Happy Birthday Mom....today she would have turned 72 years old.  She's been gone for 15 years.  I miss her a lot.  When I think of what she's missed -- I know she can see what's happening here but it's not the same as being here.  She didn't get to enjoy her baby's wedding and her last 2 grandsons being born, her only great grandchild (my Shannon), graduations, my trip on the roller coaster with Rob in the Army, her 3rd grandsons deployment and so many other times and moments.  My mom taught us a lot--she made sure we all could cook at least a little, had the basics of housekeeping, and life skills.  She always supported us but questioned a lot of our decisions--didn't like it at the time but understood why after the fact.  She loved each of us, though we always teased her after we had grown up that Tim was her favorite--the baby.  Still tease him about it.  She loved the 4 grandsons she had and spent time with each of them.  She taught Rob to play the piano and was delighted when she realized he could play by ear--she had tried to get one of us kids to play and no one was interested.  Rob was lucky he got the most time with her, the next 3 had a few years but by then she was on dialysis and they didn't get near the amount of time Rob had.  Every time I look at Shannon I think of her....she always wanted a red headed little granddaughter, well she never had a granddaughter--just 6 grandsons, would have had to wait for Miss Shannon to come around.   Through all the rough times in my life she was there and even after she went to Heaven I feel her here with me.  She dries my tears, makes  me smile, tells me to pick myself up, it's not that bad you can do it. 
There's a few songs that remind me of her --  Alabama's There are Angels Among Us, Steve Warner's Holes in the Floor of Heaven.  Certain hymns make me remember --- I an picture her at the piano or organ playing them and singing.........Her lilac tree is budding, I took some shoots from the one in her yard, they are growing in mine.  I treasure them every spring.  She loved spring, the flowers coming up, the smells......and Christmas was her favorite holiday--for the music. 
My mom was a great baker, good cook, could sing, play the piano and organ, sewed like magic -- she made my first wedding dress, I had found a designer gown but couldn't afford the $1000.00 price tag--she made it exactly -- the hours we spent cutting lace flowers out and gluing them to the edge of the veil.  She made my sister's too, hers was much more elaborate than mine.  It was the last big project she did.  The grandkids all have quilts she made special for them.  I still have Rob's, we used it with Shannon.  His has a rocking horse appliquéd on it.  I have some of the clothes she made him also. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM

I MISS YOU..............