I am missing my Mom today…it’s her birthday and she would have been 99 years old! We lost her just three weeks ago, so celebrating her birthday today is a mixture of sadness and joy–she lived life to the fullest and left us with so many joyful memories!
After my Father passed away twenty-four years ago, I started a list of “Would Haves” because there were so many times when my brothers and I would say, “He would have loved this…or that.” I haven’t started a similar list for my Mother yet, but I will need to soon because there are already things happening that she would have liked! One thing for sure that will be on that list is the upcoming September release of Doris Kearns Goodwin’s new book, Leadership in Turbulent Times. That one would have been number one on her TBR list!
Happy birthday to my beautiful Mom, my special friend. I miss you!
A Fondness For Reading 
She would have love that you are continuing to celebrate her birthday! You have many wonderful memories to cherish, conversations to remember, and books that will always remind you of her. Blessings on her birthday as you celebrate again a life well lived!
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Thank you for your kind blessings, Marlo. You’re so right–there is much to cherish and remember.
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Gosh, I love those old pictures of her. I was just telling Tom that your mother read important books. I so admire the way she read, and lived.
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I’m so glad you like those old photos, Nan. I do, too! They’re a glimpse into the person, and I thought they all showed a happy, beautiful, caring person throughout her life! She did love reading history and was always involved in important issues. A wonderful role model!
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Robin, thanks for sharing this special day with us! We’re all happy to celebrate your Mom’s birthday. I love those pictures too! How old was she in the second one? Such a cute haircut. So, today, if I were giving your Mom a birthday gift, I’d share a mug that bought for myself a while back – it says – actually I bought myself two mugs, so I’d give her the choice – they say…
1. A day without reading is like…just kidding. I have no idea!
2. I disappear into books. What’s your superpower?
Big hugs!
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Thank you for the big hugs, Kay! I read your comment and just chuckled out loud. I’ll have to post a photo of the four mugs I brought home with me from her cupboard…your two mugs would have fit perfectly with hers! How did you know? You are most definitely kindred spirits and, yes, you would have been good friends.
There was no date on the photo with the cute haircut, but I think she was around 15 or 16 when it was taken. I’ll keep trying to track down the date because I’d love to know for myself!
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Sending all my love to you today. ❤
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Thank you for sending your love, Kristen. It really helps and is much appreciated.
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Thinking of you and sending hugs today.
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Thank you, JoAnn! Those hugs really help.
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Lovely photographs of your mom, Robin! Like Kay, I especially like the second from the left. Darling haircut! She sure was a voracious reader, wasn’t she? Did she read other books by DKG? I have the Roosevelt book (No Ordinary Time) on my Nook, but haven’t read more than a few chapters and that was many years ago. I did love Wait ‘Til Next Year, which is more of a personal memoir (and her love of baseball), but this new release sounds like it would be a fascinating read, too.
Big hugs to you, my friend. I know you miss her deeply. xoxo
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Thank you for the hugs, dear Les. She was a serious DKG fan. She talked about and referred back to No Ordinary Time for years after she read it. Eleanor was one of her heroes! I’ll have to go back over her spreadsheets and count how many other DKG’s books she read. Team of Rivals was another one she liked, and she and I both loved Wait ‘Til Next Year.
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Sending hugs your way, Robin! This is a lovely post about your mom and thank you for sharing those pictures of her – just lovely!
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Iliana, thank you so much for the hugs. They help!
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