Thanks "Mom"!

I want to dedicate this to my Mom who passed away Thursday Sept 11 2014.

I wrote this letter below and gave it to her in 1987. When my daughter and daughter in law were cleaning out her items, after she passed away, I found that she had kept this letter.... all these years!

I want to share this with ALL our "MOMS" out there and to let you ALL know ...just how SPECIAL you really are! <3 <3

Love you and miss you desperately :-(

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The letter as it was written 27 years ago

Thanks "Mom"!

After nine months of claustrophobic squirming and kicking, I emerged into this world and was given a swift slap on the rump. The doctor plopped me on your stomach like a market fish, and somehow just hearing your heart beat made me feel better. I KNEW then and there, that this was the start of something "SPECIAL".

The next time I saw you, I was in my first diaper, a feeling similar to getting a new pair of shoes...once they're worn in, the excitement was gone. It was great though, lying in a little white "cell", babies crying on either side, all the Moms and Dads waving and making obnoxious faces through the observation window.

Then, there "she" was..."MY MOM" appearing at the window...YOU were BEAUTIFUL and I starred up at you in awe!

After several days, you and Dad took me to my real home, which you had taken so much care to make it soft and comfortable.

I diapered and burped my way through my first year, drooling on family, friends and strangers alike and hearing occasional words from my mom about premature gray hair. Gradually I grew tired of just listening to you and decided to give you, Mom, a piece of my mind about that awful strained food you'd feed me. My mind was small so I started out with a "HMMMM" and then finally, one day I came out with "MAMMMA"!

At that, your eyes lit up like the flame that warmed my bottle. I was in no hurry to proceed any further beyond this small vocabulary, because you always came running whenever I'd scream, "MAMMMA"!! I had you right where I wanted you.

In that way I kept my Mom on her toes through the terrible 2's and 3's, picking up the chase when I learned how to WALK! With Mom on one side and you Dad on the other, I precariously took a few steps and then fell on my rump! It took me a long time to find out why you and Dad were always smiling at me, but when I took my first steps unaided, your excitement, Mom, burst forth like an uncorked bottle of champagne!

Soon I was off to Grade One (because there was no kindergarten there), Peggy, Brenda, Valerie and Mike became my good friends. You - Mom and I would engage in girl talk about "cooties" and chasing "boys" at recess. After school I played hide and seek knowing that Mom was inside with the Mecca and band-aids.

The first 7 years of my life passed oh so quickly for me but probably not so for you Mom. You kept a record of my trips to the doctor for needles and you also kept securely tucked away in your Hope Chest, my first booklet I made in my early years in school, all about my family and me. That represents my composition and style that is mine to this day.

Then, one day I "discovered" something NEW about my MOM! I'd wake up in the morning to find her making breakfast and packing lunches. My sister and I would run off to the school bus stop, leaving Mom with a house to clean. After school we would find her making new batches of homemade cookies for the next day's lunches and still found the time make our home spotlessly clean!

Without mercy, we impatiently awaited for the last batch of cookies to be done so we could set the table and have her start supper. After supper, Mom cleaned up, we'd fight over who was going to wash the dishes and who was going to dry them, until Mom made a chart on the calendar of who was to do what and when! Then Mom, you were off to maybe do a little laundry that "WE JUST HAD TO HAVE FOR SCHOOL" the next day. Then we sat around for a very short period of time, kissed Dad on the cheek and Mom tucked us in with a goodnight kiss. MANY nights it seemed I kissed a very TIRED LOOKING MOM goodnight!

I slowly felt myself growing up, spending more time with my friends and being pulled away from my Mom. As I grew into my teen years, the first half of "WAR & PEACE" began! Our home became a combat zone! I hated it when my sister would argue and yell, slamming doors and listening to my Dad yell back and watching Mom cry! That broke my heart to hear Mom "cry" and hearing my Dad holler! Mom and Dad and I had a few "wars" about "BOYS", but mainly "one SPECIAL boy.

But all through those trying years, and in my moments of doubt and confusion, you Mom, ALWAYS found time to help me deal with my problems and still do...even today.

And so TODAY, I say THANK YOU MOM...for EVERYTHING...from my comfortable childhood up to the VERY SPECIAL FRIENDSHIP we share, even today in our older years!

And I hope the next time I see you, I'll remember to tell you, how beautiful you are to ME!

All my LOVE
Your daughter
ROX
XXXOOO