Mother's Day Memories

In November, 2001, my mom died after a five-year battle with ovarian cancer. She was one of my best friends and I still miss her so much. When you lose someone you love, it can be surprising to find what things hit you really hard and what things don't hurt as much as you thought they would. Oddly, I find that the anniversary of her death isn't really one of my difficult days. Instead, the days I find it hardest to deal with her loss are the days that were always "make a fuss about mom" days --- her birthday and Mother's Day. The mom-shaped hole in my life feels huge on those days. I was out of town on Mom's birthday this year and being away from my normal routine turned out to be a good coping mechanism. But now Mother's Day has rolled around again and all those greeting card and jewelry store ads urging me to "show Mom how much you care" are twisting the knife again. Ok. I may not be able to hug her and hand her a card and flowers anymore, but I can still make Mother's Day a sort of "make a fuss about mom" day. So here is my tribute to one of my all-time-favorite people....some of my favorite photos of my mom.

Anita Louise Keeton

March 3, 1939 - November 12, 2001

Third grade school pic and high school graduation photo

Dad, Mom, and me (Mom was in her mid-20's); and a photo of Mom in her 30's, when she was teaching grade school

Mom with her first grandchild, my niece Amber Louise; and Mom dressing up as Uncle Fester Addams to hand out trick or treat candy after the chemo made her lose her hair

I love you, Mom, and still miss you lots. Happy Mother's Day.