Today is my mom's birthday. She would have been 62. It's been 2 1/2 months since she went to be with the Lord and it's funny how these milestones have started to come up, where the usual things that we would do are no longer part of these days.
Today there will be no off-tune singing of Happy Birthday or eating a birthday dessert. There will be no gifts and silly cards. There will be no jokes about getting older or teasing because of my dad's cheesy cards.
There are tears and there are smiles. There is heartbreak and joy all in one big, confusing wave of emotion. There is still a family. There is remembering and laughing and rejoycing and mourning.
There is a lot of thankfulness. Thankfulness for the almost 62 years she spent on Earth, for the 30+ years of marriage she shared with my dad, for the 20+ years she shared with all 4 of her childrem, for the 40+ years she spent committed to Christ, for the hundreds of lives she's impacted.
But mostly there is hope. Hope that we'll see her again. Hope that this is her best birthday yet. Hope that great things are coming from our great loss.
Caitlin, this was special to read. Your hope about your mom celebrating her best birthday yet was most touching to my heart! Love to you. /dj
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