By this time Mother was mother to four children.

EVELYN F. BRUMBAUGH

Mother’s Day is a time of appreciation. I have such a wonderful mother. My time with her becomes more precious each year. I see in her the fighting spirit. Life is more complicated than it used to be. But she has a strong will to meet the challenges.

My mother is an artist and a homemaker. She has excelled at both. When we were kids, she sewed almost all of the clothing for us five kids. My sisters and I had matching dresses (in different colors) most of our growing up years. She sewed shirts for my brother, and she made various stuffed toys for us. Her artistry in her sewing craft was beautiful. She even crocheted and sewed clothing for our dolls and embroidered pictures to display and the faces on our stuffed dolls.

We lived on a farm in Chino, CA. I am the baby with my two sisters. Juanita is holding me, and Marilyn is behind us.

Every night we had a home-cooked meal which consisted of a main dish, green salad, hot side vegetable, muffins or biscuits (usually), and a homemade dessert. Amazing. I think we were spoiled, but then again, we worked hard on the farm and were hungry munchkins. On Sundays after church, we hand-cranked a two gallon canister of vanilla ice-cream, each of us taking a turn of 100 rotations with Dad finishing up when it got too hard for us to turn. Often a second canister was filled with berry-ice cream and then we repeated the process. Mom and Dad still make homemade ice-cream in the summer months.

When we kids hit junior high and high school, Mother (she liked us to call her, Mother) expanded her interests. She took painting and wood shop classes at the local community college (even made a pair of water skiis) and returned to her love of violin by playing solos in church and playing in the community symphony. Later she would take painting classes in Oregon and in Redding to develop her repertoire of oil paintings.

The Brumbaugh Family

Mother kept us taking music lessons and singing in church. The Brumbaugh Girls Trio, Juanita, Marilyn and I, often performed my Grandma Weigold’s (her mother) sacred compositions. Marilyn took off in the music and started playing piano in evening church as a seventh grader and then later the organ for the morning services while in high school (that’s when we bought a small home organ). Even Paul performed trombone solos in church. Some of us sang in the church choir starting in 9th grade. I am sure music was something Mother purposed to provide for us even during the leaner years.

My Mother’s favorite times are when her family is around her. She loves being with us and cooking for us. To this day, she prays for all of us. She tells me that she prays for the grandchildren and great grandchildren first, and then the rest of us if there’s time. This is a great gift that we are blessed with and may not even be aware of most of the time.

1980, on my wedding day. Mother sewed my gown. I made my veil.

Last year, over lunch at LaComida, I spontaneously thanked my mother for raising us the way she and Dad did. Usually I write it in a card, but this time it spilled out of my heart. I felt so thankful for all they have contributed to our lives. Saying it directly to her seemed to mean so much more. She seemed surprised. You know, being a good mother can seem like thankless work at times, but children do rise up and bless their mothers. I am so glad I said it. Mothers need to hear it. They give and give and give and never stop giving.

Thank you, Mother, for being my mother. Love you always.

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