Beautifully written and from the heart, as always, Jan. I had a lovely two parent house-hold and my mother, by that time, did not work outside the home (I remember the nights of chop suey, though!) She did put a meal on the table every weeknight, but my Dad was the real cook in the family and managed to make great meals every Saturday and Sunday. We were a food-centric house. All was well until my Dad died suddenly from a massive heart attack when I had just entered my senior year of high school. Devastating for my mother and me— he was only 54 and as we said back then, "the picture of health". So then we became a single-parent household. These are the things that shape our lives...
So this is why we are kindred spirits, who knew. Your story could have been mine. First, your mom is beautiful, as was mine. My biological father left the three of us and her when I was a baby. My mom had no real job skills, had to move back from Iowa to Chicago and move in with her parents. She learned secretarial skills at the local Y, eventually went to work for Kraft Foods and ended up as the assistant to the President of the company, working alongside Sallianne Kraft, the last of the family name.
Like you, there was a lot going on in those years. She eventually remarried, and he adopted us and we changed our names, after my first year at Luther. That confused all my friends!!!! But those years were both challenging, and awesome. We kids never went without a meal, or a roof over our heads. She provided all we needed. She left me with one core value, never, ever, give up, at anything.
My parents were married for almost 40 years until my mom's death. My mom only cooked two things as well: homemade spaghetti sauce and consomme rice. My dad did the grocery shopping and kept us fed. I always find it fascinating, the small ways that women "rebelled" during the times when mothers and wives were expected to be a certain way. I love that your mother stood up for your family to the principal! Look how far we've come in accepting that families can look different and all be valued, thanks to women like her.
I haven't had Carl Buddig lunch meat in probably three decades but I will never forget the taste of many, many lunch sandwiches made by my dad!
I love that family portrait! While we're all imperfect, I don't see a shred of brokenness there.
Beautifully written and from the heart, as always, Jan. I had a lovely two parent house-hold and my mother, by that time, did not work outside the home (I remember the nights of chop suey, though!) She did put a meal on the table every weeknight, but my Dad was the real cook in the family and managed to make great meals every Saturday and Sunday. We were a food-centric house. All was well until my Dad died suddenly from a massive heart attack when I had just entered my senior year of high school. Devastating for my mother and me— he was only 54 and as we said back then, "the picture of health". So then we became a single-parent household. These are the things that shape our lives...
So this is why we are kindred spirits, who knew. Your story could have been mine. First, your mom is beautiful, as was mine. My biological father left the three of us and her when I was a baby. My mom had no real job skills, had to move back from Iowa to Chicago and move in with her parents. She learned secretarial skills at the local Y, eventually went to work for Kraft Foods and ended up as the assistant to the President of the company, working alongside Sallianne Kraft, the last of the family name.
Like you, there was a lot going on in those years. She eventually remarried, and he adopted us and we changed our names, after my first year at Luther. That confused all my friends!!!! But those years were both challenging, and awesome. We kids never went without a meal, or a roof over our heads. She provided all we needed. She left me with one core value, never, ever, give up, at anything.
Jan, I loved this piece! Thank you for bringing well deserved light and credit to single-parent families.
Thank you for this lovely post! Hv
My parents were married for almost 40 years until my mom's death. My mom only cooked two things as well: homemade spaghetti sauce and consomme rice. My dad did the grocery shopping and kept us fed. I always find it fascinating, the small ways that women "rebelled" during the times when mothers and wives were expected to be a certain way. I love that your mother stood up for your family to the principal! Look how far we've come in accepting that families can look different and all be valued, thanks to women like her.
I haven't had Carl Buddig lunch meat in probably three decades but I will never forget the taste of many, many lunch sandwiches made by my dad!
I love that family portrait! While we're all imperfect, I don't see a shred of brokenness there.