Jan 27th

Today is my Mother's birthday. Although she's been gone for 5 years now, I thought I'd be like Margaret, and write just a little something about her to commemorate her birthday.

Holly loved her family. She loved to talk to her girls and loved for us to come and visit. When I would try to leave, she would often follow me to my car, still talking. I would get in anyway and roll down the window so she would know that I really needed to go.

Still talking.

I would start my car so Mom would know that I really needed to go.

Still talking.

Finally I would begin slowly backing out of the driveway.

She would walk down the driveway, beside my car, still talking!

I miss that.

I remember the way she would look at me when I was telling her about something. She would tip her head back just a bit, looking down her nose as though she had on her bifocals, and really study me.

She loved color! Every room in her house was painted. Her taste and decorating skills were impeccable.

She was a perfectionist.

She would be in my house and say "Suzee, that picture is crooked." To which I would reply, "I know." I could see it was crooked, I just didn't care to do anything about it. But mom would always see the details and be bothered if they were out of whack.

Mom loved to receive a corsage to wear on Mother's Day. This was something that my Dad never seemed to remember to do for her. When I was grown, I took it upon myself to make this part of my gift to her every year. I loved making sure she felt special that day. Like the rest of the Mom's at church.

She taught me to be a voracious reader, to love the theater. She taught me to sew, and I inherited her sense of color, and decorating skills. For that I am very thankful!

I have her hands! Seriously. They look exactly like hers.

Mom loved going to the movies! She was my movie buddy. We saw many movies together in the early afternoons, while my children were in school.

In January of 2004 I was very pregnant with Dan. She called me to tell me she had just seen a commercial for a movie and couldn't wait to go and see it! I was getting ready to take my maternity leave from all my nail clients, and told her the movie would have to wait until next week when I was no longer working.

She passed away that Friday.

We never did get to see that one last movie together.

I regret that.

Life is fragile. Never put off spending time with your family. Work can be put aside and wait. You never know when it will be the last time you see someone here in this life.

I miss you Mom.