Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Wednesdays with Wanda

I hope each of you had a wonderful Easter!

I sure did.

I thought a lot about Mom. I still miss her so much. But I had fun carrying on so many Easter traditions that she had done with our family growing up.

And the weather here in the beautiful state of Kentucky was just picturesque. I can only imagine the beauty Mom experienced in Heaven on Easter Morn?

I wanted to share some Easter memories with you.

Looking through some old photos, I found Easter pictures from 1973. I was three years old.

Every year, we would color Easter eggs…

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I told you last week how we used to put our baskets outside on the front porch the night before Easter. The Easter bunny would hop down the street and fill them up! When we opened the front door on Easter morning we would find our baskets full of goodies.

Here is my sister, brother, and me setting our baskets out the night before Easter…

(oops! Mom cut your head off, Cyndi!)

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Here are my boys finding their Easter baskets this year…

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And I found some pictures Dad took of us that Easter morning before church…

Mom and Blake…

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Mom and Cyndi…

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Mom and me.

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The three musketeers…

(I love that Cyndi and I had little white purses!)

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As I continued to look through pictures, I found pictures of Easter morning 1974. We are wearing the same outfits!

I found that so funny. And I was quite proud of my mom’s thriftiness!

But this year, Cyndi and I were wearing our Easter corsages. I loved the smell of those corsages!

And it looks like Cyndi got bangs and I got a haircut too.

(Check out my “inch worm” behind Blake. I loved riding that thing!!! I smiled when I saw it in the picture.)

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Mom with us all…

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And a picture with Daddy….

(oops. Cyndi, Mom cut your head off again! What’s up with that?) :)

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I am so glad I found these pictures! It brings back such great memories.

And I loved getting pictures of my family this year.

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I have to share a picture of my little stud…

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What a blessed day!

And though these Easter traditions are so much fun, Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is the true celebration of that day! What an amazing sacrifice He made on our behalf, and “Oh, how He loves us!” (Click HERE to read my sister’s post about this.)

I wanted to share one more Easter memory of Mom. It is one that has always stuck with me.

I don’t know exactly what year it was, but I was in elementary school.

Mom was our Sunday School teacher at church, and she was always inviting other little children to come with us.

I remember for a while that every Sunday morning we would pick up a little girl across town and take her to church with us. She was probably 5 or 6 years old.

I don’t remember much about our relationship with this family, I just remember that this little girl was very poor and didn’t have much.

Easter Sunday was approaching and this little girl had told Mom that she didn’t have a dress to wear on Sunday morning. (She usually wore jeans and a shirt.)

Mom asked her what kind of dress she would wear if she had one? The little girl said she always wanted a pink dress with lots and lots of ruffles!

(I could see the wheels turning in Mom’s head.)

Mom was an amazing seamstress. She could sew anything. And her mind was set on making this little girl an Easter dress.

Because Mom was always busy and usually did things last minute (just like me), she started making the dress the night before Easter.

I remember going to bed and hearing the whirl of the sewing machine as Mom worked quickly to get the dress sewn before morning.

When I woke up the next morning, I could still hear Mom working on the sewing machine. She was putting the finishing touches on the dress. She had stayed up all night, never sleeping, to finish the dress.

Finally it was finished, and Mom held it up for me to see. It was the most beautiful dress you have ever seen! A beautiful pale pink with 3 or 4 layers of ruffles in the front. I remember touches of white lace on the sleeves and bottom, and it tied with a big pink bow in the back.

Mom quickly got dressed, and we were off to deliver this Easter surprise to the little girl.

Of course, she was so excited, and she ran in the house to put on her new Easter dress! I don’t know who was smiling more…her or Mom. (or me.)

That memory not only made it into my mind, but it made it into my heart as well.

I saw first hand what joy it brings to do things for others.

Mom had sacrificed her sleep and her time to bless this little girl, and I saw first hand the rewards our sacrifices can bring.

Mom showed me how to put the interests of others above my own.

She had always told me to do this, but she also showed me how to do this. Our actions speak so much louder than our words, don’t they?

It is an Easter memory I will never forget, and you can bet that little girl never will either!

Thank you for letting me share the thoughts beneath my heart,

Traci

Sharing this memory at…

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24 comments:

  1. Traci, I love the way you share your sweet mom with us. What a beautiful story, the tale of the pink dress. It's such a blessing to have a heart filled with treasured memories, thoughts and people! Many blessings, Laurie from Scene of the Grime

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  2. I so glad that you and your family had a wonderful Easter. Those pictures from when you were little are adorable. Brought back many memories! My little brother had one of those inch worms and he loved it. I did too! We had so much fun riding that thing! Your mom was a sweetheart for making that Easter dress for the little girl down the road. I know that little girl thinks of that every Easter!

    Hugs,
    Lee Laurie

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  3. What wonderful Easter memories you have, Traci! I can just see your mom, busy at her sewing machine, giving herself completely to the task of blessing that little girl. There's no telling what a difference your mom's sacrifice made in that girl's life. . . not to mention yours!

    I see from your old photos that you and Cyndi had not only white purses, but white gloves as well! I remember those days so well. We always had special gloves and purses for Easter. :)

    Have a wonderful day!

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  4. Morning Traci! I always look forward to Wednesday's with Wanda. I love old family pics. I take all the pics in my family so I am rarely in the photos. Great to see your mom in the photos. That inch worm brought back memories for me too.
    Your mom's big heart made yet another person happy. How sweet of her to make that dress for that little girl. Thanks for sharing your sweet memories.

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  5. Good Morning Traci Sweetie...
    What beautiful Easter pictures of you, your Moma, brother and sister. Your photos look a lot like the same era as me, my sister and brother also. Dressed the same and all. Loved seeing the inchworm. I remember wanting one of those. Love your Moma's hair, my Moma had a similar hairdo like that too.

    I so loved the memory of your Moma at the sewing machine. What a sweet thing for her to do. She was such a giving woman Traci. Her heart and her soul. Just precious, and she lives in you and your siblings, and also in all of the grands. She is still right here among us.

    Have a beautiful day sweetie. Country hugs and so much love...Sherry

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  6. thank you for sharing your story, I can leave for work with a smile on my face!

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  7. Oh, I love the photos and this post, Traci. You put so much love into your Wed. posts about your Mom. It's very touching! Thank you for linking up today ... this is a beautiful Easter memory. (And love the HIP family pix, too!) XO

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  8. Another wonderful memory, Traci. Your pictures of Easter and coloring eggs brought back so many memories for me and of course, the inch worm!! :-)

    The story of the dress is right out of a storybook. Your mother was so genuinely warm and giving. Again, I could just cry. She is a shining example of what we should all strive to be.

    I love your Easter portrait. What a lovely family you have! Have a wonderful week, Traci!

    xoxo
    Jane

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  9. This was probably my favorite Wed. with Wanda post Traci. I enjoyed seeing the old photos, it really brought me back, especially seeing you and Cyndi wearing your little white gloves. And that story about the pink dress was a tearjerker. I could just picture that little girl's face. Wouldn't it be great if you could get in touch with her again?
    I thought about you and your family on Easter and I'm so glad that it was a nice day for you. You all looked just gorgeous in that picture! Love the outfits. Your Mom was proud for sure!
    xoxo,
    Kim

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  10. Such a sweet story and what wonderdul memories! thanks for sharing. Be blessed. Cindy

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  11. I've been following you for a while now and really look forward to your "Wednesdays with Wanda" posts. This one especially touched my heart and brought tears to my eyes.

    Thank you for sharing your Mom through your blog. I'm sure it isn't easy. I'm guessing you probably type through tears sometimes as it is obvious through your writing that you love and miss her so. Through you, she is leaving a lasting impression on all of us that read your words. I know for me personally, the stories you share of her example help me mold myself into the best Mom that I can be for my daughter.

    Thanks again and God Bless!

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  12. I was wondering if you every received my email?
    Angie

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  13. Thank you for sharing another beautiful memory, your momma was one special lady...You are very blessed!

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  14. What sweet photos- what an era the 70's were, huh?! :) That is a precious story about the dress- love it.

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  15. Oh, how those photos and your memories touched my heart!

    I am near you in age, so it was like looking at my own family memories and Mom's big 70's flipped hair...and my mom has gone Home, already, too. Every holiday is a mixed bag of joy and sorrow for me, filled with happy memories and the knowledge that she's no longer here to share them with us.

    Thank you for such a lovely post and your lovely memories of your beautiful mom! It is clear that her legacy is living on in you.

    Blessings! Adelle @ www.readygogetset.com
    (Stopping by from Home Is...)

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  16. I so look forward to your Wensdays with Wanda posts. This one touched my heart so deeply! I need to stop reading these at work - off to dry my eyes!

    What a blessing your mother is! Thank you so much for sharing these special memories!
    Suzanne

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  17. What precious, beautiful memories of Easters with your family! :) Your mother sounds like she was a very wonderful lady! Such a blessing to your family and to the other lives she touched! I loved seeing the pic of your own family too, it's great! Came over from Reluctant Entertainer...
    Blessings,
    Stacey

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  18. I think it is beautiful that your mother is still able to be a testimont to others through you. I am sure she is honored and proud of you. I know you know but, you were very blessed to have a mother like her!

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  19. Love those pictures. Mom was beautiful! She made everything special.
    Also love your family pic!! Hot Mama:)!!

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  20. What a beautiful family you have! Love the old photos. Glad you had a great Easter!

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  21. This is lovely to see you old photos of Easter, I'm going to have a look through next time I'm at my parents house. Great photo of your stud at Easter - that ones a keeper, he's going to love when you show that photo in 10 and 20 years time!

    Have a lovely day,
    Jade

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  22. Hi Traci! You don't know me - but I happened on your blog a month or so ago and I really enjoy reading all your posts. I appreciate you sharing your memories of your mom with us. It inspires me to be a better wife and mother and to appreciate the awesome things about my own mom. Thank you for sharing!

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  23. Traci! Eli looks exactly like you did in that first family picture! That is just so cute... :)

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