This is a hard day, as anyone out there who has lost a mom knows. It helps me to thumb through the old albums and remember.
July of 2008,Mom's backyard in Denver- full complement of grandchildren (and the only picture of Elena with Mom that I could get my hands on):
With Jude out in the Lake of the Ozarks:
I've posted this one before, but I just love how young and happy everyone looks:
Every memory I have from the very beginning up to age 5 includes one of these woven oval rugs:
This was shortly after Mom was first officially able to celebrate Mother's Day (that's me playing the role of the stewed tomato):
Mom in her beloved Florida:
With Cody and Amy:
Her (first)wedding day:
Holding her flower girl on wedding day #2:
Hiking with Cody in Colorado, 2002:
18 and beautiful:
With Tessa, making churches and steeples:
With Dad and Cody (At prom? Graduation?):
I think this is probably at Lake Okoboji:
Mom was a beauty school graduate, and I never once went to a barber before I went to college:
With sister Pam in one of those photobooth deals:
All fancy:
Self-portrait on long post-graduation car trip to California:
With Mitchell, the Funky Chicken:
Mom and Sam, 2004:
With Zanny in the Hummer limo in the Twin Cities on the way to see Bruce Springsteen on her 66th birthday:
On Zanny's front porch:
In Baltimore just after Tessa's first leg operation. Everyone's spirits brightened considerably when she showed up!
On Mother's Day 2007 with traditional breakfast fare:
I love this one in front of the Broncos' stadium:
The Smith Family (version 1.0):
With two of her grandsons, Sam and Jude:
At the 2006 Capital One Bowl in Orlando- just before probably the greatest single play in modern Iowa Hawkeye football history:
Her backyard never looked better than on the day of Cody and Amy's wedding:
Looking out at the Pacific Ocean from a beach in LA with the Peach, 2001:
With baby Sam:
Singing "New York, New York" at Zanny's wedding reception:
Hiking Estes Cone on a 2002 Colorado trip:
At the summit with her kids:
She loved the sunsets over the Gulf:
Happy Mother's Day, Mom! We miss you every day.
Thanks, Rob. I needed that.
Posted by: Zanny | May 08, 2011 at 10:19 PM
She was amazing and beautiful, kind and generous, talented and intelligent. What a wonderful mother she was and a loving friend. Love you, Rob.
Posted by: Kelly Hostetter Thomas | May 09, 2011 at 03:44 AM
Very nice, Rob.
Posted by: Jim (Grampa) Smith | May 09, 2011 at 08:29 AM
Very nice tribute, Rob. Great job rounding up the pictures.
Posted by: G-man | May 09, 2011 at 09:09 AM
Wonderful photos, Rob. One of my favorites is the black and white in which she is playing cards with the guys. It captures a fun-loving and playful person. I hope you are comforted by the memories you hold. I firmly believe we will see our loved ones again . . . God bless you Rob.
Posted by: Cheryl Knopf | May 09, 2011 at 10:17 AM
Rob, what wonderful pictures! Her life may have been cut short but she knew how to live life to the fullest. Best mother and friend I have ever known.
Posted by: Nancy Stalkfleet | May 09, 2011 at 08:33 PM
What a beautiful tribute !!!
Posted by: Diana | May 11, 2011 at 07:04 PM