Happy Mother's Day, JSA

This picture of my mom and dad was taken in the fall before she passed away.  Still smiling through it all!  I am so grateful for everything she taught me, mostly by example.  Such strength, compassion, and love.  Her courage is really standing out today as I think of her.  I remember sitting with Brande next to Mom's bed and Brande asked her if she was ready and she said, even with a smile, that she was.  This song always gets me...

She Was Lyrics

Performed by Mark Chesnutt

She started her new life ten dollars in debt
That's all it took to get started back then
A trip to the courthouse across the state line
No one could stop her, she'd made up her mind
He was eighteen, she wasn't
But she said she was and never thought twice
Came back home as my daddy's wife
She just shook her head when her momma said
"Are you sure he's the one"
She was
He took a job and farmed on the side
He made the ends meet, but she kept 'em tied
Changes were coming to their little world
She said "What would you like, a boy or a girl"
and He said "Are you"
She said she was and never thought twice
'Bout takin the next step in building their lives
Soon there were three and she tried to be
Everything to us
And she was
Those precious moments turned into years
In what seemed like the blink of an eye
I held her hand as I leaned down to ask her
"Momma, are you ready to say goodbye"
She said she was but she thought twice
Holdin' my hand as she let go of life
Daddy always said a woman like her
Would be hard to give up
And she was
She was
 I love to think of her seeing my little girls.  This morning we drove to the cemetery to leave flowers at her headstone and on the way over Gabe said, "Grandma J going to see me so pretty."  I know she is near them but I sure wish I could see it.
Love you, JSA!!