Youth fades; love droops, the leaves of friendship fall;
A mother’s secret hope outlives them all.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
A mother’s secret hope is a child will grow to be wise and seek the path that keeps them growing closer to the Light of heaven.
A mother’s secret hope is a child experiences all the joys in life that keeps them afloat even during the toughest of times.
A mother’s secret hope is a child will keep their sense of wonder and never give up their search for who they are.
A mother’s secret hope is a child no matter how many falls and tumbles they take, they learn to get up gracefully and never give up following their dreams and aspirations.
A mother’s secret hope is while raising her child, whatever personal struggles and sacrifices she met in her own life, she kept it locked in her heart, and went on to find joy when her child found a love to share and now walks forward building the next generation’s legacy of love.

Growing together in love . . .
my oldest daughter’s recent engagement announcement fulfilled one mother’s secret hope.
As a parent, what secret hopes did you keep in your heart and did your hopes become a reality for you?
Inspiration: Weekly Photo Challenge: Hope.
I really enjoyed how you presented this. Congrats to your daughter (and son in law to be).
LikeLike
Thanks Cee! You bring words of encouragement and I thank you 🙂
LikeLike
What a beautiful post! I’m not a parent, but this post made me understand my mom a little better. 🙂
LikeLike
Hello Kath,
It’s hard to understand why moms do the things we do sometimes 🙂 but hopefully, at the end of the journey we can meet at the crossroads and finally see eye to eye. Thank you for your kind words.
LikeLike
nice collection 😉
LikeLike
Thank you cobbies69 for stopping by 🙂
LikeLike
What a charming way to present this news to us, your blogging pals!
Beautiful post and worthy of many prizes!
Blessings to you …..
LikeLike
Your grace filled words warm my heart RV! Thank you and many blessings to you too!
LikeLike
Beautiful Entry Sunshine Great entry for this week theme my friend 🙂
LikeLike
Many thanks Jake 🙂
LikeLike
This was such a lovely post, congratulations to your daughter and new fiancee! 🙂
LikeLike
Hello Gabby,
Time just flies too quickly! I appreciate your visits and chats
~thank you 🙂
LikeLike
Best wishes to your daughter. Such an exciting time. Enjoyed your post today.
LikeLike
Hi Ruth! Yes, it’s exciting, and you enjoying this made me happy 🙂
Thanks for the visit!
LikeLike
Lovely photos! I especially like that shot of the child’s legs swaying by the playhouse! Cute!
And thanks for sharing your secret hopes… they’re not secret now though 🙂 Wishing all your hopes and dreams come true.
LikeLike
Hehe . . . you are right Nelson, my secret is no longer. 🙂
I enjoyed your family sitting at the beach photo, makes for a very hopeful life.
Thank you!
LikeLike
Beautiful post. My teens are now in college so that is one hope fulfilled and many more to come. 😉
LikeLike
Hi Eliz! Having teens in college is a great HOPE fulfilled! Hope is a small word but
how great of an influence it has in our lives. Thanks! I hope you have a fantastic week! 🙂
LikeLike
Very nice post, makes me realize that I still have dreams for my daughter and grandchildren:)
LikeLike
Hello Angelswhisper! I’m happy you enjoyed your visit . . . ahh, grandchildren, I bet that is a
delightful adventure! I’m looking forward to those days. Thank you and I enjoyed the chat 🙂
LikeLike
What a wonderful entry for this week’s photo challenge. Great post. 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you Arindam! Your entry on hope was also very inspiring~
I appreciate you stopping in 🙂
LikeLike
Wonderful photos, especially the little girl looking at her bare foot. ???, I really don’t know why, because of your photos were charming. Congrats to your daughter and soon to be son-in-law. Here’s wishing them many happy years together.
LikeLike
Thank you so much Orples! I’m not sure either what was going on with the bare feet but glad I caught it!
I enjoyed your Ziggy quote . . . so true.
Glad you stopped in 🙂
LikeLike
This is such a sweet post of hopes fulfilled and hopes to come. Congratulations to you all!
LikeLike
Thank you Patti and I’m happy you stopped by 🙂
LikeLike
Excellent Sunshine! I love all those photos, particularly the railroad tracks. Nicely done!
http://wp.me/pPyQY-xR
LikeLike
Hey Joe,
Ahh, it’s nice when the children grow up and you
can stand back and reflect on their journey.
I do appreciate your thoughts and your visit. 🙂
(Your HOPE entry was excellent!!)
LikeLike
this mother holds lots of hope in the soft heart.
wishes for the kid’s wishes to come true
hopes for them to achieve their ambitious goals, one a pilot and the other an astrounaut 🙂
hopes for them to cross over to adulthood with a happy childhood
with little or no dents 😉
hopes for the kids to grow up:
to be responsible citizens, to be loving dads and husbands, to be a joy for all ….
it can go on and on 🙂
those are wonderful captures sunshine. May all your hopes be realised, may they come true 🙂
LikeLike
Hello Amira,
You wrote it well . . . “a happy childhood with little or no dents!”
You got that so right and how we mothers worry and fret at times attempting to prevent the children from making serious mistakes.
Alas, sometimes, they have to learn on their own –ouch, and how painful for mothers to watch!
I wish all your hopes for your lovely children may also be fulfilled. . .
~Peace to you Amira!
LikeLike
Wow, great post, and great photos.
LikeLike
Thanks Jim! 🙂
LikeLike
Beautiful and so very true… And then (once they leave the nest) comes another phase (or, at least I’ve found this to be true). The phase of ‘allowing them to grow together, making their mistakes, reaching for their stars as a couple, having their power struggles (for some), in fact; becoming as one’. A beautiful phase; yet one that left this mother’s heart a little sad for the loss of her baby girl. And yet; what became is now a beautiful bond between two women who deeply love and care for each other… A wonderful journey indeed…. 😉
LikeLike
Yes, Carolyn, this work called parenting is indeed a wonderful journey! For sure, there is never a dull
moment! As you said, a mother’s heart feels the sadness when their (adult) babies go on their own. *sigh*
Thank you, it has been my pleasure to read a little about your “baby girl” and her “growing in love” relationship.
Awesome!
~All the best to you!
LikeLike
A post more than simply charming! Whispers of truth recognized by so many.
The journey is far from completed – rest up for the next adventure!
LikeLike
Okay, will take a breather Philo mouse, just for a moment. Thanks for the advice and stopping in for a visit 🙂
LikeLike
Very charming post. Cute pictures and loved the thoughts – and congratulations to your daughter on her engagement.
LikeLike
Hello Bongo! Thank you and hope your person got caught up from the weekend 🙂
LikeLike
Here’s to good mothers.
LikeLike
Woohoo! Yes, mofman, to all good mothers! I appreciate your visit 🙂 Thanks!
LikeLike
Lovely post!
LikeLike
Thank you Deanna! Glad you stopped in 🙂
LikeLike
This is a lovely post Sunshine! Beautiful thoughts of hope. Congratulations too of your daughter’s engagement. I love all the photos 🙂
LikeLike
Hello Gracie,
Trying to catch up here . . . thank you for your kind words. I appreciate you coming here and chatting 🙂
LikeLike
This was very touching. ♥
LikeLike
Hello Anne!
Thank you for the encouraging words. Life, so full of surprises at every turn!
Happy you stopped by and hope all is going well with you.
~peace!
LikeLike
thanks for sharing this great story of hope.
the first pic with the glasses made me smile 🙂
http://wp.me/p1hfki-qH
LikeLike
Thank you Kris! I’m glad you left your hope entry here . . . it’s hard to keep track of the posts in the weekly challenges. I do love visiting and sure wish I could spend more time with each blog entry. *Sigh*
Thanks for stopping by 🙂
LikeLike
charming and humorous post. thanks for sharing your story.
LikeLike
Thank you for your input and visit, suitablefish! (love that name . . . so cute!) 🙂
LikeLike