Reasons I Love My Mother

Reason #347:

I love this look on my mom’s face after she was surprised with new living room furniture.

For the longest time, my mom had wanted new couches, a recliner and a coffee table. The ones we had had for about a decade were hand-me-downs from my dad’s mother. They were fine for awhile, but she grew to hate them, wanting instead to redecorate and pick out stuff that was her own. But every time she saved up enough money, she opted instead to use it to get us Christmas gifts or to go on a trip as a family. I know she never regretted those choices, but I still hated that she couldn’t even buy herself a frickin’ living room set if she wanted one.

So while she was going through chemo, my Aunt Beth was wonderful enough to buy her an entire set. My sister knew exactly what my mom wanted, too; they had gone to this furniture warehouse together months before, but then my mom got sick and finally gave up on the purchase. So with my Aunt’s help, my mom’s friend Bonnie, Janelle and I organized and bought the furniture and had it delivered while my mom was getting chemo one day. When my sister and my mom’s friends brought her home from the hospital, the furniture was waiting for her.

There are about a dozen photos of this moment, and in them, she looks confused, bewildered, and then eventually happy. The picture above is of her Skyping my Aunt (who watched her surprised face live via Skype), while talking to me on the phone. My Skype wasn’t working and it was a bummer, but I love looking back at these photos of how happy she was that day. She got to enjoy those couches for less than two years, but it was totally worth it. She put off buying them for herself forever, and I know she was more comfortable resting on those new couches throughout her illness.

Also, she loved placing and then readjusting the pillows on that couch like it was her job. Seriously, she never stopped readjusting those pillows.

Ever.