Wednesday, April 6, 2011

My MIL

Hulda Goossen, the best Mother In Law EVER!!

This pretty lady is my Mother in Law. Today is her 90th birthday. She has been a rock in our lives, and by that, I mean a good thing.

She was born to Peter and Anna Franz, the youngest of six children. She was raised on a farm in Thomas County, Kansas. She had a happy childhood.

She was joined in marriage to Cornelius D. Goossen on June 2, 1942. They were blessed with eight children. Her husband died on November 3, 1959, and she was left alone to raise her children. She did a fantastic job, and has children who are beautiful adults! She is the grandmother to 20 grandchildren and has 34 great-grandchildren. (If I counted wrong, blame it on MY age!)

Life was hard for her, but I have never known her to complain. She was always cheerful, and ready to help in any way she could. She has/had a great sense of humor! She loves laughing!

I married her oldest. An example of her humor: She was visiting after we'd been married a few months, and she took my husband aside and was talking to him. I could overhear what she told him, and she knew it.

She told him that if he didn't like my cooking, just call her and she would come and cook for him. Needless to say, I wasn't happy. She saw the look on my face, and then she finished her thought. She told my husband that she would cook for him the same way she cooked for her husband when they were first married....burned food, undercooked food, not enough food, and just any way food could be inedible. Then we all had a good laugh. She did that for all the other girls as they married into the family.

Mom's youngest child was born profoundly retarded, but mom loved her, and still loves her. She was always excited to tell anyone who would listen, the progress her daughter was making.

She is in a home now, but she loves her new 'home'! She loves her neighbor (roommate), the food, and everything about it. All of the help there love her too.

Her memory isn't the greatest, but she is cheerful. She loves her Lord, and is excited to go to Him.

Here is a picture of her, and her children. Her youngest is in a home and wasn't able to be with us that day.








8 comments:

Kim said...

Awww, what a lovely post. I hope she has a wonderful birthday. She looks like she still has that sense of humour in her eyes!

Lana said...

She is a sweetheart!!

Lois O'Brien said...

We have all been so blessed by Hulda. She is definitely an example to me of a thankful, cheerful follower of Christ. She looks so pretty in her picture too! :) Happy Birthday, sweet Hulda!

Portia said...

What a wonderful tribute! She looks awesome!

I Am Woody said...

What a wonderful tribute! Everyone needs a MIL like that!

joanne said...

she sounds like a treasure! Happy Birthday Hulda!

Tesa said...

This is a great pic of her and all her kids...(all that could be there).

What a nice tribute!

Kristen said...

Words from the heart....what a heartfelt tribute Aunt Linda! I remember visiting and eating mint chocolate chip ice cream with her. She was one of the few people who loved it as much as I still do! I love that picture as well....how fortunate that almost all of her children could be there for it. YOU are a true blessing in her life as well!Thanks for posting :)