If I were to write the story of my mother’s life, it would take up several months of blog posts and even then that would be incomplete.

At 75, she is busier than most people half her age and her enthusiasm for life is quite endearing. She has an infectious laugh, almost giggle, that follows almost every sentence she utters, her smile constantly lighting up her face.  At 4 foot ten, this petite woman has buckets of joy that seem to unceasingly flow out of her heart.

But her life has had its share of sorrow and pain. At three years old, she lost her father at the hands of cruel Japanese soldiers as he endured the infamous Bataan Death March in the Philippines during World War II. Her mother, brother, and sisters had to flee and hide from enemy troops until the end of the war.

After 50 years of marriage, she said her last goodbye to her beloved husband, my dad, when he died two and a half years ago. She has had to endure these years of grief, learning to live the life of a widow, and facing the challenges of establishing a new life without him.

And she has. I am sure there are days when she would rather not get out of bed, but I have never seen her fall under the weight of her grief. She has found strength in her deep friendships, in her relationships with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchild, her involvement with her church, and her paints and her canvas. But most of all, her strength lies in her unwavering faith in God, and in her ability to receive the love He has for her.

In gratitude for my mother, the following collection of images is my attempt to share the story of her life.

My mom sitting on her Dad’s lap around 1940.
Wedding Day – August 28, 1961
Pictured with seven of her eight kids. My youngest brother was born 5 years after this photo was taken.
First grandchild
Happy times
Blessed with lasting friendships
Sharing a joke with the Bishop
Close-up of one of my mom’s paintings
At Blairsden Mansion in Gladstone, NJ
Walking at Leonard Buck Gardens, Far Hills, NJ

I am very thankful for my mother. I love you Mom. Thank you for loving me.

If you have a mom, there is nowhere you are likely to go where a prayer has not already been.
~Robert Brault

Remember, if you would like to share your version of “Thankful Thursday” (photos or text or both) in the future, you can link your post to my post on Thursdays in the comments section with the title “Thankful Thursday”.

Happy Thursday Everyone!

More Thankful Thursday posts from fellow bloggers, promoting the spirit of gratitude:

Check out Celebrating Sunshine’s beautiful Thankful Thursday post.

Visit martha0stout’s cheerful Thankful Thursday post.