Today is my Mother's 76th birthday!
Brian played "hookey" from school and the two of us and my sister, Bean, spent the day with Granny.
In just three days, it will be the 2 year anniversary of my Father's death. He had a massive stroke in bed the morning of my Mom's birthday - and was gone three days later. The irony of her losing her husband on her birthday (not technically - but basically, he was gone that night) - and me losing my son on my birthday is not lost on us.
Over the years (the many, many years that they were married!), my Dad would often bring home a single rose for my Mom. Sometimes for a reason - like her birthday - and sometimes for no reason at all. Today she wanted to visit his gravesite and we went along.
She left him two roses...
...one for each of them.
I asked Brian while we were still at the cemetery, "What do you think Pop's doing right now?"
He replied, "I think he's playing with Mom-Mom." Just as we turned to each other to smile, thinking of Pop playing with my Mom's Mother... he added, "And playing catch with Gavin!"
After the cemetery, the four of us went to lunch at a restaurant that was very special to my Mom and Dad. Granny insisted on treating, which is very rude to do on your own birthday - but its hard to argue with the matriarch.
As each birthday goes by, I hope my Mom is able to remember every single rose...every single laugh...every single happy memory of every single year she spent with my Dad.
Tomorrow morning, my Mom and sister will join me at my monthly ultrasound where we will all see beautiful, miraculous images of the Hope in my belly. Reminding us all that even though death is inevitable...hope, and new life are always around the corner.
Happy Birthday, Granny!! We love you so, so much.
What a sweet day and what sweet pictures!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday Granny, and thank you Pop for your service!
ReplyDeleteI see your Dad was a hero too. I guess it runs in the family. :) Wish I could thank him for his service. My wife always tells me that things like roses are impractical and she doesn't want them, but I think I could learn a lot from your Dad, how wonderfully sweet he was. Brian is adorable as always.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful time for your Mom and sister to see Hope! Our family has a special rose story. My youngest, our daughter, was married 6 months ago yesterday. Before her now husband started dating her, just before college Christmas break, someone (her husband) knocked on her dorm room door and left a rose in a vase, saying have a good Christmas break. It wasn't until a few days later, or maybe after Christmas break, that they started seeing each other. He is now her rose-leaver!
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely post about your mom and dad! Happy Birthday, Kate's mom!
ReplyDeleteYou come from GOOD stock there, Kate! Best to your mother and all of you. Jenny Page
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful close family you have. I have a son who phones me and I know loves me, but about 8 years ago my daughter, whom I loved beyond all reason and I considered a good friend too did something we still can't understand or accept. We were very close then all of a sudden she cut off all contact. I then found out she'd left her husband and moved in with a 19 year old. She hasn't spoken to us since, and my grandchildren have never received any of the birthday or Christmas presents we sent. We know this because my eldest grandson who is now 17, got in touch. He's moved away from my daughter, and we've once again become very close. (When he was a baby my daughter used to leave him with us for up to a week (from when he was 10 days old) so she could go out and enjoy herself. We didn'tmind, in fact we loved it, but then it all stopped and we didn't even know why...we still don't. So I feel I've experienced breavement for all my other grandchildren who are not yet old enough to contact me without permission I know how much the loss of your darling son may have hit you, but please spare a thought for grandparents, who have chidren lost to them. We feel your pain, but we have pain too. And I know there must be thousands of grandparents all over the world who are suffering like us, but nobody seems to care. We get no sympathy and no support, but our sense of loss and sense of breavement is no less than a parent losing a child.Sorry to'dump' this on you, but I feel so helpless, and I know you will understand. Blessings to you and your family and your family to be.
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Tell your mom happy birthday from blog-land!
ReplyDeleteThis has nothing to do with this particular post, but I wanted to take a moment to thank you for sharing Gavin's story. Reading your blog touched my heart, you are so incredibly strong and all of my prayers tonight go out to you and your loved ones. Lots of love from Sweden.
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