Twenty-one years ago my mom entered a Mother's Day contest at Halls Deparment Store in Kansas City, MO. She was one of the winners - I think there were 3 of them. And what did she win? Well, it was wonderful...Halls took the picture my mom sent in of her mom, a little 3 x 5 black and white print, and blew it up to 3 FEET by 5 FEET! And then they displayed the picture in their store window for all to see! I wish I had a picture of it to show you but this will have to do - it's my grandma, Annie Merle, and I just want to wish her a Happy Mother's Day!
This was my mom's winning entry:
My Mother The Banker by Carol Wagner, 1988
My mother had no degree but she was a successful banker. She established bank accounts for each of her children.
She made regular deposits and no withdrawals. The bank accounts were emotional bank accounts. Deposits were of love, kindness, integrity, loyalty and honor. Such a rich inheritance from my Mother The Banker.
So, wanting to be like my mom in every way, in 1989 I entered a Mother's Day Contest at Donaldson's in St. Paul MN. And taking a page from her book, I came up with the following winning entry:
My Mom is ...
My mom is an architect, she planned all five or her children, building a strong and loving family with each one.
My mom is a scientist, she developed a special formula for raising her kids without too much trouble or intervention from teachers, principals, bishops or police.
My mom is a nurse, no make that a doctor, she is able to diagnose and prescribe specific treatments for all the real and imaginary illnesses we can come up with.
My mom is a magician, she is able to fix holiday dinners for 50 people without breaking one dish, spilling one drop or messing up one hair on her beautiful head.
My mom is a gourmet chef, she is able to make oatmeal, tuna casserole and meatloaf taste great, even where there are no oats, no tuna and no meat.
My mom is a judge, making supreme decisions about our lives and no one ever, ever questioned her judgement.
My mom is a saint, she has devoted her life to her family while working to make ends meet and always making us aware of her unconditional love.
I won a beautiful little piece of Waterford crystal with a picture of a mom and a child etched on it.
My mom is as beautiful today as she was 30 years ago...
Happy Mother's Day Mom...I love you.
