GRACE COSENS
 Amazing Grace





~~To my mother;who encouraged me to dream and helped my dreams come true.~~
Grace Cosens was born April 16,1923 in Wildwood Alberta, the first child for Pearl and Samuel Lemp. When she was born her mother picked the name Grace Elizabeth for her but on the way to register the baby her father forgot what the name was so from then on she was known as only Grace Lemp. She had one brother while she was growing up named George,who was younger than her. She had a great love for animals especially horses and kittens. She loved anything to do with nature..the flowers..the birds chirping in the morning...the apple trees first blossoms...the first robin of spring...a flower awakening in the spring. She was a lover of life. She met my father while working at an airplane factory during the war. They were married on May 23,1947 when my mother was 23 years of age and my father was 37. In April of 1948 their first son was born,Dennis Ralph Cosens. Through the years they had five more children..Darlene Joyce,Raymond Stuart,Lorraine Pearl,Brenda Grace and Sherry-Lynn Janet. They lived in many different places during that period...Morrin, Alberta...Lenore,Manitoba...Drumheller,Alberta and Calgary,Alberta. After most of her children were raised she did the most generous thing a mother could do and took her grandchild under her wing and raised him in a good and loving environment. What a selfless thing for her to do...but that was my mother. After Sherry was born the spent quite awhile in Calgary. As a child I marveled at how my mother knew just how to mend my cuts and bruises,and was always there with a kleenex to end my sniffles. She had the uncanny ability to read my mind. She seemed to know when I was really sick or just trying to avoid another math test. When I figured the whole world was against me she was always there to tell me that everything would be okay. In 1976 Dad retired and he wanted to leave the city. He went on a trip with Darlene and came back and informed mom that he had bought a house. She was hopping mad and told him he could move there alone. She settled down after a bit and the children still at home got ready to move. Glenwood Alberta was to be our new home. Mom learned to love Glenwood and was active in the community there. She worked on the town paper and felt very good doing this. She and my dad fell in love again after dad retired and it was nice to see them walking holding hands just like a young teenage couple. I remember many times coming into the kitchen to see my mother dancing and singing while doing the dishes. Her smile could light up a room in an instant and everyone who knew her could count on her to listen and do what she could to help them with any problems. She was a great friend to anyone who befriended her including her children. It took till I was married and had kids of my own for me to realize what I had in her. I was just starting to get to know her and appreciate her when she was taken from us. I wish I had told her that I love her more often. But I was a rebellious teenager and thought I was going to have the rest of my life with her. I was wrong. I wish I could tell her that I love her just one more time...Hold her in my arms just one more time...Look into her loving blue eyes just one more time...See her smile just one more time...If only ...For those of you who still have your mother...love her and treat her as though you can lose her at any minute...cause you might..
Nobody knows of the work it takes
To keep the home together;
Nobody knows the steps it takes,
Nobody knows---but mother.
-----ANON------
MY MOTHER


I see her still,her smiling face,
Still feel the warmth of her embrace,
The loving touch she showed to me,
Loving me enough to set me free,
But as I grew,I came too see,
That what she did she did for me.
The times she said "Dont stay out late,
Or told me whom I shouldn't date,
These things she did cause she loved me
It took awhile for me to see
But now I'm a mother and understand
She wanted me safe, never far from her hand
I thank her lord for all she did
For all she taught me
For all she helped me teach my own
I only hope that I
Can be as good a mother as the mother I have known

~~sherry oursien~~