Let's see how many pictures and messages about your Mama we can gather together for Mother's Day!
Send them in to contribute@valpolife.com with a short note about why you love your own Mama, your wife for being a great Mama, or your daughter for learning how to be a great Mama.
Tiffany Hollandsworth
My Mom, Barb Spooner, is the person I owe my life to. She has always been by my side to lend a soft shoulder, a non-judgemental ear, a loving heart, helping hand, and words of wisdom. She has allowed me to learn from my mistakes through life, but has always been there to pick me up and help wipe away the pain, if necessary. I hope that one day, my children will see me as a wonderful mother, the way I see my mom. Not only does she have these fine characteristics, she is the most beautiful women I have ever laid eyes on. So Mom, no matter how rotten I have been, how many times you have wanted to "ring my neck" I want you to know that you always hold a special place in my heart, forever. Happy mother's Day, I love you!
Christa Emerson Borlick
My mom is Sharon Emerson Swihart. I love her a lot for all kinds of reasons, probably too many to mention. There has never been a doubt in my mind that my brother and I and our kids are more important to her than anything else. To know that you are loved that much means everything. She is smart, funny, thoughtful, caring, a wonderful grandma, and supportive of me in everything I do. I also love her for her sarcastic wit, her immaturity at times, her obsession with knitting, jewelry, clothes, hand creams, and cleaning supplies. I feel great pride for her integrity and the fantastic job she has done as the Valparaiso City Clerk Treasurer for over 27 years. I love her just because she's my mom and there is no one on earth that I could have hand picked that would be better.
Monica My mom, Donna Flanagin, is the most important woman in my life. Having her there with me for the birth of my new baby Carly was one of the most amazing moments of my life. She is my everything! Thank you mom for helping me through these past 2 weeks~ I LOVE YOU!
Camie Marfoe
While I am certain that Tiffany and Christa both have wonderful Mother’s, I feel it necessary to boast and brag a bit about the lady I am lucky enough to call Mom. My Mom, Marge Geer, was born to be a parent. After finding out this was not a possibility, she and my father investigated adoption. For any of you who have been involved in adoption you know it is a difficult process. Somehow, my parents were fortunate enough to adopt three times. My brothers and I were always told how special we were because we were chosen. She even supported us when we felt the need to search for our birth-parents and never felt threatened because she knew her role as Mom would never be tarnished. Mom taught us by example. She was always giving more of herself in little ways, showing up how to be a good person, a good friend, a good neighbor. She does this to this day, volunteering at the Valparaiso Women’s Center, giving friends rides to church, taking dinner to a friend, coordinating family get-togethers, babysitting, it is always something. Things were not always a bed of roses for my Mom but she always found a way to make sure we were well cared for and loved, she still does.
Mom, I love you and am so happy to be “home”.
Linda Zyla
My Special Mom - I lost my mom to a sudden stroke on July 7, 2009. It was the worst day of my life. Gone is my best friend, my forever cheerleader, the one who always had words of wisdom, time for a hug and most importantly a word, or a face to make you laugh when you need it the most. Try as I might, I suddenly can't remember all the wonderful things she try to share with me over the past 50 years. Suddenly, I am frozen, my daughter is getting married next month and am all alone, no one to share this precious moment with me. Only my mom would know and understand all thousands of things about your life, your family and your faith. So I am ever so thankful to GOD for the blessing of having the most wonderful Mom in the world. I miss her dearly and the best I can do is try to move on and lead a life that is meaningful and a lasting tribute to her.
Tia Hoffman
One month ago, the Lord called and my Mother answered. I was honored to care for her in the days prior to her passing and cherish the moments we had together. I'm still sad, grieving for my Mom, it's Spring her favorite time of the year. I look around at all the flowers blooming in a colorful display of her life on Earth. Mom, I miss you so much everyday.
David Doelling
When I was growing up, one might take a guess and say that on any given school day, Karen Doelling spent the majority of her time cleaning up our messes, doing the laundry, or making our meals. But then you would be forgetting how she would drop off our forgotten homework or gym shoes, help write our book reports, plan girl scout meetings, and sew our costumes for school programs….and that is just the short list.
My mother has always made the effort to put her children’s needs first…and without sparing an ounce to put that special mom-touch into the little things you remember about growing up. Because of this she put the ‘fun’ into countless birthday parties and has made every Christmas Morning magical.
It takes that extra-special kind of something to be a really great mom. And to my mom, we were always that extra-special something. Thank You MOM.
June Rouch Jones
My mom rocks! Donette Heinze. The moment I became a mom, she and I bonded as mothers. She's the first one I call when I have a MOM responsibility to tend to, from vomits, to tears. Thank you mom for your guidance and love.
Cathy Ellis (Behagel)
My Mom Gooltje "Connie" Behagel had always been there for me and my sisters. She was such a strong women that always kept us all together. Our biggest fan. She would sing and dance and laugh and would welcome everyone she would meet into her life with open arms. She had a beautiful spirit. I have so many wonderful memories of my mother that I could go on and on. When she had left this earth a special piece of me went with and I miss her everyday. Thank you mama for being a wonderful mother and friend and for all the love and support that you have given me and for the person that I have become. I love and miss you forever Happy Mother's Day!
Chris Mahlmann
I did not get to see my mom today as she is not with us anymore, but in a different way I got to see her all over the place this weekend. I saw her big time yesterday when I was down at Illinois State watching my older daughter Nicki graduate from college as a teacher. She is an incredibly determined young woman with great fun spirit, absolute honesty, and goodness about her, and I know my mom is working inside of her every day, and I also know how proud she is today of Nicki, and how loud she was clapping in her goofy manner. She was watching yesterday and always. I saw my mom yesterday in Peyton too, when she gave Nicki a hand made card in an envelope that had coupons on it for 5 free hugs and a dinner out that Dad pays for, and a $5 bill. I could see the corny and funny and giving nature of my mom in the giver and receiver of the gift. I saw my mom this morning in my wife Natalie at church with her family, knowing how important tradition, family, and respect for your mom is. She is strong as steel just like Omi was, and would move mountains on behalf of her kids. I saw it in Arlene who looks after about a zillion grand kids as well as her own kids, and is just happy to have so many of them around her as my mom always was. I saw it in Kitty and Heather who know what is good for their kids, and are confident in how important it is for them to lead their kids in the right direction, whether that makes them a popular mom with their kids or not. My mom had no illusions of being my friend. She was my mom. I miss her with every fiber of my body and would give anything to have her back. I am so incredibly happy that she left so much of herself here when she went on to what is next.
Robyn Walsworth
My Mom, Janet (Anderson) Pollick Kelsey went to be with our Heavenly Father at the end of my senior year in high school. Besides myself, she had two more kids, Justin, who was 15 at the time, and Ben who was 7 at the time. That was 19 years ago, but we all still miss her and think of her often. She expected nothing less than our best and was happy with our best no matter how good or bad it was. She fostered self-confidence in each of us kids. Mom wanted us to believe in ourselves, but taught us not to be arrogant.
Mom showed her love the best way, through actions, not gifts. Although we always had plenty of presents to open on occasions, she loved giving the gift of time and "adventure." She was the queen of "staycations" before the word was invented.
I remember her dancing to what we called "oldies" while she drove her car, cooked in the kitchen, or pulled weeds in the garden. Heck she even danced when there was no music to dance to! She was an excellent photographer and writer. I love listening to stories my older cousins share about her being the "cool" aunt with a sense of style and flair. I love looking through old photos my dad had taken of her, she was quite the snazzy dresser, with the most "in" hair styles and clothes.
She was the mom our friends came to for advice, and for a shoulder to cry on. I remember coming home from after school jobs and a friend would be sitting on the couch chatting with her. They would then hang out with me, but I think they came to be with her too. Mom loved helping people find their way back to the "right path" if they made a wrong turn. If someone made mistakes in their life, she didn't judge, she didn't knock them down further, she helped them get back on track. She was generous to friends and family with her time and money. What made her happy was making other people happy. I also know us kids and her nieces and nephew made her extremely happy too
June Rouch Jones
My mom rocks! Donette Heinze. The moment I became a mom, she and I bonded as mothers. She's the first one I call when I have a MOM responsibility to tend to, from vomits, to tears. Thank you mom for your guidance and love.