I Remember Momma

Tomorrow is October 13 - Momma's birthday. She would have been 53 years old. She wasn't in the best condition when she passed away. But today I am thinking about the way she was. The mom I had as a child growing up.

So I thought I would write a few things that stand out in my mind about my mom:
1. Her perfume was "Red." I'd know that scent anywhere. It was always a comforting smell when my mom would hug me.
2. She loved Indian stuff. You name it, she had it. Our house was bursting at the seams with Native American paraphernalia.
3. She was an amazing actress. I distinctly remember her performance in "Gaslight." She was fabulous!
4. I remember running lines with her to practice for her plays. It was good reading practice for me and introduced me to difficult texts. I loved helping my mom learn her lines.
5. She had the loudest laugh. She would put her whole body into it and sometimes you thought she might fall. I have to admit there were a few times where I was quite embarrassed.
6. She taught herself how to play piano. She played beautifully. My sister and I loved it when she played "The Rose" by Bette Midler. We would try to sing it.
7. She coached our softball team one summer. We stunk. But what I remember most is listening to The Eagles, Rod Stewart, and Fleetwood Mac tapes in the car as we traveled to games.
8. Momma loved music, which may be where I get my affinity for it. We had records from all genres. And on house cleaning day, Momma would put on a record and turn up the volume. I do that, too.
9. I didn't think Momma knew how to dance. She started dancing one time to some song on the record player, and I remember laughing at her. She danced even funkier.
10. When we still lived in Quinlan (which puts me in 3rd grade or younger), she would read to Brandi and me from "Charlotte's Web" at night before we went to bed.

I miss her. I miss not hearing her voice. Even if she wasn't the same anymore. She was still here. Now on those bad days when I just want to cry to her, I can't. But I have my memories and pictures.

Love you Momma!



Momma, Daddy, me