My Mom’s Birthday…and Her Shoes

Today was my mom’s birthday, celebrated in fine fashion from 1912-2017. (Yes, those dates are correct; she was 105.)

I’ve wanted to compile a brief list of her favorite sayings and still might do that.

But right now I’m reaching back to a snowy Saturday afternoon in January of this year when I posted

this picture from 2016

of my mom at age 104 1/2 —

— and a former grade school student of hers, Chris Domingos, who has long since become a friend in real life (and it’s even been my honor to serve her and her family as their pastor) wrote this —

Your mother’s were the littlest feet I’ve ever seen on a grown woman. I was always fascinated with her shoes.

—- which then triggered this from me in 2016 —

They were size 3B!

I’d forgotten that until you mentioned it here.

Also surfacing at the moment through the mists of time and more: she had to get ’em from a store in downtown St. Louis. I think it might have been named something like the Vogue Boot Shop. I’m picturing pink&grey shoeboxes in her closet. Lots of those shoeboxes.

She had a favorite salesman named Mr. Peskind, originally from Belleville.

When I was old enough to drive, I’d double-park in front while she ran in for pickups.

The store had a giant mirrored staircase in the middle. (Wow…where’d all THAT bubble up from this morning?!)

She was in her element there!

—– And…so.

Memories.

Mercy.

And…yeah….