Celebrate and Remember...

I used this one last year but it is seriously one of the best pictures of my mom...ever.

...my mom. Today, she would have been 53 years young. We lost her entirely too soon in April of 2005. Lindsay was 3 1/2. She is now 7 and will be baptized in less than 10 months. Caroline was only 16 months old. Now she will be 5 in three weeks and is an adoring big sister to Kate who never knew the snuggle of her Grandma Sue. A woman who wanted nothing more than to be a Grandma, the best grandma, to the world's first perfect grandchildren. (Her words, not mine, because I KNOW they are not perfect! LOL!) For a beautiful tribute written by my sister Molly, read HERE. For last year's tribute to my mom, click HERE.

Oh, how I miss my mom.

*I miss the Grandma she was and the Grandma she would have been. When she passed away she had 3 grandchildren. Number 9 is coming early next year.
*I miss the fact that she never got to experience my girls' soccer games in the blazing sun. She only knew soccer in Oregon where a game wasn't a game unless it was pouring down rain.
*I miss not being able to call her and ask how much salad I REALLY need to buy when the pack at Costco says 1 lb. serves 3.5 people (yeah right) but I need salad for 60 and the budget is limited.
*I miss having her around to do Tuesdays with Molly with us. She would have loved it and hosted our projects (and subsequent messes.)
*I am sad that my mom never got to know the world of blogging. You see, my mom was the information queen. She knew everything, remembered everything, was everyone's "go-to gal" for all sorts of knowledge and she probably would have been writing several blogs to spread her news.
*I miss phone calls telling me Fry's has a manager's special and all chicken breast packs are marked down to $1.39/lb. for one day only
*I think my mom would have been Twilight obsessed and would have been so proud of her niece, Kaili, who is an agent representing the actor who plays Sam.
*I know she totally would have been into Facebook because everyone was her friend. And, she would have kept up with everyone in her friends list too.

I could go on and on about how much I miss my mom but really, I am grateful for all the things I learned from my mom and people often comment that I am truly her daughter. I guess a lot of people would be scared to cook 60-70 chicken breasts for a church dinner. Not me. My mom taught me how to cook for the masses. I have the gift of gab, good or bad. I can strike up a conversation with anyone, anywhere, and it as if we are old friends. Ask Steve. It makes him nuts how I can chat it up with perfect strangers. My mom never really withheld junk food or treats. I try to follow in my mom's footsteps that way. Kate has had her fair share of ice cream and french fries and cheesecake! (Hey - my kids ask for apples and veggies so allowing some junk in their lives isn't all bad.) Some of my most frequent memories are of my mom on the phone and before cordless phones, we had the longest telephone cords you have ever seen. We had to climb under and over them all the time because my mom took the phone everywhere. Now, I don't like answering my home phone too much but always have my cell on me so call or txt me anytime. My mom was always volunteering or involved in some sort of community organization for something and my sisters and I have all followed suit. Whether church or PTO or dance or team mom or whatever, we are all giving somewhere else, usually letting something else go at home to do so. My mom was not a perfect housekeeper and I have seemed to inherit that quality. Sure, it makes me nuts when I am behind but if it means I was spending time with my kids doing something other than cleaning (or just plain old getting behind) it is OK and life goes on.

Anyway, today Caroline and I were going through a scrapbook looking for pictures of my mom. They are few and far between. Note to all moms out there - step out from behind the camera and get some pictures with YOU in it so your kids know what you looked like at their soccer games or hanging out in the summer or whatever. I do not have enough photos of my mom. But, here are a few: (Thank you Creative Memories for teaching my mom to crop all the photos really weird shapes and put stickers over the pictures when she made my scrapbooks but I am so grateful to have them and not a box full of memories stuck in a closet.)

My mom, dad, and me 3 months old 1976. Note the hair...see where my girls get it from?

My first Christmas 1976 My aunt brought me this dress from Austria and all the girls in our family have worn it at some time or another.

A trip to Lagoon and a spin on the carousel 1977 Loving the knee socks

Halloween - 1978 - I wore the dress from an oversize Raggedy Ann doll my mom's best friend made.

1984 - the year I was baptized. My mom always made birthdays a very special day.

At a Merry Miss Mommy-Daughter activity with some sort of international theme.

At a Young Women's Mother-Daughter activity on Temple Marriage. All the moms brought their wedding gowns (this is not my mom's by the way) and they were displayed around the room. My mom was so embarrassed by her 1970's very trendy for the time wedding gown with the empire waistline, embroidered daisy motif...I think it would actually be retro chic today.

Family Portrait at our Stone Family Reunion in Park Ciry, UT 1992

My high school graduation day, 1994. (With Molly and Meghan and our friends Adrienne and Kristin.)

Earning my Young Womanhood Recognition Award - my mom was the Personal Progress advisor for years and felt strongly about the girls earning their award and that it was just as important as the boys earning an Eagle Scout. My mom earned hers as well.

My wedding day, August 15, 1997. Oh, did my mom love planning a wedding.

Our last family portrait December 2001. With Lindsay, Grandchild #1. Number nine comes in just 3 months to Meghan's family.

Lindsay's dance recital, December 2004. Mom was well into her cancer treatments, had lost her hair, had gained back weight (that she had recently lost) being on so many drugs, was paralyzed on her right side, and couldn't hardly speak. Traveling places was hard for her and she was embarrassed by her appearance but there was nothing that would keep her from being at Lindsay's special day.

I hope that I can be the kind of mom to make my mom proud and continue her legacy.
We love you.