It sometimes seems odd that I had so much more trouble dealing with Mothers' Day when Mom was still alive but getting progressively worse with Alzheimer's than I do now that she's been gone for 6+ years. Then again, I guess it's because I know that she's in such a better place now with a body that was healed forever. Hallelujah!
Alda Louise (Harris) Kuhn
1925 to 2005
1925 to 2005
Don't get me wrong … I still miss her terribly. She was an excellent seamstress and sewed many clothes for my sister and me, including gowns for proms, dances and weddings. Mom made a beautiful tailored coat for herself after attending a Homemaker's class through the Extension Service. When something didn't meet her standards, she would rip out seams and start over. Being a perfectionist meant that she sometimes cost herself hours of time that greatly multiplied her stress when deadlines loomed. Mom considered her sewing skills to be inferior to those of her sister, Eva – but I think she was wrong!
During the early stages of her Alzheimer's, I worked with Mom to make one last skirt using fabric she had bought and stashed away. It was bittersweet as I ended up doing most of the work, although she was able to sew the straight seams. I'll never know if she felt any sense of accomplishment with that skirt … but I treasure it dearly. Just a simple skirt with an elastic waist; yet it means more to me than any other piece of clothing I own.
I hope that most of you reading this will be able to celebrate the day … whether you're a mother being appreciated or a child doing the appreciation … or maybe even both …
Happy Mothers' Day
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