Mother's Day 2015 - A Tribute to my Mum

With Mother’s Day tomorrow it can be a particularly hard day for me; we lost my Mum suddenly in 2012 and was a shock for us all but it’s the normal things when you lose someone that ‘Holidays’ become hard.

However: I didn’t want to put something up sad, especially because I know so many fantastic Mummy Bloggers out there that will be enjoying their special day with their little treasure; instead of posting on Sunday I wanted to do a little tribute to my Mum today.

 At the time I had the privilege to write and speak Mums eulogy, then and now, I still believe this was the thing that said what I and some of my family felt. So I thought why not use parts of it again and really pay tribute; use bits to share to you my beautiful Mum.

You can't start talking about Mum without talking about Dad. When Mum met Dad she was actually dating someone else. They were all on a coach to a cricket match and Dad was sitting at the back with his friends; whilst eating cherries he decided to flick a pip forward, luckily for him it went straight down Mums top! Dad calmly walked up asked the captain of the team, Mums date, to move as he wanted his pip back; as Dad said the rest was history, that history spanned a 50 year marriage.

Mum was always a fighter, looking back at photos and seeing Mums smaller frame, you wouldn't have thought she had it in her, but Dad quickly found this out when they were playing around, Dad goading her to punch him, with a quick uppercut and he was out cold on the floor. This fight seemed apparent through the rest of her life but this time she used it to protect and care for her family.

After 16 years of waiting Mum and Dad finally managed to adopt, adopting my brother made Mum so happy, she finally had their baby that they were longing for, weighing very little, that he fitted in her forearm. Some years later adopting myself, a difficult task in lots of ways, but they managed to gain the rights to foster a day before Mums birthday; Mum always told me that this was apparently one of her best presents ever.

Mum loved her grandchildren; William she truly adored and gave her such joy and laughter. Then James, still so young then, she would love nothing less than grabbing and giving cuddles. She, being one for fairness, even explained to William upon James arrival which of her arms belonged to him for cuddling; I know she was always grateful for the time she had with the boys and loved them dearly.

Mum went back and forth from the MOD, which she loved, totalling a service of 20 years over a 30 year period. Finally, even after meeting the Queen as part of her service, her greatest achievement was to be given the highest honour from the Brigadier in Chief for a commendation of conduct, a shock for us, as in the time working she had never taken a single day off sick, using all of her holidays for emergencies. That honour, at that time, was only ever given to one civilian; something I am exceptionally proud to say that my Mum was that one person.

Mum had a unique sense of humour; she always liked a comedy present for people:

 She once made a velvet thong from a Christmas hat for a customer in the social club where she worked.

Bought inappropriate straws for a "sit down formal" hen do.

 She even asked us to buy Dad a bucket of Viagra for him for Christmas.

At Christmas she always had an excited, eager, look on her face to see our reactions for us then to open mulled wine smelling washing up liquid to remind me to wash up all year round.

If they were presents you wanted or needed it didn't matter she thought about us all and put her stamp on it.

 In years later I found that even though she was still my Mum, and unashamedly I still took my washing for her to clean, that she was much more because in truth she was my friend.

(She even organised my stag do, with her first question being "How many strippers are you having?")

But it wasn’t just me; she was a friend to us all. Everyone was touched by Mums life, loved more than words can tell and someone who brought happiness with a special touch. She fought for injustice, became a fighter for all, loyal to the ones she loved. She welcomed everyone because she loved us all. She was a hard worker, always devoted and yet still had time to make us laugh. Mum was more than a Wife, Mum, Sister, Nanny or Aunt, because she was always our friend; who will be missed forever.

So this Mother’s Day I won’t be sad because I know she wouldn’t want that instead I will sit with my Boys and tell them stories of their fantastic Nanny!

Happy Mother’s Day to you all; Love, Laugh and enjoy every second of it J