I had planned on writing a Mother’s Day post prior to my one month sabbatical this past spring and am now getting to it as we near my mama’s birthday here in November. Better late than never!
My mama is my very best friend and closest sister in Christ. Every Sunday morning she phones at precisely 10:30 a.m. for our weekly visit and chat. I can’t begin to relate how much her love means to me, but I humbly will attempt to as I blunder my way through this seemingly inadequate post.
“Mama”, as I call her, was the oldest of four girls with a single mom who reared them up in the age when being a single mom was shunned and frowned upon.
When my mama was a little over one year old she suffered a high fever that left her with a rare case of cerebral palsy. So, my grandmother had four small girls to bring up by herself with a handicap to try to figure out and understand which road of proper care was best.
Doctors assured my grandmother they knew what was best and convinced her to put my mama in an institution. (In those days, group homes and in-home care didn’t exist.)
While at the institution my mama was put into a padded room with no books or toys and left alone in seclusion. When grandma discovered this tragedy she wanted to pull Mama out of that dreadful facility but it wasn’t so easy to be done. Amazingly she ended up kidnapping my mama out of that horrible place and never looked back!! How she did this, I don’t know, but I do know she had help orchestrating and carrying out this desperate plan of getting back her precious little girl.
My mama (left) and her sister in the mid-1950s.
My mama was a few years old by now and had to relearn talking since the months of seclusion ripped away her ability to verbally communicate. She did very well and went on to becoming a well educated student and staple in her family of five. Her mom and sisters loved their “Mel” and she enjoyed a happy adolescence and many fun memories growing up.
Fast forward to her college years where at San Francisco State University she met my dad, the handsome, funny, Hispanic guy who won her heart and led her to Christ. In the late 60s they married and in the 70s had my brother, a rainbow baby, which is a baby after a miscarriage. Four years after suffering another miscarriage, they had me, another rainbow baby.
Mama at the Philadelphia zoo, feeding the animals.
Mama told me I was always a fighter since 4 months into her pregnancy with me she started bleeding. Her doctor told her, “If you want to keep this pregnancy then you need to rest!” So rest she did! “You hung in there” she later told me…..lol, I still am!
Mama would stay on the sofa all day and then fix dinner for my dad when he got home. How she managed with a four year old boy is beyond me but I see God’s hand in every part of her life as I still do now.
Mama is a trooper and a fighter and one tough cookie!! She is such a powerful example of what it means to persevere in trials. She never complains and is always more interested in others’ lives than she is in going on about herself. She lives in a lot of pain due to over 70 years of cerebral palsy and presently is battling adrenal fatigue otherwise known as chronic fatigue syndrome. Yet, she continues to minister to me and other ladies while enduring these crosses and faithfully speaks the truth in love from God’s word.
Nine years ago. My parents with me holding my youngest.
For years my mama led the women’s bible study at her church and was a prayer partner to the pastor’s wife. She knows how to pray and I believe it’s her prayers that have kept me alive to this day. Her example of godliness has had a powerful impact on everyone she meets and she is loved by many.
I’m so thankful and blessed to have you in my life dear Mama and I love you beyond what these feeble words can express. Happy birthday to you and thank you for your love and for being the amazing woman and mother that you are!
Much love,
Your Vivie😚🤗🍁🍂
The gang taken in 2018. Mama is in front with her two sisters behind her, then me and my four kids.
What a beautiful tribute! Thank you for sharing, Viv! I know your Mama is proud of you! You have a beautiful family, thanks for sharing pictures! Love, hugs and blessings, Mandy
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Hi dear Mandy! Thank you for reading today! She’s a very special lady and I’m thankful to share her story with you. Much love and hugs back dear one! 🙏💜
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I am such a hugger! I love hugs, thank you!!!!
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🤗🤗🤗
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Happy birthday to your mama and may GOD pours down his blessing and spirit on your family
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Awwwww, thanks so much Mrs. Holliman. God bless you too!🙏💜
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May your mom have a lovely and blessed birthday
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Thank you! 💜
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Precious – just precious! ❤ ❤
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What a blessing a loving mother is! Thank you for sharing.
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Love you Kim! I am thankful to have her and you are a wonderful mother too!💜🙏
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Such a beautiful tribute to a wonderful and strong woman. The pictures are so lovely. May the Lord continue to keep His blessed hand on her and may your mama have the best birthday ever.
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Thanks Manu! The Lord has faithfully blessed my dear mama and given her much grace over the years. Awww, it was fun to find the photos. Love ya girl!💜🙏
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😊🤗💙
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😚🙏❤
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You are blessed. Coming from “good stock” never hurts. Happy Birthday to your wonderful MOM
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Thanks my Beverley!! I know you and my mama would be great friends!God bless you always my friend and love ya!😍🤗💜
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What a sweet and powerful testimony of love and perseverance! Blessings to you and your precious family ♥
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I’m so blessed that you enjoyed this post Jacquie and may God richly bless you!💜
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wow! the way you wrote about your mama reminds me of the Bible verse Proverbs 31:28 King James Version (KJV)
28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
The love you have for her spills over into all of your words and it just warms my heart to read every word you typed.
Your mom is amazing and that is why you are so darn right amazing too!
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I love that verse in Proverbs dear Wendi! I do love her so very much and I’m so blessed that you read it today. Awwww! You just made my day!💜💜💜
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you are both so very lucky to have each other…..I am glad my comments made you happy! 🙂
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Dearest friend, I’m so glad to share my mama with you today!! 💜
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it was truly my pleasure. 🙂
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🤗❤🤗❤
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This is so sweet it brought tears to my eyes! Your mom’s story is amazing! Thank goodness your grandma kidnapped her out of that place!
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Oh sweet neighbor I could have written loads more but yes, her story is amazing! Back in the 50s disabled people were treated so poorly. I’m thankful for the chance to write a glimpse of her journey! Love and hugs!!!! 💜🙏
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God bless your mama. You have a big beautiful family!♥️
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Awww Temi, how sweet of you! Thank you for this comment and may God bless you too!💜🙏🍂🍁
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Amen. My pleasure ♥️
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🤗❤
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Thank you for sharing this on the blog. Your mom is a wonderful lady, just like you are! Blessings, Viv!
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Awwww Cindy, she would love you! She isn’t online but she would love a visit over tea, her favorite thing!! 💜💜
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Happy birthday momma!
Have a great night!
Will
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Thanks so much for the birthday wishes! You have a great night too! 🙏🍂🍁
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I love this!!! God bless your mama, and God bless you. You look so much like her!
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What a beautiful tribute and birthday gift to your Mama! It takes a special daughter to write such a loving post.
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Sweet lady, I deeply love my mama!! Thank you for reading because I wish the world could know this amazing lady too and this way is a start! God bless you always my friend!!❤🙏🍂🍁
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You’re welcome! Blessings ✝️
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🤗❤🤗❤
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Awe, what a story! ❤ ❤ ❤ You're family is blessed with beautiful women, inside and out. You did a wonderful job on this tribute by the way. It was very heart warming. ❤
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Thanks dearest Tina! I love my mama so much!! We are blessed and I just thank God for such a mama!💜❤
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😊 ❤ ❤ ❤
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❤❤😚
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This is such a beautiful tribute to your mama. I’m very close with my mum, too. We’re lucky to be blessed with best friends in our wonderful mothers. ♥
Caz xx
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Thanks Caz!! Aren’t moms (mums) the best!? I just love them!!! We are certainly blessed beyond words for them. ❤🤗
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Beautiful tribute to your mom Vivian! ❤️
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Beautiful tribute to your mom Vivian!
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Beautiful tribute to your Mom Vivian! ❤️
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Dear Vivian, You do your mama great honor, and she is well deserving of it. I have benefitted much from her wisdom and her kindness. Plus, we share a love for a good cup of tea. I was only around her for about a year while I was in college many years ago, but she has had a lasting impact. To me she has always been a Titus 2 woman, the older woman teaching the younger. I am thankful that God has brought her influence into my life, and I see much of her character in you too. I love this post and can’t wait to share it. Love, Karen
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Awwww thanks Karen! We have so many fond memories with you too. Mama has touched so many lives! Love you!
❤❤🤗
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Such a beautiful tribute to your mom Vivian! Her story of perseverance is an inspiration. Which Hispanic culture is your Dad from?
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Yes, she is amazing!! My dad is 100% Spanish Mexican from Texas, which is where his roots came from. Rodriguez is his mother’s maiden name and his father is Quintero which is my maiden name. Xoxo
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That’s so cool! Do you speak Spanish?
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Not much. My family reunion in 1995 was a hoot because they all spoke Spanish so I didn’t know what was going on.🙄🤣
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Lol. 😂
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🤣
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Amazing story! Thank you
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😀 Very welcome!
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Hi Viv, I just wanted to check in on you and see how you are. I hope you will be writing again soon. Praying for your health and happiness… Love, Cindy
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What a beautiful mama inwardly and outwardly.
I could relate to this with one of my pregnancies, my first one:
“Mama would stay on the sofa all day and then fix dinner for my dad when he got home. How she managed with a four year old boy is beyond me but I see God’s hand in every part of her life as I still do now.”
I was living in the wilderness of Alaska in an A-frame that was poorly insulated. Our only heat source was a wood stove. Our only wood was wet wood. I had to split it small every few days and bring it in to dry behind the stove, which it barely did except to get the surface water a bit less wet. I was pregnant with my first baby. With much bleeding during the first trimester, and a possible loss of a twin (the doctor wasn’t sure), I was ordered to rest.
I’d rest as much as I could, but I had to get that firewood split, so I did some but slowly and carefully.
The baby that was born has been one of my most difficult children since day 1. She is tied with first place in difficulty with my 12-year-old son. That baby is 27 years old now and after much life trouble has come to accept Jesus as her Saviour. Her story would make a good book. She loves to write and it is her goal to make that book someday.
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Wow! Thank you for your detailed comment of how the Lord kept you during your pregnancy with your daughter. I am thankful that you could relate to the story of my mama, and share some of your journey with me. I am sorry this comment is so late, but I am taking a blogging break until I can heal and be able to more comfortably type on my phone. My daughter is typing this message out for me as I dictate to her. God bless you always and much love. 🤗☺
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No problem. And what a sweet picture of love between a mother and daughter you shared, with her typing for you. My heart is warmed. I hope you heal swiftly!
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❤❤❤❤
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Vivian, your mother has been touched by God. Your testament brings out a life story filled with love and faith. I can feel some of your mother’s perseverance in you as well. God’s peace!
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Thanks so much Richard!
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A truly touching story Vivian! Your Mom is a champion of life. Hope all is well with you & your husband. May God Bless.
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