It’s a great time of year, almost Christmas. It’s special not only because of the Christmas festivities but also because it’s my Mom’s birthday. I thought I would take this opportunity to introduce her to you, she is a very special woman.
The Early Years
Mom’s name is Linda and she grew up in a small town in Georgia. We’re talking really small — less than 3,000 people live there. She married my Dad at a very young age. It was not uncommon for couples to marry young back then, she was only 15. My Mom was a beauty — I’m sure my Dad wanted to take her off the market. By the time she was 24, she had 3 kids, I am the middle child (on the right below).
As was common in the 60’s, my Mom took care of the home. She cooked 3 meals a day. Not small meals, we’re talking incredible meals that normally consisted of a couple of meat dishes, 3 to 4 vegetable dishes and biscuits. She also kept a spotless home. I remember every Saturday was cleaning day, the entire family would pitch in.
Here are just a few things I fondly remember about growing up in our home:
- Sharing great meals every day
- Dunking my toast into my coffee then eating it
- My Mom rubbing my back until I would dose off to sleep
- Watching I LOVE LUCY and other sitcoms at night
- Hosting fish fry parties with friends while my Dad played lead vocals in their band
- Picking vegetables from a huge garden, shelling peas and butterbeans
- Feeling a sense of being safe and protected
The Middle Years
After the kids were off to school, my Mom started a home business. She was a good seamstress and made clothes for herself and others. I can remember clothes patterns in drawers scattered about the house. From those patterns, she would create nice looking dresses and coats. With a great sense of style, she put all her energy into making these wonderful clothes. Both Mom and Dad were Entrepreneurs, maybe that’s where I learned it.
When I was in middle school, my Dad built a lake house and we spent most of our summers water skiing. Mom was athletic and a good skier, she could ski slalom (on one ski). At age 12, I was the youngest kid on the lake to learn to ski barefoot. It took me an entire summer and lots of knots on my noggin to learn how. Thinking back, I probably got my love of water and the ocean from my Mom, as she always feels at peace there.
During high school, my Mom opened a clothing store called The Outpost. It was the trendiest store in our town and was a big hit with young adults. I loved it because I got to wear cool clothes to school as a way of advertising. This was yet another example of her entrepreneurial spirit.
The Later Years
After high school, my Dad and Mom parted ways as I went off to college. These were exploratory days for my Mom as she never really got to sow her oats because she married so young. She lived life to the absolute fullest. That’s probably where I get my adventurous side.
For work, Mom retooled her skill set and learned to cut hair. She became part owner in several hair salons over the years and built a good clientele of customers.
More Recently
My Mom turns 73 on Christmas Day and we are planning a visit so that our kids can see her. Here is a recent picture of Mom, my older sister and younger brother. My Mom’s still as beautiful as ever.
Happy Birthday, Mom. I love you!
About Us
Steve and Lynn Miller reached financial independence in 2012 at age 50 and now enjoy traveling, fitness, cycling, photography and lots of other hobbies. If you like this blog, you might also like Steve’s We Retired Early blog where he blogs about lifestyle freedom, financial independence, and cool mobile apps.
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