Friday, February 22, 2013

{ What Mama Did }

Linking up with Lisa-Jo at Tales of a Gypsy Mama for Five Minute Friday. This week's prompt is not a word, but a phrase: What mama did. Ready, set, go!
 
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Five Minute Friday
 
The door was always open, pantry stocked, extra places set around the dining room table at a moment's notice. More evenings and noontimes and Sundays-after-church than I can remember, unexpected guests joined us for a meal, games, a movie, endless conversations around equally endless plates of snacks and desserts.
 
She's hospitable, my mama is. Never met someone who was a stranger, and no matter how tired she was, how exhausting the day had been, how sick she was of cooking, how unkempt the house was, she never turned someone away. Never decided not to invite someone over. Our house wasn't the biggest or nicest, and we definitely weren't the most exciting--but no matter.
Anyone was--still is--welcome.
 
Countless afternoons and overnights and mornings babysitting neighbor kids. A literally infinite number of meals. Hours upon hours cooking and talking and cleaning up and sitting and chatting with neighbors, friends, visitors of every stripe.
 
Now that I'm a mama {of just one, not four!}, I don't know how she did it--ran a household, a homeschool, and had time for all these people that she welcomed into her heart and home. Even though it seems daunting, I know this for sure: I want to be more like her.
 
 
 ~ my parents and I when I was a day or two old ~

7 comments:

  1. Beautiful. What wonderful modeling to be open and welcoming and flexible. I'm sure you reflect her hospitality with your own, only you, twist.

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  2. I think our mamas would be good friends ;)

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  3. A very sweet tribute :) I'm so glad I was one of those people around the table who always felt welcome. SUCH good memories!

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  4. Ohhh this is beautiful! I remember one winter when we came up for a big sledding party your family hosted, and even as a little girl, I thought your mommy was so nice and welcoming and "happy to see everyone" even though she didn't know us super well!!! ;) Sweet memory! ~Carrie~

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    1. Oh, the sledding parties--there were so many of those, I can't even remember them all!

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