Happy Birthday Mom!

I Miss My Mommy:)

I love doing birthday things for all of my New City/Barrio Nuevo kids and adults. What is amazing is that I have a bunch of friends who share the same birthday with my mom and me. I actually took a card to my Starbuck’s barista this morning. She is a sweet lady who is a young 32 with a young son and an awesome hubby. I have another friend whose house we painted last year. She also turns 30 something tomorrow. She is the auntie of a few of my younger kids. She gets the privilege at times of babysitting.

My real point of this blog isn’t to talk about the twins of Diane, another one of our painting families or Demondre a teen in our group but to take a few minutes to thank God for my mom. I think what is interesting is that my mom didn’t know her real birthday until she went to apply for collecting her social security. It had always been the assumption that her birthday was correct and that it was the day after mine. So it was a shock when she found out that someone had either lied or forgot?? Her birthday wasn’t the day after mine but we actually shared the same day.

My mother was always great at making birthdays special. She would do the little things like planning a party, having a special cake, getting the present for you that no one else knew about. I have had sad happy birthdays the last few years, as my mom has been gone. I think she will watch us as we celebrate as a family my birthday and hers on Saturday night with my family. I struggle with knowing whether my dad is even able to remember or wants to because of the heart ache of not having her around. She was always out spoken and the life of the party. She was always great at making us feel at home even after we had just moved for like the 20^th time.

Mom you were the one who taught me to be out going, caring and friendly. You were also quick to open my eyes to see that lying or stealing were wrong and destructive. Yes, you would read to me at night from the Bible and pray the Lord’s Prayer together. I know that we were very different in many ways but at the core or center of my life you were that light that help guide me through my years of growing up. You were there when our Heather was only a two pounder and was three months early. Just in the same way you were quick to accept our Julie and Jon as we adopted them into our family.

I could write a book on my mom my super hero that stood by my dad as he flew all over the world to be our protector in the face of evil. My dad was gone for a year when I was just a year old. I obviously don’t have any memory of this but what my mom has told me. I do remember when I was in Jr/Sr High and my dad had 5 tours of duty in Vietnam. He had over 5000 hours of combat flight duty. My mom was incredible with him being gone most of my teen hood. She never complained but always had a smile and was quick to say step up and do what you have to and make life happen.

I will never forget her last few months of life. I had bullied my middle brother, Mark, to join us for our last birthday celebration together. I know that my dad was hurting big time and didn’t have the ability to talk about her approaching death. It was special being with her and loving on her and hearing her say that she loved us and wasn’t afraid to die. I cry as I write this because I wasn’t ready to lose her to cancer. I know that my younger brother Scott had the gift of being with her the last night of her life. My dad seldom left her but for some reason asked Scott to watch her as he went out shopping or decided for once that he needed a break. Scott was able to talk and love on her not knowing that night she would leave us for a better place.

It was almost a month after our birthday together that I got a call from my dad around 1:30 AM. I knew that this call would come but had no idea how my dad would sound. He was on a spiritual high that clearly was a God thing that he was surrounded by the Angelic Host that was bringing mom into glory. My dad had watched many times when he thought she would die but I think now he knew that this was her time to leave us. We had just recently talked or argued about having hospice help out at home. I was able to get my dad to admit that he could use some help in caring for her. He actually allowed me to make the call and the next day a Hospice Nurse came out and started to get mom ready to let go of this life in order to be ready for the next life.

Yes, mom, I think of you often. I know at times I have made you proud and other times I know I have disappointed you as I have sinned and rebelled against our Heavenly Father. You know how much work it would be to help dad transition to Phoenix and get moved into Chris Ridge Village. Yet, through this all God’s grace and mercy have been so clearly part of what we have experienced.

Mom – thanks for loving me unconditionally throughout my life. I know that one day we will meet again to laugh together, cry together and enjoy eternity together. Happy Birthday your son – David.