This Tuesday my mother will celebrate her 90th birthday! She was born on June 18th, 1929, the fifth of ten children. Of course, that meant she grew up during The Depression. Through the years, she's told me many stories from her childhood, which I cherish, and they're all happy stories. No mention of how difficult it must have been growing up at that time.
Mom was eight years old during the flood of 1937. She remembers climbing into a boat from the top floor of their house to escape the rising water. Sadly, because of flooding, most of the photos from her childhood were destroyed. Miraculously, this one survived.
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Jean Lewis |
Mom didn't want a party to celebrate her birthday but I needed to do something special to honor her - because she deserves it. She's the best mother I could've ever asked for. Beautiful inside and out. I decided to post a few photos of her today because - and this is strange coming from a writer - sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words.
Mom and I have lots of common interests. We love to go to flea markets, estate sales and antique malls and we've taken more day trips together than I can count. The covered bridges in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, the Amish settlement on the east side of Cincinnati and tons of local events.
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Spanish festival |
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German festival |
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Tall Stacks - Aunt Evelyn, Aunt Flo, Mom |
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Butterfly exhibit at the Conservatory |
We've also gone on a few extended vacations together: to Michigan to tour lighthouses, to North Carolina to go gem hunting and further south through South Carolina, Georgia and into Florida. Wonderful memories!
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Gem hunting in NC |
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Savannah Georgia | |
I appreciate - more than words can express - how supportive Mom has always been of my writing. She's attended most of my book signings and she tells everyone she meets, "My daughter is an author and her books are really good."
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Mom at my first book launch
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Halloween, Mom's favorite holiday |
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Mom with Bosley, her beloved Welsh Corgi |
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Christmas 2018 |
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June 2019 |
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Mom's birthday lunch |
I love you, Mom!
Happy birthday!