Eric Hansen
The other day while cleaning up the finger prints of my granddaughter from the table, I began thinking of how when we allow a person into our lives they leave finger prints on our lives and even soul. Mom has surely left her finger prints in my life. I'll cherish the times we spent cutting up and laughing, there was always laughter even up to the end.
An area where Mom's finger print today is in our backyard. All the lily's, her Father's rose bush, crepe myrtles, iron plants, liriope and bird bath are used in the landscaping, creating a private park to enjoy. Katrina would bring home a box or bag of plants nearly every Friday after spending the day with Mom. Over time and after a lot of work, Mom's plants have flourished.
Mom enjoyed spending time in our yard and giving her ideas and tips of how and where to place plants. So Mom's creativity shaped our yard to what it is today.
Another area where Mom left her finger print in my life is sharing a meal. Mom would tease me about the meal I'd serve, "It better be hot and fresh," she would say. I would tell her, "Well I just removed it the grill, but for you I cooled it off in the fridge." She would eat her meal with one hand up as if not to talk because she was enjoying her food. "Daddy always told me I had to clean my plate," Mom would say after she'd do just that.
Many times after dinner or lunch we'd play Uno with the kids. We had a house rule that cards played would add up. So when someone played a draw two or four it'd just compile. By the time cards were played Mom would end up a handful of cards. She'd have to use both hands to hold all the cards. We would laugh thinking we had just stuck Mom with a bunch of points. However, Mom would get the last laugh because she'd be holding "all the dirt" to give it back.
Mom always enjoyed a good laugh as well as pranking on others. There was a time in Colorado when Mom had kicked a piece of "mule mold" -- that's what she called horse droppings -- onto Jared's boot. Jared was shocked, amazed and disgusted by what his grandmother had just done. Everyone was laughing and I had taken a picture of Mom doubled over grabbing her stomach as she was laughing so hard.
I will miss Mom's hugs as well. Every time we'd greet or leave I'd wrap Mom up in my arms and give her a big hug. "I love your hugs Eric," she'd tell me. "They let me know how much you love me." Mom I do love you.
Finger prints can be messy, but the ones that mean the most are the ones which leave a loving memory of someone who loved me as if I were her own. Thank you Mom for touching my life and blessing me with the most wonderful wife a man could pray for. I will always love her and take care of her -- so no worries. I know the day will come when we'll all be together in the presence of our Lord. I'm sure I'll visit your mansion because it's most likely all glass.