On meatloaf. And my mom.

When I was 13 I lived with my parents and 3 younger siblings in a house in the country. {Reference here to "the mouse house" will make sense to my siblings.} I don't remember being responsible for a lot of chores other than doing the dishes with my sister, Valerie, and folding laundry. Our basic responsibility after school everyday was simply to not kill each other before Mom came home from work around 5:30 each day.

Except for the first Tuesday of every month.

I belonged to a girls club that met in the evening on the first Tuesday of every month. What this meant to my mom was that dinner needed to be prepared ahead of time and on the table before she took me into town for my meeting. As a result, I became the once-a-month meatloaf maker. And I complained about it every step of the way.

I hated making meatloaf. The ground beef was squishy and hard to wash off if I got it on my hands. I wasn't great at cracking eggs {although, come to think of it, I didn't mind that part if Val and I were making cookie dough...}, and besides, it just wasn't fair. Just because I was the oldest I had to make meatloaf. That wasn't fair at all. And Ronnie and Timmy never had to do anything. And why on my girl's-club-meeting night did I always have to make meatloaf?!?!?  Ugh! Totally not fair.

Now, thirty-seven years later, I am faced with the fact that my mom has a terminal disease. Lately I find myself reminiscing about her parenting methods - the things she taught me that made me who I am today. I don't remember specific things or words of wisdom from my mom, but when I think about memories like making meatloaf I am struck by the underlying lessons and values she instilled.

How fortunate I have been to have a mom who knew the importance of family meal times together, even on evenings when we would be rushed to do so. And how very fortunate am I that she taught me the value of making a contribution, of preparing a meal for my family to enjoy, and for teaching me how to make a really good meatloaf.

(photo from Carrie's phone)

My meatloaf recipe has changed over the years, and Doug and Carrie love it. As for me? Meatloaf is still not one of my favorite things to make, but I do it for my family - for the joy it brings as we sit and enjoy a meal together as a family. And for the memory that it conjures up and connects me to my mom - a connection that will be always be with me, even when she's not.

Linking to Sian's "Storytelling Sunday"

From High in the Sky

♥