roast beef sandwiches

~ Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On

~ harmonica music

~ Bleeding Hearts

~ July 3rd

~ black walnut divinity

~ Christmas Eve

~ star sapphires

~ Blue Cross Blue Shield

~ singing in the car

~ family recipes

~ purple Bearded Iris

~ mums

~ Beach Boys music

~ lemon slushes from Sonic

~ rose bushes

~ hand laid brick sidewalks

~ lilacs

~ little honey colored pet mice

~ sewing clothes

~ beef and bean tostadas

~ mashed potatoes, "Did you salt the potatoes?"

~ Garfield the cat

~ Clark Bars

~ Milky Way

~ TOPS

~ Red Lobster

~ macrame

~ chess

~ The Lioness

~ Pepsi at the beauty shop

~ room mother

~ poster board and poster paints... She could paint anything!

~ Carol Burnett

~ Take Me Out to the Ballgame

~ macaroni and tomatoes

~ homemade pork tenderloins

~ card games

~ sewing, especially laying the fabric out on the floor to pin and cut

~ There Was an Old Geezer Had a Wooden Leg

~ Tongue Twisters

~ She sells seashells down by the seashore. How many seashells does she sell?

~ September 7th

~ Fireworks

~ barbecue chicken, corn on the cob, and sliced, homegrown tomatoes

~ I Love Lucy

~ mashed potato sandwiches

~ blue robins' eggs

~ dancing

~ homegrown tomato sandwiches with salt

~ crochet and crafts

~ homemade cinnamon candy suckers

~ handmade leaded stained glass

~ Yahoo... when it was a giant wooden board game that covered a card table. It was played with marbles. It was played sort of like Sorry! or Trouble! now.

~ Brahams' Lullaby... "Lullaby and goodnight... the angels are singing... hear them singing soft and low... off to sleepyland you go.... Close your eyes... little one... close your wee little eyes... close your eyes... little one... 'til the morning has come."

~ socks and blouses matching

~ soft serve vanilla ice cream cones dipped in chocolate and rolled in peanuts

~ singing with the radio

~ Uno

~ cinnamon rolls and sticky buns with brown sugar and pecans

~ homemade coleslaw (She thought I should like hers even though I didn't like any coleslaw!)

~ "If I doed it, I get in trouble. I doed it!"

~ "I'm Gettin' Nuttin' for Christmas!"

~ Bing Crosby Christmas music

~ Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn

~ "Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake. I pray the Lord my soul to take. God bless Daddy... God bless Mommy... God bless John... God bless Grandma... God bless Grandpa...."   When I had my own children, someone taught me a line to replace the "If I should die" line. "May angels watch me through the night and wake me with the morning light."

~ My breast cancer brought her to mind too many times to count. Mom and later her sister, my aunt Phyllis Jean, had breast cancer. As I went through chemo, I remembered Mom's battle first with breast cancer then later, because the doctors did not follow up with her treatment properly, her battle with bone cancer. I will be most diligent to make sure I have regular check ups even after being declared cancer free. I know that treatment has changed much since the 1990's. Thank you to Rick, my step-dad, for loving her through the end, for helping me put it all together in my mind, and for helping me emotionally by talking through it all with me to help me to understand her journey and to walk through mine with Jesus.

~ Music was a big part of my life because of my mom's love of music. She sang a lot! You saw how much music reminds me of her. She sang, she played music in the car, we watched musicals. We bought magazines that had the lyrics to the latest country songs and sat at the table and sang them together. Sometimes we'd record ourselves on a cassette tape player.

~ The song I was named after, Tell Laura I Love Her. I was also named after the elderly lady, Lori Morrow, whom my father rented a room from in college. I called her Grandma Lori and her husband Grandpa Leland when I was little. Diane was from my mom's best friend in high school.

Jesus, please tell Momma I love her. Tell Momma I need her. Tell Momma not to cry.  I know her love for me will never die. I know she's crying no tears in Heaven, but I'm crying more than a few for her as I miss her, and I honor her on her 76th birthday.

Barbara Kay Ramsbottom Conklin Hall may her name be blessed forever.

Thank you Jesus for my momma.
Amen.


Note: My dad is James (Jim) Conklin, her first husband. The photo above is with my step-dad, her second husband, Richard (Rick) Hall. I love them both.






2017
2023

27 comments:

  1. What a beautiful lady your mom was! I noticed you both have the same smile :)

    My parents are both in heaven. I miss them both, especially when I want to ask about people from my childhood.

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  2. What a lovely tribute to your mother.

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  3. What a sweet tribute to your mom. I recognized my own mom in a few of those on your list. Your mom was so young and I know you miss her terribly. Yes, the treatment is so much more advanced these days and the doctors are really more on top of things. Praying for you!

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  4. This is such a beautiful and special tribute to your mom! It brought tears to my eyes.

    You are in my prayers!

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  5. Such a lovely post honoring a beautiful woman, my friend.
    Sharing your memories of her helped me to know her better.
    Thank you for that!
    I am sure she is singing in Heaven now.
    My dear Daddy is in Heaven as well.
    I miss him more than I can say.
    But faith helps, doesn't it?
    Prayers for your heart, and for your continued healing! : )

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  6. I remember being being 52. That was the last time I could walk. By the time I was 53 I had the stroke.

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  7. She sounds like such a sweet, wonderful lady. I know you miss her terribly and always will.

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  8. What a lovely tribute to your Momma. Our Mommas are with us always in our hearts and minds.
    God bless.

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  9. Hello Mrs. Laura,

    You have your mom's smile and eyes. Beautiful memories.

    Hugs,
    Mrs.B

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  10. A beautiful tribute to your mom.
    Marion

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  11. Wow, what a great list!! I hope to be remembered like that someday! I know who I will see again in Heaven....it's the ones I am not sure of that make me sad.

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  12. Hugs!
    Once when I had to leave church early, I walked home. My neighbor's Mom had just died. I found out walking past her house, and when I found her there in tears in the yard. The only thing I could think to tell her was, I was very sorry to hear that, and I understood what she was feeling. I had lost my Momma too, and I knew what that felt like.
    I don't think you stay the same when you lose a mother, it changes you, but I do believe if you let it, the memory of that loss will sweeten and not turn to bitterness as long as you let it.
    I also once knew a woman who lost her mother, she pretty much lost her mind with the passing, she fell off the deep end of grief's pier, and took years to sort of become her self again. Yes, she was a Christian.
    I think like you, you have to remember the good times, and look onward to a heavenly reunion. The other bend in the road after crossing the great divide bridge, is still there for daughters as we draw closer through the years.
    Yours and mine, I'd like to think are still a ways away.
    But I see in my minds eye, my Momma, and my Daddy standing there a waiting near the bridge with Jesus when my time comes.
    Bless you Laura!
    Remembrance can be a sweet perfumed balm in a weary world.

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  13. Boy Laura, what a beautiful tribute to your mother. You resemble her strongly, not only in looks, but in spirit and soul. What a blessed legacy. Rest and take care of you, God bless and a gentle hug sent your way. Karla

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  14. What an amazing tribute to your mom! God Bless you and keep you!!

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  15. What sweet memories of your momma. She sounds wonderful! My mom was 35 when she died a couple days after my stillborn brother. Although I was only nine, I do have some good memories of her. Oh I do look forward to seeing her and that brother and also especial my sweet Great Grandmother who was a very special lady!

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  16. What a lovely tribute to your mum. Our mums are indeed blessings from heaven :) I read a few of your other posts too :), just to catch up since I haven't had much time to be blogging either. Please know, even though we have never met I am praying for your healing and for regained strength. Rest up sister - blessings to you ~ Linda

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  17. How sweet Laura! You mom looks like she was a lot of fun. I dearly miss mine and look forward to the day that I wrap my arms around her again. Hopefully not too soon! :) Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  18. Such a beautiful tribute Laura. You and your mum shared so many happy memories :) She sounded like such a fun person to be around. God Bless you sweet friend ~ Linda

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  19. QUE HERMOSA PUBLCACION QUERIDA LAURA, ERES MUY DULCE. TAMBIEN EXTRAÑO A MI MAMA MARY, FUE UNA MUJER MUY SUFRIDA, LA RECUERDO CALLADA, SUMISA, CRIANDO 8 HIJOS COMO PUDO Y CON LO QUE TUVO, CON MENOS DE TODO, VIVI GRAN PARTE DE MI INFANCIA Y ADOLESCENCIA CON MIS TIAS Y ABUELA MATERNA, ELLAS FUERON PILARES EN MI VIDA, ME ENSEÑARON TODO LO QUE SE HACER, A ELLAS LAS EXTRAÑO MUCHO, TAMBIEN FORJARON MI CARACTER, Y EXTRAÑO MUCHOOOO A MI PEQUEÑA NIETA CHELSY, VIVO SOLO 3 DIAS, HAY DIOS MIO, CUANTO DOLOR EN ESE MOMENTO, YA HAN PASADO MAS DE 3 AÑOS Y LA SIENTO EN MI CORAZON TODOS LOS DIAS, SE QUE CUANDO EL SEÑOR ME LLEVE A SU HOGAR, ELLA ESTARA AHI ESPERANDOME, MIS OJOS SE LLENAN DE LAGRIMAS, MIENTRAS ESCRIBO ESTO.......... BENDICIONES HERMANA, TE AMO EN EL SEÑOR JESUS.

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  20. This is a beautiful tribute to your sweet mom. And it's a reminder to me of how blessed I am to still have my mom. She turned 81 this year and is in really good health. I am SO thankful to the Lord for that!

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  21. Aw, thank the Lord for your precious mama. She sounds like such a sweet lady. I enjoyed this post. And thank you for fixing it so I can get your posts. I unsubscribed from the comments, and I am hoping just the posts will keep coming through like this. It is so frustrating. Take care, and stop by my blog sometime, too. :)

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    1. Thanks friend. Let me know if you keep getting comments. I will try to fix it from here.
      Hug!

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  22. There’s a glitch on the comments the first few are dated 2017 and as you scroll down eventually it catches up. Any way you made my eyes sweat that was a beautiful read. And now I’ll shall make a list for my mom too. -

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    1. It was good to think and remember. I'm glad it I spired you to do the same for your mom.

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Your blog friend,
Laura Lane
5 Year Cancer Survivor