A Milestone worth noting

     As I mentioned in my last post, Friday, the 9th, was my Dad's birthday.  As it happens, today, the 11th, is my Mom's birthday.  Their wedding anniversary is on the 17th of February, so you see that this is an important month in our family's journey.  My sister, Janie, and I have been truly blessed with good and loving parents who shared their love of God and their love of life with the both of us.

     Our Mom was born on February 11, 1919 of Frank and Mary Lenard in Uniontown, Pennsylvania.  One of five daughters of our grandparents, she grew up and lived on the same street her entire life, with only four houses separating her childhood home with our family home.  She attended Uniontown High School, worked for a number of years in a local department store in town, then after the war she married Dad and they began their family.

This picture of Mom, Janie and myself was taken in

2004 for our parish directory.  It was a year after Dad's passing.

     Mom was a "stay-at-home" mom, providing the home and the example that we needed.  "Stay-at-home moms" were more common in those days, and she had her hands full making sure that I behaved.  As Dad was an easy going, outgoing public person in both temperament as well as service in the public eye on the Police Force, Mom was more quiet and actually a bit shy.  She was not comfortable in public settings, but was gracious and grateful when she found herself hearing of the exploits of the rest of us - Dad as a public official known by all, Janie who worked in retail her entire life and who knew and befriended many people, and me in my various parish assignments and the friends that I have made.

     As you may have noted in the beginning of this post, Mom was born 100 years ago today!  She lived her life well and fully until her journey home to the Heavenly Father in March of 2005 at the age of 86.  Since then she and Dad have continued to find joy in Janie and myself, their family and friends, and those who gave them their love throughout the years.

     Happy Birthday, Mom!