Golden Girl.

I posted this great picture on Facebook today.  I think it got more views than almost anything I've ever posted.  Everyone loves a great memory, even if it isn't theirs.  

This picture shows my mom as I have never seen her.  I only remember her as Mom--cooking, cleaning, humming, praying and putting up with a lot of crap that she didn't deserve.  Still, the serene, thoughtful lady that's pictured here is definitely her, but taking a quiet moment to herself...well that's the part that I'm not familiar with.  She has glasses in her hand.  I don't remember her wearing glasses until she was much older.  I'm guessing the dress is a yellow dotted swiss, but I'll have to ask her to be sure.  She looks amazing--long, lean and perfectly put together.  My mom had a hard life at times, and although I wonder what she's thinking, I like to believe that she's just enjoying the weather, not wishing that she could be on one of those boats on the other side of the lake.  She says that my Dad took this picture.  I wonder if she's standing there because she's been in the car with him for a few hours and he's on her nerves.  But, the love that's apparent from the lens is well...apparent.  A side of my Dad that I don't remember seeing very often. He married a quiet, patient and dutiful woman.  A virtuous one.  The kind that would put up with him.  Smart guy, he knew what he was doing. 

Now at the age of 90, my Mom has decided to move into a seniors' apartment building.  We are all a little worried that she won't like it, but also excited for her because she's never lived on her own!  She married my Dad at 19, and from there started raising a family, eventually having six of us.  They struggled to make ends meet, but I never once heard her complain.  Since my Dad died 25 years ago, she's lived with my sister.  It's just the two of them, but most any Saturday you'll find one or all of us, along with an array of grands and great-grands.  I'm happy for her to have her "Golden Girl" moment.  We have already told her, dozens of times, that if she doesn't like it, she can come back home, but for now, she's getting ready to move into her first apartment.  She'll have the place to herself.  She's already making big plans to "look out the window" at the pond.  Whatever she sees out there, I know she won't be wishing for anything because she's already there.