A Mothers Day tribute from the heart

itsanunnslife - 27 Mar 19

As we approach Mothering Sunday I wanted to dedicate this blog to my beautiful mother… below was the tribute I wrote on the day of her funeral three years ago, still so raw that as I read this for the first time, in a long time, I feel tears streaming down my face and yet feel compelled to share…

Today my gorgeous mum was laid to rest, without doubt the hardest thing I ever had to do. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye and yet I know she is now at peace. It has been a very long, cruel year for her and those around her that love her dearly but she is sleeping now. Such a wonderful, caring, funny and beautiful lady and that is how I will remember her.  She put everyone’s needs before her own, even from an early age having to leave school to look after her sisters when her own mother fell ill.

Mum spent her whole life caring for others, whether in her professional or personal life. I remember many times my brother and I visiting her at work after school on hospital wards she worked on, looking around at the patients, thinking what a special person it took to look after such severely disabled people and yet she loved her work.

Her life was certainly a journey, of which, there were many sad times, yet not dwelling on, but also many happy ones. Mum wasn’t just my mum she was my best friend, she laughed and cried with me, she always encouraged me to do whatever I wanted to do.

My friends adored my mum too. My best friend Tracy text me a memory after mum passed:

“I’ve been thinking of when I used to stay at your mums in Brentwood and we used to go running in the field next door! Fond memories, I was always crap at running….” She was always ‘around’ when my friends were at home, loving the girly chats over a glass of Lambrusco! Thankfully our wine choices matured over the years.  The years leading up to my wedding were filled with so many funny evenings with my friends around mums, and also her friend Val, under the guise of wedding planning!

Mum was certainly green fingered, unfortunately not something passed down to me! She loved gardening and I remember our house fondly with the beautiful garden she created. She was an excellent cook, imparting her wisdom with handy tips, calling me up excited to have found a lovely new recipe to try out. Baz loved her cooking, knowing that when she cooked one of her curries it would not go to waste, he was a willing and able guinea pig for her dishes, she would always send us away with goody bags of food.

When George and Millie were born she was never far away. George was quite ill in his first year, always in and out of hospital, my mum and Pat, Baz’s mum were a constant, taking it in turns to give us respite, many tired nights hugging my mum, realising for the first time what it took to be such a loving mother, she taught me well. Many patient evenings teaching Millie how to knit, she loved it when her Nan arrived with her knitting bag, running down the stairs eagerly showing her Nan how far she got with her masterpiece.

Mum loved a Kaftan! We all remember her putting it on in the evening and waving it around and blowing  trying to cope with the hot sweats!

Most of all, I just remember mum being a constant in my life and many others.  A letter sent by our uncle, John Sait recently expressing his sadness at mums passing,  wanting to note what an important part of his memories she was, remembering fondly when he and my brother came back from the bookies with a hot tip, mum would lend him the “needed quid” to place the bet!

She was, to everyone, a special, caring, and beautiful lady, to me she was simply the best mum in the world.

Goodbye and god bless.

itsanunnslife

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