Threads of Love: Honoring My Own Mama Duck

Janice Bangs at the Seafair Pageant

Dear Flock,

With Mother’s Day still fresh in my heart, I’ve been reflecting on the remarkable woman who has quietly stitched love into every chapter of my life — my own Mama Duck, Christine.

Many of you will see photos in this month’s blog from the Seafair pageant I participated in as Miss University District back in the day.  I was lucky enough to wear gowns created and designed by my truly fashionable mother! Behind every bead, hemline, and last-minute zipper repair was my mother working to put me back together with endless patience and creativity. If a fashion emergency happened on a Friday, somehow Mom had it solved by Saturday morning!

Long before pageants, she was already making magic for our family. Some of my happiest childhood memories are of the matching outfits she lovingly tailored for my brother and me. We probably didn’t appreciate how stylish we were at the time, but we certainly felt loved.

What makes her talent even more extraordinary is the story behind it. As a young girl fleeing from East to West Germany during WWII, sewing was a trade she was required to learn as a teenager. What began in hardship eventually became one of the many ways she cared for others throughout her life after immigrating to the U.S. at age 19.

Today, in her eighties and living independently in Seattle, Mom continues cheering me on.  She attended my recent Mother’s Day weekend book signing at Barnes & Noble Seattle and, for the very first time, got to witness this new chapter of my life as an author in action. Hearing her gentle accent as she chatted with families at my story time and book signing made my heart smile.

Some mothers sew dresses.

Mine also sewed confidence, courage, and love into every seam.

With gratitude always,
Janice