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A Tribute

by | Jun 22, 2010 | Decorating Inspiration

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A TributeMy mom’s beach house window seat

From the time I was little, I remember thinking about houses and how much I loved them. I spent countless hours as a grade schooler drawing floor plans, looking at design books and magazines, riding in the backseat of the car going on “drive bys” with my parents, and decorating my own room.

My parents moved several times over the course of my childhood. Looking for ugly duckling, diamond in the rough homes and bringing them to their full potential became a family pastime. I was fortunate enough to live in some lovely homes in wonderful neighborhoods, learning many remodeling and decorating lessons from my mom along the way.

A Tribute

My mom, willing to do anything for my decorating happiness at home!

My love of decorating and beautiful homes was definitely influenced by my mom! As I grew up and began to decorate houses of my own, my mom was right there helping me out to make every house a home. She is the queen mum of decorating!

We’ve laughed ourselves silly over decor projects gone wrong and have been quite pleased with ourselves when we pulled off something amazing. We’ve dreamed up ideas, shopped til we dropped and had a lot of fun along the way. It is fun to have a partner in decorating crime (not to mention in all other areas of life)!

A Tribute

My parents at my daughter’s wedding rehearsal…
they hosted the wedding at their house!

As some of you might know, my mom was hospitalized last week for a life threatening bout with a rare and difficult to diagnose pneumonia. My heart sunk when I heard how sick she was and of course, my mind raced to all the dreadful possible outcomes. I was at home in Washington and my mom was in Portland. I was three hours away.

Tears welled up in my eyes and fear gripped my entire body as I read the text from my sister who was by her side when an ambulance brought her to the ER….the text simply said “come.” I called her immediately and demanded “what does that mean?” and she told me, through her tears, that my mom could not breathe. I prayed for God’s mercy on her and as I drove to Portland, a peace came over me that I cannot describe. My sister told me not to cry all the way there so I was grateful for that feeling of peace!

A TributeMy mom’s beautiful garden, all designed and planted by her!
She is kind of like Martha Stewart, she can do everything.

The next text came with a bit of better news, they were able to get her breathing with oxygen. Even so, the next few days by her side were some of the scariest days of my life. Unless you count the last time I experienced a near death experience with her about 15 years ago, when I saw her in the ER with another mystery illness they eventually diagnosed as encephalitis. I spent many many months with her after that illness, helping her to get back to normal daily life. Fortunately, when she is not experiencing a medical mystery, she is very healthy!

In this recent illness God again had mercy on her — the cause and cure of her pneumonia was found while she was in he hospital. She got better day by day — I was with her for all nine days in the hospital. I’m calling her miracle mom! This past weekend she was able to go home and other than being weak and needing to regain strength, she is feeling better than she has in years! I’m beyond excited that she is on the mend.

I am so happy to still have her a part of my life!

Thank you so much for all of your prayers for her, you were definitely a part of a miracle! Each of your emails, comments and notes meant so much to us.

Now you can join in with a tribute of your own! You are invited to log onto www.thankyoumom.com and enter to win a travel voucher to help cover the cost of a special reunion with your mom or mom figure in your life.  Contest entrants must submit a 100 word essay describing why they’d like to be united with their mom.  Approximately 15 winners will be chosen every month through the Thanksgiving holiday.

Be sure to vote on your favorite entries for the Thank You Mom Reunions here.

This post is part of the P&G Thank You Mom Reunion Campaign through Blissful Media Group.

Shared at Chatting at the Sky: Tuesdays Unwrapped.

35 Comments

  1. Becky K.

    Oh, Melissa,
    These are the time when we observe both the fragility and the tenacity of life. I am so glad your sweet Mom is coming through this challenge. It sounds like you share a wonderful relationship with her.
    I enjoy that with my Mom, as well. Such a blessing.

    Becky K.
    .-= Becky K.´s last blog ..A Conversation…In Pictures =-.

    Reply
  2. Lisa

    Melissa, I am so so happy to hear that your mom is home and on the mend. How heart-wrenching for you and your family. What a wonderful relationship you share with your mother! Thanks for sharing…this post has me thinking once again about how blessed I am to have my own mother in my life. May your mom have a quick recovery.

    Reply
  3. Heather

    Thank God your mother is doing better. It’s so scary when the pillars of strength in our lives, our parents, become fragile so quickly. Went through the same thing with my father 2 years ago – all of a sudden my robust healthy father was hooked up to life support. Our prayers are with you for a speedy recovery for your mom.
    .-= Heather @ what’s happening this week´s last blog ..Shakespeare’s Garden =-.

    Reply
  4. Lisa W.

    Melissa,

    I’m so glad to hear that your mom is doing better. In 2007, my mom suffered a brain aneurysm and had emergency brain surgery. Thankfully, by the grace of God, she survived and has made a total recovery without any damage done. It truly was a miracle and her story has been an inspiration to many. The experience definitely made me treasure time spent with her and I, like you, am thankful to still have my mom alive and in my life. I think God uses situations like these to remind us of how blessed we are to have the people we have in our lives and to not take them for granted.

    May God grant your mom a full recovery and continued peace for you and your family.
    .-= Lisa W.´s last blog ..Pain in Progress =-.

    Reply
  5. Faith

    I’m so glad your mom is a “miracle”. Thank God she pulled through this. Sending prayers for her continued quick recovery.

    Reply
  6. Bonnie Mattson

    Melissa, I am so happy to hear that your mom is doing better. What a scare! I am so thankful for our Heavenly Father and answered prayers. Your mom sounds like a wonderful mother and so talented. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree!
    .-= Bonnie Mattson´s last blog ..A Simple Woman’s Daybook ~ June 21, 2010 =-.

    Reply
  7. tracee

    So glad to hear about your mom. I love the picture you painted about a house being created as a home. Soynds like you mom did awesome at making home a home for you.
    .-= tracee´s last blog ..Hindsight to Foresight =-.

    Reply
  8. Shelly

    So happy to read of God’s mercy to your mom. Isn’t He good?
    .-= Shelly @ Life on the Wild Side´s last blog ..Fabulous Friday Food =-.

    Reply
  9. Cre8Tiva/Rebecca E. Parsons

    Melissa:

    Thank God she is healing!! I, too, had a bout with this mysterious killer two years ago. I was within 30 minutes of the doctors not being able to save me. It was a long climb back for me. She will be resting much more than normal for several months. It takes a while to recover from pneumonia. Help her understand this and not be concerned that her strength does not return easily. If she would like to talk to me as she recovers, please give her my phone number. I would be more than pleased to walk with her in this.
    .-= Cre8Tiva/Rebecca E. Parsons´s last blog ..pierre-lefumat-conducting =-.

    Reply
  10. The Nester

    So glad that your mom is doing so much better. Now we all see where you get your pretty smile {ok, so maybe that’s from your dad} and all of your talents!
    .-= The Nester´s last blog ..Ever Grateful for Details :: A Giveaway =-.

    Reply
  11. AmyE

    Have prayed for you all as she came to mind … and am so thankful that she is home and on the mend. Much love to you all, and had my sister not been moving, I might have even tried to figure out how to swing by and give you a hug. Love to you!

    Reply
  12. Laryssa

    I have the same kind of relationship with my Mother and Mother in law. I can’t imagine life without them.

    So thankful to the Lord that your Mom is better!

    Reply
  13. Christine Curtin

    I’m so glad your mom is doing better! Moms are more special than words, and your mom sounds like a pretty special lady! A speedy recovery to her, and hugs to both of you!

    Reply
  14. Liz

    I’m so pleased to hear your good news – I hope she has a full recovery soon and is back decorating :) xx

    Reply
  15. melissa*320 sycamore

    Melissa~I’m so glad everything is ok. I know that feeling of peace~when you should be feeling sick and devastated, He lets you know it’s going to be ok. Thank you for this post!!
    Love,
    Melissa

    Reply
  16. emily

    Melissa – I am so happy to read this post and so pleased you linked up with Tuesdays Unwrapped. What a blessing to see her sweet face up there after having prayed for all of you during those difficult, scary days. Thank you for sharing her with us!
    .-= emily´s last blog ..this tuesday. unwrap. =-.

    Reply
  17. Melanie

    Oh Melissa, I didn’t know about your mom. I have been out of town in Georgia and I am behind in my blog reading. I am so thankful that she is going to be fine. God is good!
    .-= Melanie´s last blog ..Pioneer Woman’s Bird in a Nest. =-.

    Reply
  18. Tee

    I am so sorry to hear that your mom was sick but I am SO happy to hear that your mom is doing great! God is definitely a healer :) This is a beautiful tribute to your mom. It’s so great to show loved ones how much they mean to you :)

    Reply
  19. Joni Webb

    How sweet a daugther you are! I hope your mother gets stronger and stronger over the summer. This was such a wonderful tribute to her.
    Joni

    Reply
  20. Kim

    Melissa,

    I’m so glad that your mom is recovering. I know what that fear was like. My mom went into the hospital in January and my dad collapsed a week later. I lived in the hospital for a couple of weeks too.
    .-= Kim´s last blog ..Guardianship – A Critical Protection for Your Child =-.

    Reply
  21. Vee

    As I know something of miracle moms myself, I am so happy to read that your mother is doing so much better. You made me laugh with your comment about her being so healthy when she’s not sick unto death. Here’s to years and years of decorating adventures together! God bless you both!!
    .-= Vee´s last blog ..Chomper =-.

    Reply
  22. Barbara (WA)

    “. . . she is feeling better than she has in years” ~ now that is an awesome outcome !

    Reply
  23. Annelise Wilcox

    I just recently did a post tribute to my father. Although not ill, I am at a point in my life that I am appreciating the parenting that I recieved and finding them strong individual beings. Both my parents, have added to my decorating and have influenced my love for things beautiful and that tell a story. Thank you for telling your story, how very brave of you.
    .-= Annelise Wilcox´s last blog ..Summer Guest Writer #1 from LOLA BELLE…Where to Start When Designing a Room =-.

    Reply
  24. Ann

    So glad to hear your Mum is recovering!! She sounds like such a terrific person! :-)

    Reply
  25. Gina

    So glad, your Mom is okay. I can’t even imagine how scary that was for you, but it’s also pretty cool how God was with you and your family along the way giving you the peace that passes all understanding. Mom’s are amazing and I’m so glad yours is doing well!
    .-= Gina´s last blog ..Recipe for a Summer Afternoon =-.

    Reply
  26. Irene

    So glad and thankful your mom is doing ok!!!
    There is a great mom behind a great daughter!

    Reply
  27. Kelly

    Melissa, I am so glad to hear that your mom is home and feeling so well. I have experienced that heartsick feeling recently, and I know how awful it is to worry about losing someone as special as your mom. Blessings for continued healing, health, and happiness for your mom.
    .-= Kelly@40istheNew30´s last blog ..Lakeshore Lovin’ =-.

    Reply
  28. Mary Jean

    So glad that she is on the mend! Glad you could be with her!!! Blessings!
    .-= Mary Jean´s last blog ..My Mini Cooper =-.

    Reply
  29. clarice

    I am sorry about your mother Melissa and will be praying for her. I had a really bad pneumonia and was in bed for several months. I feel for your mother xoxoxo Clarice
    .-= clarice´s last blog ..Tweet Inspiration =-.

    Reply

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