Remembering.....

There once was this precious little girl....

....who grew in to a beautiful young lady...

...and was always with the latest fashion...even the beehive hair-do.

She married a very handsome man in the fall of 1967....

...and later had a son and a daughter.  

(Mom and me, Summer 1977)

She LOVED her children and her children loved her.  She did everything she could to make them happy.

(Mom and me, Summer 1979)

....and although she later divorced her children's father, she remained friends with him. Together they would support their children in the important times. 

She was close to her daughter.....and her daughter loved the times they were together.

Eventually, her daughter married an amazing man...and the mama couldn't have been happier with the husband God had chosen for her little girl.

A few years later, her daughter was pregnant. She called to let her mom know she was expecting a baby GIRL. At that moment, I am pretty sure the entire neighborhood heard her squealing with delight. (The man next door came running over to make sure she was okay, from what I hear. ha!)


A few months later, her first granddaughter was born, and she was on Cloud 9. 


Her life was good.

(4 generations!!! January 2003)

But within a few short months, her life changed. And anyone who knew her, their life changed as well.

This sweet lady was diagnosed with cancer....a brain tumor.

Slowly, it robbed her of well being....her quality of life....her quantity of life....

But through it all, she never lost that contagious smile. 

She could light up a room just by walking in it. Everyone loved her, because she truly loved everyone....

Rounds and rounds of chemo made her swell and feel awful, but she never let that get her down. She used every ounce of energy she had to smile, when the tumor robbed her of her ability to speak.....then walk...then move....

Her children (and granddaughter) remained the center of her life. Even though she couldn't express it, her son and daughter felt the love she had for them right up to the very end.

(Mom with my brother and me)

Today marks the 6th anniversary of my mama's passing....

Not a day goes by that I don't think about her.  

Was she perfect?

No.

She made her mistakes, like we all do, as mothers. 

But she was perfect for me and my brother.

And she was the perfect grandmother to my daughter, who only got to enjoy her a short time. 

My world is not the same without her. 

Six years later, I still want to pick up the phone when my children do something that I know she would get a kick out of....or when I am lonely...or sad...or just want to talk.

I am sure that will never change.

I am smiling today, though, remembering those fun times I had with my mama. I had 29 short years with her. She was only mine to borrow for a little while. 

Now, she's my guardian angel, watching over me every day of my life.

And I hope...oh, how I hope....that I have made her proud. 

Because, like her, all I want to do is make my children happy.

She sure did.

1945-2005