Mom's Celebration.

On Tuesday May 1 we had the life Celebration for my Mom. She was very specific about the things she wanted and a private celebration rather than a public funeral was one of them.  So we held a close family and friends celebration at the Group site in Sunglow Campground. 

We wrote her this poem that was on the program:

To Our Hero

Just dropping a note like you always do,

To tell you we’re proud you’re our mom, and that we’re part of you.

We know that you’re dancing and singing today,

Like you did with us in the kitchen, almost every day.

Some of our best qualities we learned from watching you,

We’re all strong; we’re proud and independent too.

A lady poised and classy is the face you showed the rest,

But the mom at home in sweatpants is the one we loved the best.

Your sense of humor was one of a kind and we’ll cherish the times we all laughed,

We’ll always remember your witty one liners, your stories, and jokes where you only told half.

You were always there when we needed you to be,

Our proms, our weddings and firsts with our babies.

We’ll get through each day with our game faces on, because you taught us to,

We’ll talk to you often and think of you each day, because we still need you.

The family traditions you started for us, we promise never to quit,

Especially the one where you’d give us the angels and holding hands, we’d all talk and sit.

Even though our time was too short, our memories, they are not small,

Of all the mothers in the world, you far surpass them all.

You always let us just be who we are, and supported us when we were wrong,

“Your mine - so be proud of who you are,” you’d say and help us along.

You always knew things, both the good and the bad, before we even could say,

And we know things too, “we’re important”, and “your loving us today and every day.”

Your time here might be done, but we need you still,

You know, there are spots in our souls that only our mother can fill.

Mommy-Friend we love you most – love always – your girls

It was a beautiful day and a beautiful celebration.  It felt right and was a perfect tribute to my mother.  We all wore my mom's hats and my sisters and I, and matt all spoke.  Grace even did her part.  All of the girls wore Mimi's bows because they were just so amazing. 

 Matt made this box for my mother.  It came to me in a dream-so clear and vivid.  I knew what it looked like and I even saw Matt making it.  (Thanks for the push mom!)  The next morning when I woke up, I thought, "there is no way I can ask him to do that-it would be too difficult" but when we were all meeting it just felt okay, so I brought it up.  He quickly said he could and that it was the perfect idea.  I think it turned out amazing and is just as my mom would have wanted it to be. 

 The brothers and sisters all sang songs that my Grandpa used to sing to them.  These were my mother's favorite.  They started with you are my sunshine.  When they started singing Grace said (very loudly) "I love this song, it is my favorite" and then proceeded to dance along.  It was so perfect and fitting and I know my mom would have loved it! My sisters and I and Matt all spoke and we think it turned out well for my mom.  Then my uncle Dan sang Angles Among Us.  My mom had always given us angels for Christmas each year.  The first year she had written a letter with part of the words to that song in it.  I read the letter before he sang. 

Grace played in the dirt and was a busy silly child.  When the time came that anyone could speak if they wanted to, Grace jumped right up! She sang Twinkle Twinkle little star to her Mimi and danced around.  Even with this dirty little face-I was so proud of her.

My mom's friend and cousin Lyn spoke as well and gave us a very sweet poem about my mom.

 Afterward we had a luncheon at the community center.  This is Grace with her baby that Mimi made for her.  She had it tied on with her "pretty dress" a scarf that she would wear at my mom's house and pretend to be a princess.

 We had a slideshow with good music on it including: free bird by Lynard Skynard, Obiero by Ayub Agada, So Far Away by Carol King, She Will be Loved by Maroon 5, and No More Pain by Point of Grace. That last song was a really difficult one for me, but very fitting for my mom.  Grace and her dad did some dancing.

 Grace and I with her in her "Pretty Dress"

 Eless and Miles and Miah doing some dancing.

 All of us girls with our mom.

 Us and Matt with our mom.

As hard as it was, it really was a beautiful day and tribute to my mother.  She wouldn't have wanted it any other way.  In face she came to my Grandma prior to the funeral to comfort her and tell her that it is as she would want it.  That she wanted us to celebrate with her, so we did.  We love you Mommy Friend!