A Son's Thankful Tribute

Funeral Arrangements Update: Due to the Holiday, we've been unable to firm up the final arrangements. We decided early on that mom would not have wanted others to be taken away from their families on the holiday weekend, so we are looking at late next week in St. Louis.

Reading Garden: I certainly appreciate your thoughts and insights to the reading garden in my mom's honor and memory. We'll have some sort of formal vehicle for you to offer your suggestions as the plans start to materialize depending on funding. As as a reminder, in lieu of flowers the family requests gifts be given to Wesleyan School, with "Creel Memorial Fund" in the memo line sent to Wesleyan School, 5405 Spalding Drive, Norcross, GA 30092.

In honor of Thanksgiving, my mother's favorite holiday, I wrote a little something for her today.

Thankful For…

… a mother who always placed others' needs before her own.

… a mother who was my ultimate cheerleader as well as for thousands of others. She always told me there was nothing I could not do with my talent and to never settle for anything less than your very best.

… a mother who modeled the importance of friendships; evidenced by the outpouring of love over her passing. As a child, after I had blown off a friend, she told me that I needed be a better friend to others or I would never have any friends. She was never afraid to speak Truth into my life. At the time, I probably resented it, but I never forgot it.

… a mother who gave me my first Bible and encouraged my faith.

…her Texas Sheet cake that she would bake what seemed like every week for all of her colleagues or neighbors. I really appreciated her change of thought as she matured that I could eat some hot. Previously she had always wanted to bring the whole cake in as a single unit.

… my mom saving all of my old memorable outfits and toys for my boys. She was always thinking about others. Cole is wearing one of them in her honor today. Of course, it’s a little snugger on him than it was on me.

… a mother who modeled the importance of exercising regularly. From an early age as an avid water skier at Gun Lake where she would serve as the capstone to multi-level pyramids to the captain of her cheerleading squad to snow skiing and later aerobics. Amazingly enough, even while doing water activities my mom had this fantastic way of never getting her hair wet…ever.

… the special family trips we had as children as well as adults. As a teacher now, I better understand her proclivity for experiential learning, like planning a trip to DC and Boston prior to studying US history in fourth grade.    

… a mother who encouraged my creativity through having cabinets full of art supplies and providing opportunities like art, logic and writing classes.

… last summer at the lake when we had countless laughing fits, mostly at the expense of my father

… my mom’s two laughs, the hyena and the one where she laughs so hard she cannot breathe

… my mom’s ability to adjust to my exceedingly high expectations, like the Christmas when she bought me a leather jacket. She could tell that although grateful, it wasn’t like the one I envisioned. She immediately dragged me upstairs to a closet with five other leather jackets and “are any of these like the one’s you always wanted?”

… my mom’s penchant for writing encouraging notes. While my dad was in Vietnam she wrote him everyday. While Courtney was in college she wrote her every single day. While I was in college she wrote about five times a week. Don’t worry mom, you deserved a couple days off.

…my mom knew the value of telling people how you feel all the time, not just on special occasions.

… my mom’s love of reading. As a child, she would always bring home old textbooks for me to read. For the grandchildren, she has already instilled that same love of reading.

… my mom modeling frugality. She would cut coupons, check receipts, price shop. She never left a restaurant empty handed. Not surprisingly, I married someone just like my mom.

… my mother was able to hold Cole and Cooper. Thankful that when we walked into “Nonna & GP’s” house today Cole asked “where’s Nonna?”…even though it breaks my heart when I have to explain to him that she’s in heaven now.

… the times mom paid cash for things so Dad didn’t have to know :)

… my mom’s faith and the continual reminders of the cross in her final days. She shared with my cousin that she kept on thinking of Jesus on the cross, but she had the benefits of pain medication. She was brought home from the hospital and three days later she passed. In her final hours, my dad put a little sponge to her lips in the same way that the bystander did to Jesus.  

…the cancer that took her life. Although tragic, that cancer forced us to cherish the last three and a half years much more so than we would have.  Life here on earth is very short. Treasure those you love every day. We were fortunate enough to know her time was coming, but many are not so fortunate. Be thankful today, as I am, for your family and the ones you love.