I’m home – not many photos taken this visit but I thought I’d introduce you to my family. There are 6 of us kids and Mom. My dad died 32 years ago and that makes me even more grateful that Mom is still with us. They all live within a 3-4 hour drive of each other and with the move to Big Canoe, I’m a lot closer too – it’s an 8.5 hour drive for me to my sister Maureen’s house where Mom lives too. As you can imagine, it’s hard to get us all together at one time – this photo was taken the last time we were all together in 2016.
On this trip I got to see and visit with everyone but Pat and Ann. Luckily, I did see them last month when we went up to Virginia for Kevin’s wedding.
I’m a middle child and I like to refer to myself as the oldest of the youngest girls … Ann and Maureen are younger and the other 3 are older than me. (Kevin is the other middle child and just a year older than me)
I’m grateful that they’ve all stayed safe during the pandemic and hope and pray it stays that way. Ann and Maureen are still practicing RNs and I’ve been especially concerned about them (and Mom). Funny thing about us … Mom and all 4 of us girls are RNs. I’m not really sure why the other three went into nursing other than my Dad encouraged all of us in that direction … but for me, I wanted to help others and I had Mom’s good example to follow. I have a very significant memory of volunteering at the hospital as a Candy Striper when I was 13 or 14 and seeing Mom with a patient. She was so caring and compassionate and for the first time I saw her in a very different light. I wasn’t the easiest child to raise but I think I’ve made up for it.
You girls all have the look of your Mum. Just curious – what is a ‘Candy Stripper’? I have visions of you unwrapping some sweets/candy – can it be that? 🙂
Leslie, In the US, a Candy Striper is a high school age (teen) volunteer at a hospital. Perhaps I should say “was”; I’m not sure that hospitals do this anymore, and certainly not with COVID. In any case, they were usually girls who were interested in the medical field as a career. They generally did little errands for patients, or helped with things like delivering daily newspapers and magazines, etc. No medical activities at all, of course, as they were not trained for that. The name came from the pink & white stripe uniforms they wore.
Thanks for the info. 🙂
A candy stripper is a teenager who volunteers in a hospital doing small jobs/chores. A Pink lady is also a volunteer who is not a teenager.
I remember my mom being a “pink lady”. She helped feeding patients who couldn’t feed themselves.
It’s “Candy Striper”, with one “p”. They wore pink-and-white striped pinafore uniforms. My granddaughters were teen hospital volunteers until Covid suspended the program, but nowadays they just wear a special blue scrub top.
You didn’t have to make up for learning strength. All of us do it differently but it is necessary and your mom recognized that. You learned enough about strength to set an example for your family. Good parents guide and watch and your mom did that.
Such a beautiful family picture❤️ So happy for you that you all can spend time together! 💕
It’s a great picture. I have only one of my siblings with my mother from about 1981. Everyone is deceased but me now. I can still remember that day so well, I haven’t seen the picture for a long time. It’s wonderful all you were nurses.
What a beautiful family. How lucky you are to have your mother. I lost both my parents 11 years ago, they passed within 8 months of each other, I still miss then everyday. I am glad you had a good trip and are home safely.
A beautiful family. Nursing is a wonderful career choice, and probably you all saw your mom as an awesome role model. My girls both said – “no offense, but I will never be a teacher.” The both went into health careers. One is a respiratory therapist and I worry about her every day. The other is an OT.
My dad has been gone 31 years, and my mom 30 years already. I’m actually older than either of my parents were when they died.
Beautiful family photo. You are so blessed to have a large family. I have one sister, but am close to my sister in laws, they are my sisters in a special way. I love your Mom, and enjoy reading about her here on your blog. She does such beautiful quilts. It’s so nice you both share quilting together. My Mom is gone now. I miss her every day. I love reading about your family. Thanks for all the sharing you do.
The photo is a treasure. Having four nurses in one family is truly wonderful.
Fabulous family photo, Mary!!