Exactly nine months ago, my beautiful, strong, brave mother entered eternal rest.
She suffered terribly the last month of her life. The last week still tortures my soul. There were good things that happened when we were all together once her care plan changed due to a significant change in her neurological status. We prayed a Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet together, the cousins got to spend time together, we took turns cooking and shopping, and spent lots of time pampering Mom.
Grief has weighed heavy on me, I have days when I'm in slow motion. Everything takes longer, I wake up all through the night. I had stopped remembering our dreams, after Mom died, I started remembering my dreams again.
A few days ago, I turned on the vacuum from Mom and Dad's house. The filtered air smelled like vinegar and Fabulosa with a hint of Brazos river dirt. That olfactory memory brought a wave of heavy emotion.
Mom's birthday was yesterday, I wore her jewelry, bright colors, her Birkenstocks, Number Two Daughter and I went to Mass and we went out to eat to celebrate her.
Happy Nana Day!
Some of her favorite foods were hamburgers, peanut butter crackers, Fritos, strawberry Yoplait yogurt, hot dogs, and Dr. Pepper. She also made the best fried chicken, chicken-fried steak, potato salad, chicken and dumplings, and cherry dump cake!
Have a Nana meal, go to church, wear bright colors, do some gardening, and call the people you love to celebrate Mom's first birthday with Jesus.
