Happy Birthday, Mom!

Happy Birthday to my mother-in-law Helena!
(Helena is not only my mother-in-law but I consider Helena my friend.)




A young beauty from Sweden, right off the farm
She came to America on her father’s arm

She loved this country right from the start
Not the home of her birth, but the home of her heart

She wasn’t here long before she wanted to marry
When she met Prince Charming, a fellow named Harry

They started building a family right away
And then along came Eric, and Donald, and Ray

Soon after a little girl Sue would arrive
And then there was Kenny, child number five

Her family was complete with a daughter and four sons
There was much washing, and cleaning, and a house full of fun

The years flew by too quickly and too soon her children were grown
Her sons and her daughter were now out starting lives of their own

In-laws were made part of the family as she welcomed us in
And then the arrival of the beloved grandchildren did begin

Two nicer grandparents you couldn’t ask for
In Swedish they were called FarFar and FarMor

In their fourteen grandchildren they took such delight
And they loved each one with all of their might

Some years were filled with joy and some years were filled with sorrow
And Helena carried on and looked ahead to each tomorrow

Now great-grandchildren have been added to her fold
There’s Mia the lovely and Jayden the bold

She’s been so hard-working all of her life
As FarMor, mother-in-law, Mom, and wife

And we may not have often told her of the love that’s in our hearts
And of all our dreams and hopes and plans in which she played a part

But we hope and we pray that she knows in some way
How very dear she is to us each and every day