Oh Mama

Oh Mom

Yes you were the bomb

of a mom

How I have missed you

I do

Traveling south memories unravel

I thought of our travel

to Colorado

and New Mexico

of going through South Dakota

and Nebraska

in our popup camper.

You were never a damper,

5 children and you.

However did you do

it?

You said, "When you have a big family, there are things you simply must do!" We always had a big garden growing up. We always picked every kind of berry. We fished and we swam. We had bicycles to go swimming and fishing and time to do that.

You were there when my babies were born and helped me to raise them to be good, kind, strong people. We knew all of our cousins and relatives and like you said it is helpful to know them. When we broke down in Rice, MN and your cousin helped to get us back on the road, I saw the point you made.

When we had cousins staying with us because they couldn't stay with their parents for whatever reason, those cousins became siblings. When you taught us the values and morals that you were taught by the grandparents I knew for such a short time.

My kids were born before grandpa died and he was quite the influence on me. Grandma wasn't around me for more than 6 or 7 years, but it was long enough to know you had some quality people for parents.

I love the culture you shared, even though I didn't know it was the culture at the time. I am so thankful you weren't in boarding school. I am grateful you heard, remembered, and shared important stories that made a difference in my life.

John Skunk

Was not a hunk

He fought his sister

when he was a mister

he fought his wife.

Want to be called John Skunk?

Okay you punk

just fight your sisters or wives

and even when you aren't called

John Skunk, that is what we

think of you. And who wants to be

a skunk? Not you or me!

I heard this many times growing up and my cousins heard the story of the John Skunk from the village of our parents. When hearing this growing up we don't wish to marry a John Skunk. I heard this and other skunk stories from my mother.

Many came with a moral to the story and those we had to figure out just how the story would apply to us. My mother was a voracious reader and started reading to us when she was pregnant. I am the oldest and watched that happen, over and over for five younger siblings.

My love of reading comes from my mother.

I remember my mother whispering in front of my husband. He thought she didn't like him. It was how it was supposed to be with our people she told me. He thought she was talking about him. She may simply be whispering a recipe.

Many things I didn't understand until later. The culture has many mysteries and some that make so much sense when you know where they come from.

Mom, I miss my brother and sister too

I know they are both with you

I thought you would not go so soon

at the time it was overwhelming but by noon

most of the family were at the hospital or on the phone.

You said clearly you wanted to go before any of us.

How did you know it would be less than a year for sis.

My mother died on September 25, 2009, at age 75. I was lucky to have a mother for so many years and yet I believe it is never enough time!