My mother in law Dorothy had five children, thirteen grandchildren and six great grandchildren. There are plenty of people with histories spanning far longer than my 16 years in the family and they could surely fill books with the memories that they shared with her and with kind words about the woman who she was.
Still, as we headed out this morning to make the long drive to Rochester to say our final goodbyes and to celebrate her life, it seemed fitting to share my very favorite photo of her with my husband at a family wedding in Tennessee in 2009.
I remember that I took it because I loved how happy and at peace they both looked. When I look at it now, I remember that it’s how Dorothy always looked on the occasions when she was surrounded by her children and grandchildren.
Dorothy loved her family more than anything else in the world. Her life wasn’t always easy but all that ever mattered to her was that her family was happy and healthy. My husband, the youngest of five, would be the first to say that he gave her a run for her money, perhaps more than any of his siblings as he stumbled through early adulthood and tried to find his way.
I am certain that she didn’t always agree with his choices but Dorothy was fiercely loyal to her children and nothing could change that. She was the embodiment of unconditional love for her children and I am so grateful that I knew her and that our daughters felt her love, if only for a short time.
“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”-Dr. Seuss
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Martha TubinisSo lovely Anelise and so true. I’ll never forget her warm smile and her sparkling sky blue eyes.
Angela Andrews-DunnWhat a beautiful photograph. Not only their smiles, but in their expressions.