My Mother My mother is a very special woman. She has so many fine qualities it is hard to speak of them all here today. Most of you have memories of her as a grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin or a friend, of which she has more than most. However, just as she was a special woman, I was a special boy; I was the lucky one who had her for a mother. In my opinion that was her greatest talent, being a mother, and she excelled at it as she did in most things she undertook. Her life would have many difficulties but she always handled them with grace and dignity. She was a dedicated mother who lived for her sons. When I was but six weeks old I contracted polio, but, I was one of the lucky ones, I had my mom, who did whatever it took to insure that I grew up with the right attitude and drive to lead a successful and rewarding life. The doctors told mom and dad that I would never be able to walk, but of course they did not realize the determination and optimism my family possessed. As I grew and began to crawl and then to pull myself up to chairs and various other objects, the most readily available support structure was her brand new coffee table of which she was most proud. And under normal circumstances my mother would have protected that prize possession with a passion. However, she allowed me to beat that poor table to pieces in my efforts to learn to walk, and it worked. As proud, as she was of that table it was a token price to pay for the joy in her heart to see me begin to walk on my own. I am sure this is not an unusual story in itself of a mother's unselfish love for her children but it is a minor example of my mother's loyalty and devotion not only to me but also to all whom she loved. That was the type of person she was, very prideful of her appearance and her possessions, but always ready and willing to sacrifice herself or her possessions for others, whether it be family, friends, or even strangers. She grew up in Texas during the great depression, which had a very profound effect on her as it did almost everyone who lived during those difficult times when money was scarce and even necessary items such as clothing, food, and shelter were sometimes not available for all. Her father, whom she adored, was a dairy farmer who eked out a living selling milk and dairy products in town each day after milking his cows. I recall her telling me of putting cardboard liners in her shoes when she wore holes in them and her parents could not afford to buy new ones yet. No doubt, that is the reason that in her adult life she had at least 100 pairs of shoes in her closet at home. She had three sons, and although she longed for a daughter, she decided after three boys she would not take the chance again for a girl so she settled for us, although I do recall hearing stories about her occasionally dressing Reggie in a feminine outfit or two, when he was still very small, luckily for him no pictures exist of that though. Looking back, I wonder how she ever managed to keep her optimism and dreams alive while raising three ornery boys, who repeatedly resisted her well-intentioned direction and guidance, and undoubtedly broke her heart repeatedly. However, she never gave up trying to guide us and to care for us. Through the years I recall my mother working two and sometimes even three jobs to provide us not only with the things we needed but also with the things she wanted us to have, so that we would have many things she never did growing up during the depression. She was a god-fearing woman, and practiced her religion faithfully throughout her life. She had high moral standards and always expected the same from her three sons no matter how severe the dilemma they faced. She took us to church every Sunday morning, and I recall that many Sundays after church we would go to the local Dairy Queen for hot fudge sundaes, which was a very special treat for us. She always had an eye for pretty trinkets and what-nots that filled her home to overflowing. And as most women she also had a fondness for clothes, shoes and accessories, and was always very fashion conscious. I recall that throughout my adult life she would constantly be bringing me clothes, sometimes on birthdays or other special occasions but also just out of the blue, something she found, usually on sale somewhere that she thought would look very good on me, and of course they always did, she had impeccable taste. Her grandchildren were another of her greatest joys. She would spend hours on the floor with them, her legs crossed and them sitting on her lap looking through a photo album, as she would point to each one explaining who they were, or reading children�s book, and ohhhhing, and awwing over the pictures with the bright colors. Sometimes they would look at all the pretty things she had on the shelves of her curio cabinets and she would pick them up carefully place them in their hands for them to touch and admire, as she would tell them what they were and where she had obtained them. She was a very social person, she loved to go places and do things with her family and friends. My mother had more friends than you could shake a stick at. She loved going to visit friends, going places with friends, shopping mostly, and having friends over to spend the night with her or spending the night with her friends. It always made me think of slumber parties that young girls would have, but she had them all her life. She loved to laugh and to make others around her laugh. Her favorite holiday was Christmas. She loved the pretty lights, the snowy scenery, the presents with pretty paper and silky bows that brought more excitement than most any other thing in life. But most of all she loved the knowledge that all her loved ones would be near and those that weren't would be sending and receiving Christmas cards with wishes of joy and happiness. She would delight in preparing a meal of all the favorite dishes her sons, grandchildren, and great grandchildren would enjoy. Such as apple pie, banana pudding, and of course turkey and mashed potatoes. I know that I am who I am, and what I am because of the things she taught me, and the values she instilled in me. A mother is a very special role in life, one that I as a man have no understanding of except how it was expressed to me by my mother. I know my mother was exceptionally wonderful at wrapping me in her arms and assuring me that no matter what, I would always be loved and welcome in her heart. I will miss her more than words could ever express, fortunately, she has left me with many fond memories, which bring me great comfort and joy. I hope that in some small way I have been able to give to her a sense of pride and accomplishment for all the love and guidance she gave to me throughout my life. I know just how special my mother is and I hope that each and every one of you know that specialness about your mother. I know that she is here with us today, and that she is smiling that beautiful smile of hers and so very happy to see all her loved ones and friends gathered here with her once again. I love you mom, see ya soon�����