Here's my guess. They look like a mimosa tree seed pod and seeds. As a child, some friends and I used to play under a neighbors mimosa tree. We pretended they were beans, lol. It's a good thing we didn't actually eat them because they are poisonous!
They do look a lot like the Mimosa seed pods. If your mom liked flowering trees that is a good possibility. My grandma had one in her yard we used to climb all the time, and they do indeed look very familiar.
It's been awhile since I've seen the seeds for mimosa, but I think they're flatter than these seeds. Maybe it's just the angle, but they look more round.
There may be some regional differences.... Mimosa was the first thing I thought of when I saw 'em, but I've never seen Locust seed pods...
But, who knows? It will be sooooo intereting to see what they turn into! If they are Mimosa - it should be obvious very soon, as the seedlings are very distinctive.
I tried to google for mimosa seed pods, but what we call mimosa is not what the rest of the world calls mimosa and I didn't feel like trying to remember the scientific name. It's something like Albizia julibrisian. I USED to know how to spell it, but it's been too many years since my tree course. Plus, I'm too beat to look it up. I'm about ready for bed!
Rhonda, how are you doing? I've been thinking of you and praying for you often.