A very special person in my life is my mother.  She had a lots of stamina to give up her own country, while a very young lady of 16 years of age. Came across the ocean on the lower deck of a ship, because the upper decks were too expensive, that was where her half-sister and husband (Anna and Hans Lochen) were on.

She came here to live with her half-brother John Ahrens and she helped him like a hired man, for no wages.  I bet she thought this was a land of opportunity. In her home country, you hired out by the year and you had to stay.  She told how she hated this one place that she worked.  They had a boiler of water on the fire and she got in a foul mood and threw a pan of water at the boiler, and she got burned pretty badly.  She never told that lady how it happened.

When she made enough money to come to America, that is what she did. She didn’t get to return to Germany, while her mother was alive, her dad passed away in 1919. I think from the bad flu that ever0body had.

She made her acquaintance with my dad, had a very nice wedding and raised 14 children (7 bogs and 7 girls).  Three girls have passed away as of this date (June 4,1986).  Her life wasn't a bed of roses, but she taught us a lot of things, like cooking, sewing, and canning.  I think she had to teach dad to write his own name.

All the children were born at home.  Didn't even have a doctor with the first one.

Mom's sister was the one that dad liked a lot, but she had a friend in Germany.  Later she married Ben Rankin.  Dad’s sisters didn't think mom was good looking enough for dad.  I don't think they helped matters any.  Mom took a lot from dad and his family.  Dad's family never helped us much in the way of clothing, as did Anna Lochen, she worked in a factory in Chicago.  If she saw something mom could use, she gave it to us. We made sheets, pillow slips, dresses and whatever from that. Dad bought the boys their clothes, but mom and us girls made our own. We also had a lot of hand-me-downs.

My mom was as good as any mother that ever lived. In those early days we made everything from scratch, bread, pies, cakes, cookies, etc.  It was all good, you can tell that by looking at us. Years ago, everyone salted their meat, either in plain salt or a brine.  Aunt Marie, told mom how to can meat in jars, this was about 1928-29.  For many years after that it was my job to wash the jars, pack the meat and cook for three hours in a boiling bath.  My kids like that canned meat.  I have two son-in-laws that do too.
Violet and I started sewing when we were 10-12 years old.  We made the younger kids clothes, and even bloomers.  We made our own dresses, by picking out dresses we liked in the catalogues and cutting and sewing one just like the ones we seen.  You probably didn't know this, but mom’s sister Lena, in Germany, was a seamstress.  Aunt Marie really made us girls, Violet and me some pretty dresses.  Marie passed away when I was about 13 years old.  Marie was about 40 years old when she passed away.  She really knew how to crochet and make pillow lace. She was real particular, had she lived longer she could have taught us a lot

Mom put up with a lot from dad, he really had a temper.  If mom had one she never used it.  She always was the quite one and never said much.  I never heard her curse or say a swear word, and she told me that she never told a lie.  She never scolded us much and I can never remember her spanking or whipping anyone.  If someone needed help she did all she could do.  One time, some people that lived about a mile from us were about to lose their baby and the doctor said the only thing that could save it was mother's milk.  The baby couldn't nurse so mom got some milk from her breast and fed that baby for several months and it survived.  Margie was a baby then and mom thought that was why Margie was always so thin.  The name of the family that mom helped was White.

My mom never learned to drive a car or tractor. She never went much and took care of us the best she knew how to, none of use was ever jailed or did anything outrageous.  She loved us all.  We all owe her praises and love, we need to be there when she needs us.

As we get older we realize what our mothers had to put up with, especially if you have children of your own.

Mom could sew up. a storm.  She patched shirts and pants, sewed many a quilt top and was never idle, she kept busy crocheting rugs and always had a cup of tea and piece of cake ready when you came to visit. She would write us a card almost every week keeping us informed on the latest news and what was happening. (I sure to miss that a lot).

Mom you are great, we will never have another one like you.  When God made you he must have thrown the pattern away.  I don't know of anyone who can measure up to you.  I love you mom, maybe it never showed much, but its there. I love you.  Leona.