For Mother's Day

The way we were.......

As her parents would put it, my Mom is "smart as 12 colleges", good looking, and has a great sense of humor. All came in handy as, despite a bad marriage, she some how got her four kids raised and college educated with no money but stubborn determination, sacrifice and so much love.

She produced (in birth order) a published children's book illustrator

and author, a top administrator at a major university, a greatly

respected pediatric dentist and another town's beloved general dentist.

All of whom get along, enjoy each other's company and look out for each other.

She could definitely write the book.

All the time she was also losing her eyesight to Retinitis Pigmentosa.

An inherited disorder that slowly but surely destroyed her retinas

until she was blind.

She has not been able to see anything for 20 or more years.

Not my books or the beautiful faces of her grandchildren.

I joke that she has also missed seeing her middle aged children's

silvering and in some cases, receding, hair.

Despite everything, Mom lives her life with immense grace, courage

and always, humor.

Happy Mother's Day to my dear Mom.