Anniversary of the ending of a Life...

Narcissus transplanted from Mom's house
Not blooming yet, but soon...

Hyacinths are Blooming

Matthan's Birthday June 2006

Christmas 2006

Kid's Corsage for MeMe

Tribute of Flowers for Mom

Blowing Kisses

A Slow and Sad Farewell. (This is todays headline on our St. Louis Journal)

This is a hard day. I miss my Mom, the kids miss their Meme. There have been a lot of hard days since last April 2 2007... you expect the birthdays and holidays to be hard. But in my case cooking is difficult, no dinnertime goes by I don't miss her ... my habit was to call her while I was cooking. It has been that way since I moved out of the house. I really called a lot when I moved to California in 1988 and we just kept it up. She expected me to call her every week and I did. I got in the habit of "just stopping by so you can kiss your grandbaby" when Caity was a baby and we kept that up with Matthan as well. If I was in the neighborhood, we dropped in. Some of the best visits were when we just dropped in late afternoon for a kiss. In spring, summer and fall we could always count on a quick "walk" through the backyard to see the latest flowers, plants, birdfeeder or yard art she had out.

The day Westley was born was way hard... this was the first time that my Mom was not there after one of my babies was born, she did not hold the new baby and gush with pride nor did she have the chance to and make the "looks" comparison to one of my siblings. (Caity looked like Uncle Josh and me and Matthan looked like me). By the way, Westley looks the most like Uncle Josh too, but only when he is sleeping... awake he looks like my baby pictures. He has the Dalton Children chin and I think he may have my nose. It saddens my heart that he will never know her except by our memories.

Springtime for me simply drives home the fact that Mom is no longer with us.

The Magnolia tree is planted and will bloom over the summer. This is my remembrance /memorial for her. The Narcissus Paperwhites (that Mom transplanted from Moner's house to Windbrooke then to Ross) are transplanted now at my house and thriving. There are small flamingos throughout my yard and house to simply remind us of her color in life. Did anyone else know how sick she was of them?! How funny it was that it became her trademark ... not a one of us who knew her can ever see a flamingo without thinking of her. How about string patio lights and large yard art?! If it was obnoxious and might annoy the neighbors, then put it up where they could see it, why not. If they didn't like it or you didn't like it, too bad. That was true of so many things.

Today I just want to say thanks for all the life lessons and thank you for being my mommy.

I Love You Mom ... XOXO
your
~ Steel Magnolia
~ & the Icing on the Cake

Cancer SUCKS!
~It stole a life we held dear
leaving us with only our memories!~
~~~~~~~