My Mom--Byrle Arave was born 85 years ago today

My mother, was a woman of women. Truly she was one to emulate and look up to. Today I've been thinking about her life, and how she shaped mine. She taught me to love the Lord, and to love my family. She taught in word and deed, and what you saw in her was the real thing. She had no pretenses, she just was the refined, dignified, spiritual woman that you saw. Today we celebrated her birthday, that is 4 of her 6 children and their spouses and kids. We ate a wonderful roast with mashed potatoes and gravy, peas and carrots, green salad, homemade bread, homemade grape juice (worth $60 a bottle in my time alone!), and of course very chocolate cake. It was a meal Mom could have made, and was a favorite Sunday meal of our family growing up. We enjoyed making it in her memory, and then relishing, and savoring every bite. We ate it on the lovely china that she lovingly procured for my wedding. (She bought extra place settings for me in case any plates broke, and she encouraged family and friends to help her to purchase the china which was a promotion at Thriftway grocery store). I think she would have approved with the whole setting and menu, and she would have lavished us with praise for our good cooking (which we learned from her). The cake was served on the birthday patter pedestal we used while we were growing up. So, we are a bunch of sentimental kids, and we love it. We love each other, and the memories we share together. Most of all we are so grateful for our dear mother. Happy Birthday Mom!