Mama

Just like I call my daddy, “Daddy”, I call my mama, “Mama”. 😉

Not Momma, but Mama.  That’s how we spell her name.  Mama.

She also has a really cool real name.  Same as her mama.  Jonnie.  Her middle name is cool, too.  Vee.  If I had given birth to a girl, somewhere in her name would have been “Vee”.

My Mama is a giver.  She gives when you know it, but, more times than not, she gives when you don’t know it.  She’s stealth like that. She gives quietly, never needing recognition.  In fact, she doesn’t like recognition; she doesn’t like to be embarrassed.

She’s a strong woman.  She’s walked through a lot in her lifetime.  It refines her faith.  She’s formidable like that.

Mama is a very capable woman.  She balanced a career, kids, husband, church, and a comfortable home.  She never, ever, missed anything my sister and I ever did.  Ever.  She did school conferences, spaghetti dinners, field trips, doctor appointments, packed and unpacked us, married us off with beautiful weddings, helped me through pregnancy, wiped my brow when I was sick.  I could go on and on.  She’s a care-giver like that.

If you know my Mama, you know one of her favorite things to do is cook.  She’s the best cook you’ll ever meet.  I say she’s the McGuyver of the kitchen.  She could take 4 random ingredients and crank out a meal like none you’ve ever had.  Unfortunately I did not receive this genetic marker in my DNA.  Must be a recessive gene.  She cooks with talent, skill, southern charm, love, compassion; you can feel it in the food she puts on the table.  If you ever get the opportunity to enjoy one of her meals, don’t pass it up.  She loves feeding people, she’s compassionate like that.

I may not have learned to cook, but I did learn plenty of other skills from her.  Like customer service.  Mama worked in the insurance industry for 35+ years.  When I was a little girl, if I was too sick to go to school but not sick enough to be in the bed, I’d hide on the floor under her desk while she worked.  I listened to her talk to her customers and bosses and co-workers.  I learned phone skills and people skills and clerical skills.  I learned a strong work ethic from both of my parents.  I learned to be on time (which, really, means being 5 minutes early), to respect others, to do what is asked of you and then some.  They taught my sister and I life-long skills, not just to get by.  Mama is smart like that.

Mama is a pretty woman.  Her skin is soft and tans easily.  She is who I get my big brown eyes and dark hair from.  She always dresses nicely and appropriately and with good taste.  She likes jewelry and always wears her make-up well.  She is classy like that.

Mama can throw a great get-together.  She’s hosted hundreds of people over the years.  Showers, dinners, cook-outs, big, small, dressy, casual, at home, at church, at the park, on the farm; any time, any place.  She could write a book on how to organize a party.  She’s “together” like that.

There’s nothing my Mama can’t do, or figure out, or make happen.  She can sew, cook, garden, solve problems.  She’s taught me so many life skills; too many to even be able to list.  She has high standards and expects the most from those around her.  She’s firm like that.

I love my Mama, but more than that, I am thankful for her.