Mothers day is bittersweet for many of us!💕

[MarilynH]

I know many of our Moms have passed away it's been a little over 12 years for me she had just turned 72 by 3 days! I'm 64 now and I'm hoping that by quitting smoking nearly 10 ago will help keep me alive several more years with some quality of life I'm also a recovering alcoholic with a little over 13 years sober! I was with my mom when she passed I was still a smoker then but boy oh boy I really wanted a stiff drink, I didn't even have a year of sobriety YET! BUT I kept thinking I need to stay sober so I can be there for my Dad! I'm so blessed to still have him in my life he is 87 now and our bond is strong! Wishing everyone a stressfree hasslefree smokefree and or vapefree or dipfree day! Our lives deserves so much more than the damned crutch of the horrid nicotine poison! Here's a picture ,that my daughter Mandy took of our Mason he was only 3 at the time and my mom and I! It's the last picture I have of her it was just 3 weeks before she died, she was a smoker for over 50 years but did quit after breaking her hip 6 yrs previous, she was in the hospital alot so she finally quit BUT so much damage to her lungs was already done BUT stupid me kept on smoking for almost another 10 years until I finally wised up and gave myself the GIFT,OF LIFE! YAY for each and every one of us for giving ourselves the Gift of LIFE! YAY for Freedom! 

Sorry for Rambling on! 🤷‍♀️

              Here's a picture of my Dad and I that I took a few weeks ago he's doing well and lives in the same assistant living facility that my MIL did! he's doing she passed away the 29th of Oct, she was 96 it's definitely a bittersweet Mothers day! 💕 LIFE happens BUT relapsing isn't an option EVER! 

Here's a picture of my MIL Muriel and I at the assistant living facility about 3 years ago! ❤ 💕❤💕❤

Keep sticking with N.O.P.E ~ Not One Puff Ever N.M.W No Matter what so we can be around to enjoy the little things in life which are actually the big things in LIFE! 

[YoungAtHeart]

[MarilynH]

Thank you and Happy Mothers day to you too Nancy 💕 @YoungAtHeart 

[MarilynH]

                                    To each and every lady here on EX ! 😁

[Barbscloud]

@MarilynH Happy Mother's Day!

Barb

[Barbscloud]

[MarilynH]

Thanks Barb, @Barbscloud I'm so glad that you posted this I was just thinking of all the furbaby Moms! I sure do miss all of my furbabies especially Samantha Digger Jane Hartley it's hard to believe she's been gone for over 3 years now! We had her for 16 precious years!💕

[Barbara145]

Happy Mother's Day Marilyn.  When my Mom was dying I was a young wife and Mother living in Kentucky with my Husband and two little boys.  When i heard she was dying I flew to Virginia to be with her.  I was there when she died. My heart will always remember it.  On a lighter note, I got a Mother's Day card from a friend of mine yesterday it was from my 2 little Miniature Schnauzers.  Enjoy your day, smoke-free and grateful.

[Barbscloud]

@Barbara145 When my husband was alive, I used to always get gifts/cards from the dogs/cats for Mother's Day and Valentine's Day.   It's fun that they make cards from "pets".

Barb

[Barbara145]

Good morning Barb.  Sounds like bitter sweet memories. Enjoy your day.  Happy Mother's Day.

[biscuit9]

Happy Mother's Day!  I hope all of you mother's/moms enjoy your day.  I was born to be a mama.  Still grateful and thankful for my adult children and still remember their births.  Being a mother is the best job in the world.  

@MarilynH   Thank you for the photos.  You look just like your mama.  I don't have my mother either.  She passed away when I was in my early 30's and I really missed her.  Still miss her.

[JonesCarpeDiem]

bittersweet for me.

I lost my mother in 1999.  She had just recently retired as a school librarian and travel agent.

She told us a story in August of 1998 on the way home from a cousins wedding shower.

The story was this.

After a trip to England, she did not feel well. According to her Dr., she had contracted a virus that had attacked her heart. He gave her 10 years. 1998 was the end of the ninth year. She died in May of her 10th year of congestive heart failure.

I sat with her and sang to her the night before she passed. They came downstairs to tell us she was gone the next morning and we all gathered around her bed and prayed her on her way.

Happy Mothers Day to all. Be Blessed!

[Barbara145]

Thanks for telling us Dale. We all remember them.  Moms impact our lives and love for the rest of our lives.

[CommunityAdmin]

Happy Mother's Day!

Quiana, EX Team

[indingrl]

Beautiful thanks for sharing dear friend @MarilynH 

I miss my momma and my hubby misses his momma today 

Gentle hug I am glad you didn't choose to get drunk and I am glad you didn't smoke no matter what 

My mom dead 11 months on May 1st and I been in Alanon to learn how to live my OWN life since November 6 1986

AA since May 22 1987 where I learned of a 12 step fellowship with a suggestions to find a Higher Power greater than ourselves for each individual to choose their OWN conception of God personally so I will live sober one day at a time 

12 steps are so so so wonderful that there are TONS of additions healed by those 12 steps from AA 

FOR ME they worked for all my addictions and thanks for sharing dear friend @MarilynH  your healings in drinking and nicotine freedom no matter what 

No chocolate since 2005

No Pepsi since 2005

No junk food since 2005

When I went for my yearly physically and told the doctor all the addictions healed 

She said you don't eat chocolate I said nope and doctor said poor thing what do you do..... we just laughed together 

She was glad for me

Those 12 steps are AMAZING for any addiction and now hubby and I joined 

Adult Children Of Alcoholic's me since June 26  2023

And hubby August 2023 

The 12 steps are dealing with alcoholic childhood abuses and we will be healed working the 12 steps for childhood abuse WoooooWOOO 

I had professional therapy in 1988 for being raped as a child from ages 4-16 years old both parents they were NOT drunk all the time either it is family dysfunction systems and ACOA 12 steps helps heal and move on without blaming the parents it looks at the generations of kids raising kids with narcissist habits and patterns to be UNlearned and learn NEW ways to make peace with myself on my heart and grow up and keep moving forward only by God's grace for me 

I haven't smoked or thought of smoking over any of my life on life's terms or my childhood

I learn to Live and let Live and Let go and Let God to forgive myself so I could forgive all others which takes TIME nothing over night it takes a long suffering time for me 37 years working these 12 steps on me and NotOnePuffEver over ME

Thanks for letting me share @MarilynH 

[MarilynH]

Huge caring hug from me to you Dale @JonesCarpeDiem and Diane Joy @indingrl thank you both for sharing. 🤗 Huge hug for each and everyone that would like one! 🤗