Mother's Day

For the last several weeks every day we would open the newspaper, hear on the radio, or see on TV something about Mother's Day. We all knew that it was coming and we all knew that it was going to be a very, very difficult day.

Well our expectations were spot on. I woke up early, of course, and got up. Every year we would always make breakfast in bed for Chris and sit around with her while she ate. The kids would run upstairs with presents in hand and give them to her. Always, she would be thrilled with the present no matter what it was. Not just to make the kids happy, but because she truly loved an appreciated each and every thing that she ever received.

We all got ourselves together and went to the 11am mass. Sitting in front of us was a woman and her husband and 3 very fidgety kids around the ages of 1,2 and maybe 3. They we very cute and really made the mass go by quickly even though it ran over. The mother apologized several times for the distractions, which all of us immediately assured her that it was perfectly fine! We didn't mind at all. During church the priest said a special blessing for all the mothers in attendance and they were all asked to stand up. It really sheds a different perspective on your life when something you truly love and cherish is no longer there for you.

After mass we walked over and had brunch at Beans and Bagels. Rich was there and we chatted for awhile. We then finished our food and headed to the car. In the car were all the supplies that we had gathered the day before for our Mother's Day present for Chrissy this year.

We drove to the cemetery and began to unload the car. We had mulch, topsoil, tools, and lots of flowers! We are allowed to have a 1 foot perimeter around the base of the headstone in which to plant flowers, which is what we did for Chris today.

Alex had not been to the cemetery in awhile and when she saw the marker she began to cry. The boys had been there before and were doing okay, but just being there on a day that is meant to be joyous and wonderful was a bit overwhelming.

We were there for about an hour and of course while we were there digging and planting it began to rain. Tears from above as I saw it. As you can see from the photos the area looks very nice and I'm sure that Chrissy would really have liked it.

We got home around 3 or so and each of us spent the next 5 hours in somewhat seclusion. Michael in the basement, Alex and Ty upstairs in their rooms and I in the family room. It rained the rest of the day and continues to do so now as I type. This day really took it's toll on my family. We've been busy with sports, work and school recently and it took a day like this to really remind us of what has happened to us.

I cannot tell you how hard it was for me to see my children at the grave site of their mother on mother's day. That's not something that ANY child should EVER have to endure. BUT we all know that my family is not alone and that being there to honor their mother on this day shows how strong my children have become in the past few years. They have endured a lifetime of pain and suffering in so little time.

Tomorrow is another day and Mother's Day will be behind us. We will begin to prepare for the next day and continue on from there.