My Mothers!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Not everyone is so lucky as to have TWO mothers!  I had my mom who has been gone now for 2 and a half years and I still have my godmother, my dad’s little sister, my Aunt Lily!

Aunt Lily and my mom used to call each other “Cuma“, a warm loving Sicilian term that literally translates to “co-mother”.  I grew up hearing, “Cuma, let me hold her.”  They co-mothered me.  It worked out great. Aunt Lily did not have children of her own, so she was there for me. Mom was probably quite relieved to have the help.  She had 5 little girls to tend to!  Mom disciplined me and Aunt Lily coddled me!  Mom made me stay at the table until I ate the last of the horrible tasting Sicilian squash, cucuzza, or other unpalatable dishes for a little child.  I had to force the food down and would run off gagging.  When I was 10, Aunt Lily became widowed and moved in with us for about a year and my life changed.  Aunt Lily would calmly, but firmly, tell my mother,  “Cuma, you should never force children to eat things they don’t want to eat!”  Somehow, Aunt Lily had some clout in the matter!  Maybe it was because she towered over my petite mother and had more body mass. Maybe it was just that she punctuated her statement by grabbing my plate and finishing it off for me.  Aunt Lily’s presence in our house was the biggest relief for me.  I was the most miserable and picky eater in the world, but Aunt Lily calmly explained to my mom  that  when I grew up, I’d learn to like most foods.  How right she was.

Here is a picture of my mom with Nora’s former in-laws, Helen and Joe.  Dad is having fun pouring his home made wine:

Aunt Lily has been out to visit us in Seattle a few times.  She lives in Crown Point, Indiana and is the reason why my parents settled in Indiana when they immigrated to the USA.  She was thrilled to have her brother and sister-in-law and their 4 little girls (I was not born yet) come join her and her husband in America!   Here I am with Aunt Lily at Ocean Shores.  I get to see her in August for my niece’s wedding in Maryland and I am really looking forward to our visit!

I hope you celebrate the special moms in your life on this precious day!