"It Is Well"

...even when it doesn't feel like it is.

While Mom was sick and later passing into heaven, this is the song she loved for us to sing and the one that gave our family the most comfort. This weekend, my sister and I each got a tattoo to remind us always that "it is well," even when we are hurting so much and don't understand His ways.

Restful Vacation

Our family was so blessed to be able to escape to Lake Blackshear for the weekend for a little "quiet" time. I laugh as I type that because our family would NEVER be described as quiet. Add in the spunkiest 6 year old ever, and we are one mass of volume.

Our getaway was all Mom's idea, and she had grand plans waiting for us there. She talked for days about staying up all night playing card games, baking cookies at midnight, watching movies, and having our hilarious family competitions of hoola hoops and chicken dance. Apparently her meds were really working well Thursday and Friday! Saturday's hour long drive took its toll, and Mom was quickly sound asleep. Eight hours later, we had a new family joke..."Let's go the lake, she said...it'll be fun, she said." After sleeping the day away, Saturday night was seemingly endless for her. Therefore, Sunday morning was another groggy, sleepy day. Around 3pm, the three of us girls each took turns primping Mom for photos: applying makeup, styling hair, and tying on her apron. She was able to last through about 30 minutes of photos with several breaks in between, and then endured the hour drive back home. Whew...what a vacation! Somehow, even through her sleepiness, Mom was still able to make us laugh (as you can see in a few of the photos.)

We are using the photos for our family cookbook that is currently in the works. Many of you have so kindly requested copies of the book, and we are awed and flattered by your requests. We originally planned the cookbook for our immediate family, and as we consider it our Mom's legacy, we haven't been too concerned about the cost. In reality, this book will likely cost each of us in excess of $100, and it will be worth it. It will be filled with photos of our mom, our children, our spouses, and ourselves along with the amazing recipes we've grown up enjoying over the years. Mom has also included tips for many of the recipes, and her humor shines through each one. We realize this cost is far more than most of you would have anticipated, and we have toyed with the idea of using the text files to create a much less expensive, text-only version. We will be sure to keep you all posted on the process.

Please continue to keep Mom in your prayers. It really hurts us deeply to see her hurting. She is truly the toughest, least complaining person we know. This is an awful disease that can bring this hero to her knees. Thank you for your endless comments, texts, calls, visits, food, flowers, and especially your prayers. We love you all!

Sherri

Leaving her Legacy

You would likely be amazed how often I am approached in our hometown and asked, "Are you Linda Morrison's daughter?" Supposedly I look just a bit like her. I once thought this to be a nuisance, but oh, how honored I am when people ask that now. She is truly the most amazingly talented and giving person I know, and if I carry any of those gifts within me, I will count myself blessed.

We have so very many things we're going to cherish about our mom: obviously her food, her ability to sew us a dress at the spur of the moment in an hour or less, her laughter, how she flicks us off (daily I might add,) toot-liter burps, and an occasional full moon. I know for a fact that I will never wake up and make hamburger meat & tomatoes and homemade biscuits without hearing her voice singing so off-key...and so very loudly. I'll never use a wedding napkin without thinking about lunch at Mom's where we use napkins with random initials on them...where the heck did those things come from anyway? Speaking of random initials...one of my favorite memories of family Christmases is how Mom hangs the oddest assortment of ornaments on her tree just to make it look full. As I hand painted ornaments for boutique stores over the years, I would often make a mistake or two...or three...or four. Rather than trash those mistakes, Mom would hang each one on the frasier fir. We've laughed every year about "John & Sally's first home" and "Caroline's first Christmas" hanging from the family tree. Please tell me other people do this too? Nevermind...maybe I'd like to think this is unique to my quirky mom.

After receiving her diagnosis, truthfully even before, Mom has become adamant that her family have something of her to carry with us.  I think her greatest regret in life is that she never had her mom write her favorite recipes on paper. I can remember each Thanksgiving morning watching my grandmother (and now my mom) peeling and dicing fresh fruit for the infamous ambrosia that I love so dearly. Since my grandmother's passing 32 years ago, Mom has cut up those oranges, grapes, and apples, all the while reliving her childhood holidays with Clara Mae and then telling us how  important it is that we learn how to make these dishes so we don't live with those same regrets. As a result, Mom has made it her goal to leave both handwritten and digital copies of her own recipes for our family. What a legacy...so much greater than financial riches. Through all the texts, calls, visits, and cards, we've learned that so many of you understand and agree with us that she is indeed an incredible mom, Nunny, sister,  and friend. Truly, she is her own legacy.

Sherri Morrison Youngblood

Updates

A friend reminded me today of the blog I keep hidden...it's been so long, that I almost forgot where to go to find it. I figured it would be good to blog through this difficult time for two reasons:

1. Get out "on paper" how I feel.
2. Update people on mom's health/answer questions some may have.

We have been overwhelmed at the love poured out by each and every one of you! If you don't know my mom, you can see how well loved she is by all of the memories people have been sharing on social media. She is truly AMAZING! When I try to describe her to someone who may not have met her, I don't know what to say. She is one of those people who would do anything for you, even if she doesn't know you. She would give you the shirt off of her back...and the undergarments too to be real honest because she has decided that it's not really worth the discomfort to wear those anymore. 😳 ( this is nothing she wouldn't tell you herself...she has already told most of you)

I honestly feel like we're in such a fog right now that I can't remember who I've responded to and who I haven't, so please don't take offense to our "foggy funk!" If you do start to take it personally, try to remember that we have just found out the most devastating news about the most special woman in our life and we're trying to make the most of the short time we have left with her. I will only check notifications when she is resting because every waking moment, I want to spend making memories with my mom. If you remember that and still take it personally, well then, that just sounds like a "personal problem" to me. ;) (isn't this the universal "bless your heart" sign?)

The "to do" lists look a bit different these days, they include much more daunting tasks than I like, however, on today's list of legal and practical tasks, mom included Task #6 - make a Paula Dean Banana Pudding (because she's been wanting a bite). Task #6 couldn't possibly make up for tasks 1-5, but it sure does make the day a little sweeter.

Many people have asked questions that we may not have the answer for, but I'm going to take some time tomorrow to list out some of the answers on here to questions that we've been asked so far. If you have any, ask them, and I will try my best to include them.

You cannot know how unbelievably proud I am to be a daughter of Linda Morrison. Thank you for praying with us through this. We feel them, we really and truly feel them.


Love,
Delecta