Happy Mother's Day Mom!

Dear Mom,
As I sit to type this to you on Mother's Day, you are gently snoring. You have 20 staples and 10 stitches closing the incision in the side of your head. It's been a rough couple of years for you, culminating this past week with surgery to close the hole in your skull which has been leaking cerebral fluid.

I am so proud of you for so many reasons. You gave Steve and I such a great start in life. You always kept us on the right path. You have always been there for both of us. You wiped away our tears. Encouraged us when we needed it. Shared the joys of our victories and triumphs and picked us up and dusted us off when we needed help.

I do not remember a time when neighbors or friends did not bring you things to be fixed. Toasters, microwaves, vacuum cleaners. You could always repair anything. When you and Dad built your house, you wired it for electricity. You wouldn't even take credit for it. When the County Inspector came to inspect the wiring, he told you it was the neatest electric box wiring he had ever seen. He wanted to know which electrician did the work. You told him Dad did it. Dad did pull the wire, but you installed every light switch and outlet, and wired the box on the wall in the garage. I think you even kept one set of a washer and a dryer running for almost 30 years! You were so mechanically minded. When I got you your first computer, you went on-line and took computer courses because you wanted to know how it worked. Many, many people your age would have never even tried to use a computer, yet you not only use it, you wanted to figure it out. I am proud to say I get some of that from you, but I'm no where near as good as you are at it.

For many years, you were the best friend and taxi driver for many of the elderly in our community. You took them to their doctor appointments or to the grocery store, or drug store or wherever they needed or wanted to go. As the years went by, you attended their funerals as each one passed away.

After you were 50 years-old, you decided you needed to do something else. You passed the Commercial Driving Test and became a school bus driver, a feat most would never attempt at a younger age. Last year, in failing health, you retired. I don't think you wanted to, but I think you knew you couldn't be responsible for yourself and your children in the shape you were in at that time.

You LOVE your family - Dad, me, Steve & Pam and Payton & Scott. You love your brothers and sisters, their families and your extended family. If you were able, there was never a time when you would not help any of us if we needed your help. You loved your parents. Having already lost your Dad, my heart broke in pieces for you when we buried your Mom. I wondered then as I wonder now, one day, how will I ever be able to live without you?

On April 13, you turned 70-years young. You had been sick for so long already. Things were going to get better though, we had a surgery date and a plan to get you well.

On May 3, you had surgery. It was major brain surgery. Your neurologist said "I can fix it." He opened your skull, reset your brain in the proper position and closed a hole in your skull. You've had a rough few days. Since surgery, you've had trouble knowing where you were or what has happened to you. They released you from the hospital early to get you back home to familiar surroundings. Although it seems like slow progress, you are getting better. You are going to be healthy again, very soon and once again, I'll probably have trouble keeping up with you.

I want you to know, as I watch you sleep, words will never, ever be enough to tell you how much I love you. I love you so much. You will always be my hero and the strongest woman I have ever met in my life. You are simply incredible!

Because of what you have been through, this Mother's Day may not be the best you have ever had, or will have, but you are the best Mom a daughter could ever have, year after year.

I love you Mom. Words will never be enough to tell you how much!