Happy Birthday Mom!

Jan. 3, 1945

My mom was born 65 years ago tomorrow. It is so difficult to believe that she is gone.

Looking back since she died, it has been so difficult to put her illness and death out of my mind and think of good memories. I try but her pain sneaks in my mind and doesn't let go. It is like a parasite that I haven't found a remedy for.

Today, however, I thought of her and something fun we had done together, we loved to do crafty things and we were good at them. One year we decided to make "Martha" wreaths that are covered with Christmas balls. We drafted 2 friends and we scoured every Goodwill, St. Vincent's and thrift shop from Washington Island to Oshkosh in search of Christmas balls in all colors, shapes and sizes. We set up a worshop in her kitchen for several weeks making these wreaths. We all had an absolute blast. I imagine that we used at least 1000 hot glue sticks. But we got the production all down to a science. And then we sold the wreaths at a little shop in Sister Bay! Oh what a Great holiday season!! Ball-O-Rama!

Now the photos... These show how much she loved her grandchildren! Ethan and Rachel were truly gifts from God to our family. They were loved beyond measure by my mom - - I know how much it pained her to leave them when she died ... they were the light of her day. They miss her so very much.... me too!

So Happy Birthday Mom! I love you and miss you more than ought to be allowed!