Happy Birthday, Mom

Technically, this post is a day late. Mom would have turned 60 yesterday, and we commemorated the day as a family in a variety of ways. Grant, Deborah, and the kids planted a tree near the water's edge at the cottage, near to the swing that Mom loved to sit in while reading. Dad, John, and I stopped by at the Wellness Community of Philadelphia (the cancer center) to see the bricks laid in Mom's memory. As we stooped under umbrellas, the rain coming down in sheets, I again thought of how unfair life can seem sometimes. Someone as vibrant as my mom should not be dead. Instead we should have been throwing her a party to celebrate a birthday milestone. Throughout the entire past year, I've received confirmation again and again that the Lord is taking care of our family and that Mom is enjoying the party of all parties in his presence, but even with that knowledge I miss her more every day.

I continue to think of you often, friends, and am glad that many of you are still very active parts of our lives, carrying on Mom's legacy in whatever way you choose.