thank you for the kind words, friends. for all the comments you've left, the emails and texts and cards you've sent. thank you.
I can think of no better way to repay your many kindnesses than to share a little bit of her with you here. a video tribute put together by me and my brother in those furiously blurry few days before we laid her to rest. a barrage of old photographs and old home movie footage but so much more. so, so much more. her life, her light. my beautiful, amazing mom.
oh goodness. what a truly lovely tribute to a very special mama. now i can see why you turned out to be such a light in this world. your mama was the star that started it all. xo
ReplyDeleteWhat a lively beauty and a wonderful tribute to a life that looks so well lived. You were blessed with her charming good looks!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful and poetic.
ReplyDeleteThis made me cry. This is gorgeous, part of why I love photographs. They help us remember. Word, to what Kathleen said. Looks like you have quite a bit of her in you. May Jesus carry you in your grieving.
ReplyDeletebeautiful - thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThat's really one of the loveliest memorial videos I've seen. Your mother was *gorgeous* -- and I'm sure she was beautiful through and through if she inspired such love.
ReplyDeleteWow, you weren't kidding when you said she was beautiful. So very sorry.
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful , I was weeping!! Thank you and hugs from Ireland:~))
ReplyDeleteSuch a sweet video. I lost my grandmother last week and I know how hard of a time I am having, so I am sending good thoughts your way. xoxo
ReplyDeleteAw! That is just beautiful x
ReplyDeleteThis is so beautiful. I'm sure that your mom will never be forgotten!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful beautiful life. Thinking of you and your family x
ReplyDeletebeautiful.
ReplyDeleteyou've been in my thoughts, andrea.
xoxo
Wow oh wow oh wow. Thank you for sharing that with us all. Those pictures are so so beautiful. Just, wow.
ReplyDeleteA hug and kind thoughts from me.
I can see where you get your beauty and light from now.
ReplyDeleteoh, lady. it just so, so very beautiful. hugs.
ReplyDeleteThis is very moving. You and your brother did a wonderful job. She's beautiful and you can so see you and your daughter in her.
ReplyDeleteyou have her smile, her eyes, her cheeks. :) you carry her now.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful tribute. Your mother was a beautiful lady.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful.
ReplyDeletewhat an incredible tribute to your mother. thinking of you and your family during this difficult time. her light will continue to shine through you and your children. much love to your.
ReplyDeleteTrop, trop beau. I have been thinking of you these past few weeks, wondering what you were living through, those small hints you wrote saying so much more.This film is so beautiful, holds the emotion. Take care. Susanna PS My heart is with you.
ReplyDeleteYour mom was just beautiful, and this tribute does her perfect justice.
ReplyDeleteMy goodness. So beautiful. So very beautiful, Andrea. Your Mama's spirit touched my heart this morning. Thank you for sharing this tribute with us.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, wonderful, amazing Gussy.
xo
What an absolutely beautiful life...
ReplyDeleteIt is clear to me where you get your love of photography, photo booths and your beautiful smile. Thank you for reminding me I need to smile more and to remember that sometimes, I need to be in front of the camera rather than hiding behind it. Thank you for sharing. Love to you and your family.
ReplyDeletewhat a beautiful tribute! you and ava both look just like her. she shined like a light. much love to all of you in these hardest of hard days. xo.
ReplyDeleteThis is so beautiful. She is sunlight indeed.
ReplyDeleteDear Andrea. The beauty that was your Mom lives on in you and your family. Thank you for sharing such loveliness. I am sorry for your loss and wish you strength in this time of sadness.
ReplyDeleteI don't know you but that video is one of the most beautiful things ever. Your mom will always be with you.
ReplyDeleteI love this sweet video so much.....my mom was born in 1947 so many of your mom's youth pictures remind me of my own mothers. Same era, hair, styles. And I have a special place in my heart for your mother's name, Augusta because my first born son is named August.
ReplyDeleteYour mom was gorgeous by the way - her entire life! I can feel the love your family shared pouring out from these images.
Thank you for sharing with all of us, Andrea.
xo
cortnie
Wow, beautiful! thank you for sharing. I have tears in my eyes.
ReplyDeletesuch a beautiful tribute, your mom shines in those still frame memories. thinking of you and your family.x
ReplyDeleteThis is such a beautiful way to remember your mother. I agree she was beautiful and it looks like she was always smiling. Thanks for sharing this with us. x
ReplyDeleteHi Andrea, I've been a longtime reader, but I don't usually leave comments. Today I'm breaking that habit to tell you how sorry I am to hear that you lost your mom, and to say thank you for sharing that beautiful video. I think it's really brave to share an experience like this, and I hope that sharing it will mean that we all carry a little of your burden for you over the coming weeks/months. I hope your days feel lighter very soon. I'll be thinking of you both.
ReplyDeleteThis is absolutely one of the most beautiful 3:50 I have ever seen. Your mother's smile... it's the forever kind. Thank you for sharing this precious glimpse of her with us.
ReplyDeleteSo so beautiful...a big hug for you and your family.
ReplyDeleteWords fail me, I am so moved and so hurt for you. I just cannot imagine...please know that I do love you and your family very much as weird as that seems. I'll be sending prayers up for you. Your mother was an extraordinary beauty--angelic.
ReplyDeleteI'm so, so sorry that you have had to cross over into the world of motherless children. It's a tough terrain. But it's clear you had a doozy of a mom -- you can really see the love and life and humor in her eyes. She will live in every loving gesture you make to your own kids. And all of us other motherless moms, well, we're with you in spirit, and we know (to a degree,at least) what you are feeling. It ain't easy. Hang in there.
ReplyDeleteThe love in this is palpable -- I'm sitting here just flooded with intense emotion. These are not empty words or just a well-meant comment --seriously. The love that pours out of this piece -- your mom's love for her life and for her family, and your love for her -- is a real, physical thing. It's incredible.
ReplyDeletethank you for sharing
ReplyDeleteYour mother was beautiful in so many ways. A radiant smile to say the least. I love how the layers of pictures reflect the layers of her life. This movie is extraordinary. So sorry for your loss <3
ReplyDeletethank you so much for sharing this with us. absolutely beautiful. xoxoxoxoxo
ReplyDeleteThank your for sharing this. I am so very sorry for your loss. I pray that you find strength. Your mother was very beautiful and this video captured the beauty of her life.
ReplyDeleteI read your blog quietly from afar and know I should take some time to comment more often. I am sorry for your loss and am in love with this beautiful tribute to your mother. Lovely.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry for your loss. This a wonderful tribute to your mother! She is a great woman.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful tribute! Your mom looks like one of those people that could light up a room with her smile. hugs :)
ReplyDeletecatching up on my fave hula blog!
ReplyDeleteloved watching this beauty when your brother shared on twitter.
stunning, heart-warming tribute.
been lifting y'all up in prayer.
much love xo
so beautiful. what a gorgeous tribute to her, to her light, to your love. she was clearly an amazing woman, you have so much of her in you. i'm so sorry for your loss. xoxo
ReplyDeleteandrea ~ i had no idea of your mom's passing when we met. know that you carry her within always...her delicate pink glow shows in your smiling cheeks. i saw it there.
ReplyDeletemuch love and sweet peace to you
hugs
melody
That is the best tribute to someone I've ever seen. Your mother was a gorgeous woman, and a warm spirit. Thank you for sharing her with us.
ReplyDeleteYou have your mother's cheekbones!
ReplyDeleteThat may seem a weird thing to say, but I adore your cheekbones and your shining spirit. Today I can see that they both came from your beautiful Mom.
You know what else I've noticed? You passed them on to Ava.
What a beautiful tribute to a beautiful woman. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
ReplyDeleteThis is so beautiful Andrea. Made me cry and I dont even know you both...it was also inspiring too.Makes me want to run up stairs and hug my kids and light sparklers in the dark and dance. Thank you for that. {{hugs}}
ReplyDeleteAndrea....my sweet sweet friend. This was wonderful. How beautiful your mama was. That SMILE! She was gorgeous on the outside, but you can tell by the sparkle in her eyes and the warmth of that smile that she was just as gorgeous inside. So much love to you, my friend. I've been going through some tough times this past week my own beloved mama, who was hospitalized, and it's gut wrenching. I can't even imagine what it was like going through that loss. But what beautiful amazing memories that will live on in your heart, sweet girl. Gussy will always be in your heart. xo
ReplyDeleteandrea, this is so belated but i'm so sorry. this video your brother made is so beautiful. i can see the amazing person she was and how her light now shines through you and your family as well!
ReplyDeletethis made me cry. i'm so sorry, andrea. your mother just radiated love and happiness and beauty. what a gift she was to this world. i see her in your eyes, in your smile. your mama was truly a light to those around her.
ReplyDeleteWhat a truly beautiful woman and video. I stumbled upon your blog via Instagram. I'm up late missing/grieving my dear mama. It may sound strange but reading your posts I feel like you are speaking my heart in ways I don't know how. Thank you for sharing. I'm deeply sorry for your loss. My mom was my best friend, too.
ReplyDeletejust beautiful. how completely wonderful you and your brother were able to do so. and now you have this. this will have to do. i'm so sorry for your loss.
ReplyDeleteI follow you on IG and have been thinking about you all day. I know this time is hard for you. Thank you for sharing a beautiful tribute to your mom. I am so sorry for your loss.
ReplyDeleteMy heart goes out to you. I lost my mum at 13 and now, at 45, while I don't think of her everyday she is often in my thoughts and memories. The pain will ease and she will always live in your heart. I agree with the previous comments, your Mother was beautiful and you look so much like her x
ReplyDelete