Mom and me at her 50th Wedding Anniversary party
It's New Year's Eve and mom and I are here together in her house. My brothers are back home with their families tonight and except for the Christmas cd that is playing, it is unusually quiet. It's also a bit of a somber night since dad is not with us anymore, but mom refuses to let this be a reason not to celebrate the new year.
She wants to celebrate the new year by remembering her life with dad. She wants to celebrate it all. Every bit of it - the happy and joyous times and even the difficult and sad times. She says, "We've raised 10 children together for heaven's sake...we've been through it all!" And she's right, they HAVE been through it all (ha!).
She is such a strength to me.
So tonight we will grab the wooden spoons from the kitchen drawer and the pots and pans from underneath the breakfast bar and we will run into the street shouting, "Happy New Year". And then we will hug each other and cry because dad is not here to shout with us but then we will be happy again and carry on just the way dad would want us to.
Happy New Year everyone!
p.s. I miss you Mr. CHiPy
