I suppose if I was a smart blogger I would wait until Mom's birthday to post this picture of her since her birthday is just a few days away. Esther Jean Hansen was born April 8, 1934. I think she is about 14 in this picture. The same age as Katie is now. If you can't find her, mom is the very pretty girl in the back row, far left. Look at that red lipstick, those long limbs, that sweet face!
Grandma Hansen gave this picture to me when I was in my early 20's. She said that she made mom's costume and helped with another. This was a school dance performance...not a private dance class.
I come from a long line of dancers. :o)
(Esther and Janet 1972ish)
Mom looks happy and proud in this picture.
I think she was. I hope she was.
All she had time to be was a girl and then a mom.
How fortunate I was to have such a mom.
I love her more and more as the years go by.
True love sticks.
“I realized when you look at your mother, you are looking at the purest love you will ever know.” ~Mitch Albom
With love,
Donna Elsie
Somehow it never hit me that your grandparents were still living when your parents died. Having watched my parents when my sister died...THAT is hard grief, losing a child.
ReplyDeleteI saw your mom right away. She looks so much like Katie. And those dresses!!! Did they have wires to keep the skirts up? Did you ever hear what music they were dancing to? That is a pretty elaborate school production. What fun!
Happy Friday all,
Di
I don't know what they danced to. Yes. Grandma and Grandpa Hansen were still living. They had a little girl named Ruth who died also. She died of a ruptured appendix when she was four. Grandma lived until she was about 94. When Grandma died we went to her gravesite. There was the little grave of Ruthie.
DeleteI spotted her immediately too, Di :-)
DeleteI love the expressions on her face
Donna, four years old! Such sorrow for your grandma.
DeleteI have seen skirts like that in dance recitals and I think it was heavy starch that kept them up and out. They are all cute girls, but your mom is the cutest! love and prayers, jep
DeleteHi. My heart is just full to overflowing as I look at these photos and soak in the love between each line.
ReplyDeleteI cannot imagine how you must miss her.
My mom has red hair, did I ever tell you that? She has been blessed with years that turned it a silvery strawberry blond. I'm thankful to be able to see her later this month.
Thank you, Donna - for sharing your family with us xxx
My mom had red hair, too. First naturally, and then thanks to Miss Clairol (-:
DeleteDi
:-)
Delete"How fortunate I was to have such a mom.
ReplyDeleteI love her more and more as the years go by.
True love sticks."
Oh, Donna. How brilliant. How fitting. How true.
How beautiful!
DeleteI love the name Esther. I also spotted her immediately in the picture. Katie does resemble her grandmother.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing, Donna. I always love family history and stories. This is beautiful.
Sarah P. from Iowa
What a treasure this photo is! Your words are beautiful and heartbreaking. Thanks for trusting us enough to share memories of your dear mom. xoxo
ReplyDeleteMary Z
(((((Donna)))))
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely person your mother was. Look how graceful her hands are in the dance photo. And Katie does, indeed, resemble her. I love your quote. Mother love cannot even be explained. Sometimes it seems to me that it reaches farther than any other love on this earth. How hard for your grandma to have lost two children. My heart breaks to think of that.
ReplyDeleteDebbie Z.
loved every part of this post. blessings to you Donna!!
ReplyDeleteTrue love sticks. Yes it does. <3
ReplyDeleteThat is my favorite picture of the two of us. I'd like to think she was happy. I think she looks content. I look like I'm up to something. ;)
I love the wallpaper soooo much.
And....look at her ring. There it is. A special gift form Dad.
I think you have lost a bottom tooth.
ReplyDeleteYour beautiful quote brought tears to my eyes. It took becoming a mother myself before I truly understood my parents love for me...I called and apologized for a lot of things :)
ReplyDelete