Mothers Day Dedication...

Elaine Arnold is an amazing woman! I feel very lucky that she is my mom. Im glad that I take after her in a lot of ways (does that mean Im amazing too?). I am always learning from her. She is the most resourceful woman that I know and the person who inspires me the most. Her talents are too many to list in their entirety, but here are a few: gardening (this is a piture of her garden), reupolstering, sewing, baking, using power tools, a yard sale queen, and being able to jugle this while rasing 5 children. If you look up DIY in the dictionary, my moms picture is there. She is always ready to get creative, and we have great brainstorming sessions. Her craftiness rubbed off on me and I bet that when I have a house again someday, my basement will look like hers. (1 million projects just waiting to be completed) That is fine with me, Ill never be bored!
My mom has always been there for us and has been very supportive, willing to help however she can.

I don't get to read magazines anymore. So of course I didn't see the whole section dedicated to mothers in this months Real Simple Magazine. Luckily I am subscribed to their blog, Simply Stated where I saw these interview questions as a tribute to your mom. I sent them to my mom and she promptly sent them back.


Why did you choose to be with my father? What first attracted me, I guess, was his looks, his humor, his dancing technique, then of course, I got to know him to be a good Catholic young man with good character. He was fun and could make me laugh and I couldn't help falling in love with him.

In what ways do you think I’m like you? And not like you? Oh Cindy, I would say we both enjoy gardening, dancing, birds, and music. You and I are sensitive and compassionate. You are more outgoing and certainly more of a risk taker than me.

Which one of us kids did you like the best? Maybe you can't believe this ,but I do love all my kids equally. (I believe you Mom!)

What is the one thing you would have done differently as a mom?
I wish I could have passed on my utter love of the Catholic faith; enough so ,that maybe all my kids would want that in their lives. It's hard to say what difference it would have made, but I wish we would have had family devotions [reading the bible and praying together]. I guess example is not enough so I've enlisted God's help to touch their hearts.

Is there anything you have always wanted to tell but never had? I can't think of anything

Do you think it’s easier or harder to be a mother now than when you were raising our family? I think it is harder now in this country because of how society has changed. Everything is so fast paced, electrified, and anything goes. Of course, I was a stay-at-home mom so I had more control of what my children did at a young impressionable age.

Is there anything you regret not having asked your parents? no

What’s the best thing I can do for your right now? come home [USA]

(the above questions were from Real Simple magazine, the ones below are from ME)



What did you like most about being a mother, say 20 years ago? If you would have said 30 years ago I'd say we had a lot of fun together as a family, but 20 years ago was rather stressful at times- dealing with teenage matters.
What do you like most about being a mother at this age? I've become "friends" with my kids and I love being grandma.

What is your Mother's day wish? to talk with or be with all my children and to know they are happy.

Awwwwww Mommy!! That was nice! I can´t wait to spend time with my mom when Im in Ohio.
HAPPY MOTHERS DAY! YOU´RE THE BEST!