Remembering Mom

Eight years ago today my mom lost her very short battle with cancer. She died of lung cancer. It's kind of ironic to me that November is the Great American Smokeout sponsored by the American Cancer Society.

As a child, my younger brother and I would take anti-smoking pamphlets from the school nurse and stuff them under our parents' pillows. He and I were the only ones in our family who didn't develop the habit of smoking.

We went to her grave today, as we always do, and placed some red, white and blue flowers there. It was strange to see my father's date of death on the headstone now. Besides the flowers we left some personal items, as we always do. Just little things that remind us of them.

I miss her smile, her laughter, her sense of humor, her love of Snoppy, the way she played "Onward Christian Soldiers" on the piano (the way that got her booted from playing in the Salvation Army church for a month). I miss being able to just talk with her.

It is amazing to me how much I still miss them both...