Oh Mom, how I wanted those white sandals

Funny how distant memories pop up when you least expect it.  This one caught me by surprise.

We had just moved to Virginia . We hadn’t even moved into our house.  The driver of our moving truck tied one on and ended up in jail for a few days as did all of our belongings.  You can’t make these things up.

I was 11.  I was entering what would be my awkward stage.

Okay let’s be honest.  I entered my awkward stage and never left.  I hide it well don’t I?  Don’t answer that!

Mom and I went shopping at a local department store.  I’m not exactly sure why but maybe she needed to get out of a motel room housing 4 kids, a cat and a dog.

That would do it for me.

I am guessing she either needed retail therapy or a drink and it was 11 am so off we went to the store.

We found ourselves in the shoe department and decided to try on sandals.

I wanted very cool trendy ones but I was just getting into to adult sizes and my choices were limited.

My Mom had a very tiny foot and we wore the same shoe size.  We had one choice of style and two choices of colors, white or black.

I desperately wanted the white ones but didn’t say so and my Mom claimed them.  I was stuck with the ugly black ones.

Oh joy.

I’d like to believe I was a good sport about it but maybe not.  I do remember I wore them and outgrew them quickly.  I am pretty sure my Mom  continued to wear them since finding shoes her size was a challenge.

Still I walked out of the store feeling a bit resentful that she got the pretty color and I didn’t.

How unfair. I should have gotten to choose. What did it matter to her?  She was old.

Um…she was 41

I never thought it through before.  She had moved from a house she loved and had just finished remodeling.  She was stuck in a motel room with all of us waiting on our stuff to move into a house my Dad bought without her.

No family or friends around, in a new state far from everything she knew and loved, except for us of course 🙂

She deserved a huge diamond, flowers, a fancy trip..whatever she wanted.

Instead she got the white sandals and a glum 11 year old.

I’m sure she did not remember that day and would have scoffed at the idea of deserving much more.

But she did.

This many years later I am glad she got the white sandals.  Only took me decades to figure that one out.

She would grow to love that house, make friends, buy many more shoes, and do many thoughtful things for me over her lifetime.

As we approach Thanksgiving I am so grateful for everything both my parents did for us and how much they loved us. I would wear those ugly black sandals every day if I could have her come over on Thursday and help me make the gravy ( ok she made it, I just watched) and do the mashed potatoes and just be here with us.

May your Thanksgiving be blessed with loved ones ( family or friends), family recipes, laughter, and memories of those who may not be present physically but are in everyones hearts.  Also I still can’t make gravy 🙂

As always keep on Triing,

                       Jennifer

P.S.The technology gremlins are behaving ..yay!   And because they are behaving you too can get this right into to you inbox almost every Tuesday ( a day earlier than everyone else …  :)!  Just fill out the very annoying pop up in this post!

All grammatical and spelling errors are my gift to you and may you have a magical day or several 🙂

I was recently published in the book ” So God Made a Mother” ( you can order it here) and I am working on a yet to be named novel.  My six grandchildren keep me young and my very organized hubby Paul tolerates my very unorganized yiddle ( middle and youngest) self.  Opposites do attract 🙂