Spending the Day with My Mom Through Her Words

Last week I spent an entire day in our 1975 camper van through my Mom’s eyes. The year was 2000 and all four of our kids were with Ron and I on a two month adventure through Canada and Alaska. I spent the day typing my Mom’s journal from that once in a lifetime trip. She was faithful to write everyday along the way. What a gift she left us to relive our adventure through her thoughts and observations. I was especially touched as she described her relationship with her grandkids. What a loving lady my Mom was to each of us.

She put up with so much on that trip with all seven of us crammed in a 19 foot camper van. Her journal reflected the joy and connections of our time on the road. Never did she complain even when we had to go days between showers then pay $6. for 3 minutes of luke warm water. Natalie, Mom and I would rush through to all shower in the same 3 minutes to save money. What laughter we shared as we wet, stepped out to soap up, then step under the water to rinse off. We had our routine down to a science by the end. She did comment on what a joy it was to shower in hot water with unlimited time the one day we had to stop at a hotel on the trip home.

One of the most annoying aspects of the trip for Mom was that the kids watched the Austin Powers movie days before we left on our journey. The entire trip was filled with Cam, Ryan and Tanner quoting the obnoxious phrases from the movie. Mom even bet them $5. each that they couldn’t go an entire day without mentioning the movies. They did and Mom had a day of peace at a small cost in her eyes.

Reading my Mom’s words after losing her last summer was a gift that I cherish. She brought our time together to life and made me smile with her love for my family. My heart is filled with the hope that she and my ornery Ryan are up in Heaven reliving our times together and having new adventures of their own. I wonder if there is a Mike Myers film in Heaven. Mom would say~God forbid.

In Him,
Joyful
12-16-19