In this newsletter: 25 stories/observations about my mom that I hope paint a picture of how I ended up a liberal feminist designer and mother of six, even though my mom has always been politically conservative, and I’ve never heard her call herself a feminist.
What an amazing tribute to your mom! Happy Mother’s Day, Gabrielle. My daughter in law described you today as gracious and spicy (we were reading tweets) and I think that fits you perfectly!
Wow, what a lovely tribute! It’s hard for me to imagine how she did all that with so many kids. I tried my best with three kids, but it rarely felt like enough. It was fun to hear how she bartered for lessons for you. My mom traded ironing and later tutoring for piano lessons for my sister and me.
Thank you for this. I have a difficult relationship with my mother (now that my daughter is diagnosed with autism, I am wondering if my mom is autistic too). I always knew she loved me, but I have been very hurt by her. This letter helps me to focus on the many gifts she has given me, that can sometimes get overshadowed by the hurts. Thanks for the opportunity to reflect on the good.
I can't tell you how much I loved reading this today. Your mom is an amazing woman. I remember the first time I met her ⁸was when your mom and dad came to Ft. Bragg before we got married. I thought she would be prim and proper, which she wasn't. I loved her from the moment we met. Your memories of her brought back so many memories of watching her raise all of you. I was in awe of all her talents. We miss seeing all of you kids, but we're glad we still have some chances to hang out with Roger and her. Sending all of you hugs...
You've have painted such a beautiful picture of your mom. I've often wondered how your (extended) family came into such creative endeavors, and I think I've gained a real understanding. Thank you for sharing!
I love this tribute so much. It was obviously a beautiful essay about your mom, but it also made me think about myself as a mother and how I can improve. Happy Mother’s Day!
Well, now I love your mom too <3 So glad she's still alive for you to love, honor, and cherish. Happy Mother's Day to a cool mom, Gabrielle; thank you for all you say and do!
I loved reading about your mom and your birth family. I've often wondered about what's going on in the Mormon church to be bringing into our lives such clear, thoughtful, and progressive anti-patriarchal women, who somehow still find a place for themselves in the church. Your Mom, like you, sounds awesome!
Thank you for writing this. My family is very conservative living in West Texas and part of the Church of Christ, which culturally seems to have a lot in common with Mormonism. Mother’s Day is hard for me because I’ve really distanced myself from my parents since they voted for Trump in 2016, and especially this year because they did so solely based on their anti-abortion beliefs. While I completely disagree with most of my mom’s social, political, and religious beliefs I do appreciate that she gave me the freedom growing up to read what I want, listen to what I want, and become the person that I am. Many of my friends didn’t have the intellectual freedom that I did at home, and for that I’m grateful. And still completely heartbroken and at a loss for how to balance the love I feel toward my family with acknowledging the harm they’ve caused me and millions of our neighbors.
My mother passed several years ago and reading your homage to yours walked me right down memory lane with mine. A practicing Catholic she was but managed, for the same reasons you outline, to raise three progressive, we’ll educated and liberal daughters (although no longer practicing Catholics). I think, in her later years, she lived vicariously thru our modern and progressive lives. Thank you for this beautiful piece.
What a gift to get to read this. Thank you for sharing with us. I'm inspired to write up something similar with such specifics! I was writing a toast recently, and was surprised to experience memories coming back as I beckoned to them.
Your mom and mine sound so similar in so many ways...yet so different in others! My mom was born and raised Baptist in a very small town in Arkansas. She moved to California when she was sixteen...lied about her age to get a job...bought a car without even having a driver's license. She met my dad and converted to Catholicism. She had six kids in eight years. My mom was the queen of birthday parties...the one day we each felt so special. All on a budget...just like your mom...my dad was a public school teacher...teaching day and night school to get by and send all six of us to private elementary school. Sadly, we lost my mom the day before her 90th birthday last January...I miss her terribly. Reading your piece had led me to so many memories of my mom through the years....thank you!
What an amazing tribute to your mom! Happy Mother’s Day, Gabrielle. My daughter in law described you today as gracious and spicy (we were reading tweets) and I think that fits you perfectly!
Loved this piece about your mom!
Wow, what a lovely tribute! It’s hard for me to imagine how she did all that with so many kids. I tried my best with three kids, but it rarely felt like enough. It was fun to hear how she bartered for lessons for you. My mom traded ironing and later tutoring for piano lessons for my sister and me.
Thank you for this. I have a difficult relationship with my mother (now that my daughter is diagnosed with autism, I am wondering if my mom is autistic too). I always knew she loved me, but I have been very hurt by her. This letter helps me to focus on the many gifts she has given me, that can sometimes get overshadowed by the hurts. Thanks for the opportunity to reflect on the good.
That's so interesting. My father died when I was 22, and it was before there was a lot of info about ADD, but looking back, it seems likely he was.
I can't tell you how much I loved reading this today. Your mom is an amazing woman. I remember the first time I met her ⁸was when your mom and dad came to Ft. Bragg before we got married. I thought she would be prim and proper, which she wasn't. I loved her from the moment we met. Your memories of her brought back so many memories of watching her raise all of you. I was in awe of all her talents. We miss seeing all of you kids, but we're glad we still have some chances to hang out with Roger and her. Sending all of you hugs...
What a delightful woman! Thank you for sharing.
You've have painted such a beautiful picture of your mom. I've often wondered how your (extended) family came into such creative endeavors, and I think I've gained a real understanding. Thank you for sharing!
I love this tribute so much. It was obviously a beautiful essay about your mom, but it also made me think about myself as a mother and how I can improve. Happy Mother’s Day!
Thanks for sharing these memories! Your mom is awesome!
Well, now I love your mom too <3 So glad she's still alive for you to love, honor, and cherish. Happy Mother's Day to a cool mom, Gabrielle; thank you for all you say and do!
I loved reading about your mom and your birth family. I've often wondered about what's going on in the Mormon church to be bringing into our lives such clear, thoughtful, and progressive anti-patriarchal women, who somehow still find a place for themselves in the church. Your Mom, like you, sounds awesome!
Thank you for writing this. My family is very conservative living in West Texas and part of the Church of Christ, which culturally seems to have a lot in common with Mormonism. Mother’s Day is hard for me because I’ve really distanced myself from my parents since they voted for Trump in 2016, and especially this year because they did so solely based on their anti-abortion beliefs. While I completely disagree with most of my mom’s social, political, and religious beliefs I do appreciate that she gave me the freedom growing up to read what I want, listen to what I want, and become the person that I am. Many of my friends didn’t have the intellectual freedom that I did at home, and for that I’m grateful. And still completely heartbroken and at a loss for how to balance the love I feel toward my family with acknowledging the harm they’ve caused me and millions of our neighbors.
My mother passed several years ago and reading your homage to yours walked me right down memory lane with mine. A practicing Catholic she was but managed, for the same reasons you outline, to raise three progressive, we’ll educated and liberal daughters (although no longer practicing Catholics). I think, in her later years, she lived vicariously thru our modern and progressive lives. Thank you for this beautiful piece.
What a gift to get to read this. Thank you for sharing with us. I'm inspired to write up something similar with such specifics! I was writing a toast recently, and was surprised to experience memories coming back as I beckoned to them.
What a beautiful tribute to your mother. She sounds like someone I would have loved to have for guidance as a child, and now!
Your mom and mine sound so similar in so many ways...yet so different in others! My mom was born and raised Baptist in a very small town in Arkansas. She moved to California when she was sixteen...lied about her age to get a job...bought a car without even having a driver's license. She met my dad and converted to Catholicism. She had six kids in eight years. My mom was the queen of birthday parties...the one day we each felt so special. All on a budget...just like your mom...my dad was a public school teacher...teaching day and night school to get by and send all six of us to private elementary school. Sadly, we lost my mom the day before her 90th birthday last January...I miss her terribly. Reading your piece had led me to so many memories of my mom through the years....thank you!