remember them as they were

REMEMBER THEM AS THEY WERE

yesterday would have been my mothers 91st birthday
she died a few years ago from alzheimers disease
but i dont just remember her from those last days
instead i try to remember her whole life

this is a picture of her probably in her late 20s or early 30s

she grew up in a small rural area in southern arkansas

i suspect from being around her for years that she was a
quiet respectful excellent student that the teachers liked

she did have a stubborn streak though as we all learned
over the years
sometimes it was to do what was right for someone or
a situation
she usually won those chosen battles

she played basketball as it was the only sport they had
and was known as the lawson flash
because of her speed and aggressiveness

its those quiet ones that you have to watch out for sometimes

she was a student in elementary school
high school

she met the love of her life in high school and
at 17 they were married

she was a wife
then she was a mother
then she was a college student
then she was a elementary teacher
then she was a preachers wife and all that entails
including dealing with 8 pks
(no thats not prekindergardeners thats preacher kids)
then she was a mother again for a total of 8 times
then she was a nurse her true profession that she seemed
to be made for and gave her great fulfillment

then she became a caretaker as my dad began to fade some
into some dementia which i presume to also have been alzheimers

then she became a widow

then she became one that required caretaking
something she did so well for others

then she reached the point with her disease
alzheimers disease
that she required long term care in a facility
where the disease as it does marched on unabated

here is a picture of her in the facility in one of the fun moments
there where she was having a good time with us
wearing one of my donald duck hats

however i want to remember her as a child young adult mother
nurse wife preachers wife when she was at her best

i think thats why i like that first picture the best

so when you see an older person or someone like her or
my younger brother with alzheimers
why dont you ask and find out

what were they really like

the organicgreen doctor