Portrait of a Very Grand Mother

With a few hours before her plane departure, we snuck in an impromptu photoshoot in the studio.  Wilder had the remote for these shots -as well as his wiener.  We're potty training, so it's a new -ahem- sensation walking around with things so accessible.  (Shaking my head in dismay, shrug shoulders and "that's life!")



My jazzy, razzmatazz Mama!  Where all my talent comes from -except for my lack of organizational skills. Thaaaaat didn't get passed on.  I cringe at the very word: organize.  *Shiver*
My mother, on the other hand, is a genius of streamlining, efficiency and functionalization (it's a word, Spellcheck.  My mom invented it.  So there.)  She could teach every military branch and Fortune 500 company a thing or two.

My mother is also the Queen of Projects.  I wish, I wish, I wish I had this skill, but ever since I was little (and to this very day) the kinds of big projects my mother could easily conquer froze me in my tracks.  Her mole hills were certainly my Everests.  The most poignant (and now rather ironic) example is THE PHOTO PROJECT.  All capital letters quite necessary.  YOU didn't have to do it; I did.

And the story goes....
When I was in high school mom put me in charge of organizing all of the photos the family had ever accumulated.  Pre-my-existance to the present.  That spanned at least 30 years (I might be exaggerating, but only my mother knows.  Comment surely to follow.)  I had to create a system for organizing negatives and distributing photos, labeled by year, month and event, for all 12 members of our family.  Fortunately mom and dad shared a photo box, but other than that, I had to figure out the rest.
I cried and cried and wasted so many hours feeling overwhelmed and whining.  But, BUT... thanks to my mother and her, "I know you can do it.  If you'd stop talking about it and just get going, you'll be done faster," I eventually finished.

And I'm never doing it again, thankyouverymuch.

To her, it was an easily accomplished task that just took a little extra time.  Just like her bi-yearly Clothing Project where she and my older sister went through all 8 younger kids clothing and freshened up sizes and made things weather appropriate.  Tubs and tubs of stored clothing all marked, such as "Boys 6-8," "Girls Winter Clothes 12-14."  Circulate, organize, put away, repeat.  Holy moly, these women are unstoppable.

Aaaaand I'm tired just thinking about it!  Phew.  I'll be back after a quick nap.


I love you, Mama, so very much and I'm so proud to be your daughter.  Thank you for always believing, always praying and always loving.  And for never making me do the photo project ever again.

Hugs from us all!
xoxoxo