Merry Christmas, my darling Mother

This is our fourth Christmas without our beloved mother, and to me it feels like the longest journey in the world. My heart goes out to everyone who has lost a parent. It is truly one of the deepest tragedies of our experience.
My mom always made Christmas so incredibly special! She loved it, and even with the stress of having to plan so much for so many, always running around making sure she found just the right present for each person, she still managed to make the day magical. I can close my eyes right now and picture it all, feel the warmth and the glow of the beautiful lights, the wonderful smells coming from the kitchen, and most of all my mother's laughter.
The last time I was with my mom before she began slipping away from us, she took my face in her hands and smiled the most loving smile I have ever seen. She wasn't able to speak but we didn't need words. Our love went beyond words, the depth of love between a mother and child is unmeasurable. It was the greatest gift that God has ever given to me and one that I am thankful for each and every day.
Merry Christmas, my darling Mother. Each day with you was the best day of my life. Each day without you is the hardest. I will keep trying to accept it all and understand that you still live within my heart, within my soul and in all of us. I will work hard this year to make you proud of me. I miss you. Love, Kerry

Write on...

It's been a while since I've written, so much going on with job hunting and taking care of my kids. The summer or what we've had of a summer, has flown by and now Leah is starting high school and Adam has graduated and is looking into the Air Force. I have mixed feelings about that, but will remain positive.
I spend a few moments each day on my back porch, thinking about my mom and saying some prayers that life turns around a bit and things get better. This morning I started yet another story in my head and I realized how good I am at "starters," those first catching lines in any book...but I need to get better at the "middlers" and "finishers!"
This morning I had an idea for a story that begins..."She stood, huddled beneath the threadbare awning that did little to shelter her from the pelting rain. Lost and confused, she realized that she had neither friends to turn to nor a home to run to, safe from the lonely, cold world that had become hers. Friends had long since disappeared along with family, and with a deep sadness she realized that she was truly homeless."
I'm not totally sure if this is the beginning of a story or how I'm actually feeling today. Hmmm...

Never Give Up

I have so many emotions today I feel like my head is going to explode. Literally, I have such a pain in my right temple I honestly think it's going to blow...watch out below!

I'm frustrated...I'm sad...I'm overtired...I'm worried...I'm angry...I'm damn sick and tired of being sick and tired and I'm REALLY tired of the way people behave. Of course I do realize that I have no power over anything...except my reaction to it, the way I behave, the things I do for myself to navigate through all of this...shall we say baloney? bologna? crap?!?!

Even though I know that technically it might not be one family member's responsibility to care for another who might be struggling, I can't imagine a world where this person wouldn't help! Like now! To the rescue! After all, what did Jesus ask of us? TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER! That's the only reason we're here! Not to build these damn companies, bridges, huge buildings, massive armies with all of our instruments of destruction...NONE OF THAT! LOVE...that's the reason. And a huge part of loving each other is HELPING each other...plain and simple!

But people don't seem to get it! Someone new joins the family out of the blue and WHAM, nothing and nobody is ever the same. People are ignored. People are left behind...it's as if one can all of a sudden be forgotten. It's crap. And I will never understand it.

Someone reading this might have no idea what I'm talking about. Maybe I don't either. But the simple fact is that I once had a family and now it seems like they're gone. We lost my mom and since then the entire dynamic that once was my family has disappeared...gone forever! And it's breaking my heart and frustrating me to the point of daily sobbing, bad dreams and expoding headaches.

I was going to talk about the strange things going on at work but I honestly have to stop. It's all too much for me right now. I'll never give up...but today I will try to give in, to surrender. Because I can't control these people. Oh, I want to! But I can't. Maybe I'm right and they just don't get it...and getting crazy over it won't help me. Today I will pray that God will help us all. We need it.

Summertime

Things haven't been easy lately...for any of us. Financially, emotionally, physically...so many issues each and every day. I'm really looking forward to some nice sunny days, some summertime enjoyment. Remember those kinds of days? Hot summer days with your friends, swimming, driving around, hiking...or just generally getting into trouble. I remember those days! Now I have worries...what will my young daughter do this summer while I'm working full time? Will my son find a job? What does his future hold? Will I be able to hold on to this job or maybe even get a better one? In this economy, who knows? I'm lucky to be working.
And our home...such a pretty townhouse yet so many problems from day one. Exterior leaking into the basement...interior leaking from the master tub...broken gutters causing floods outside...and now the washer and dryer from hell have broken down...boo hoo. Let me tell you how much I love spending all that money at the laundromat...such fun. But no money for a new set yet, so cry me a river, has to be done.
We have it pretty good...things aren't that bad when you think about it. If we could all get healthy, that would be the most important thing. If my son would graduate from high school, that would be really great. If my daughter can find something great to do and not be alone, I'd feel so much better. And maybe inbetween the rinse cycle and the dryer, we can find a stream to stick our toes into. Grab some good times wherever we can.

Our Angel Above

To our darling Angel Mom,

Four years ago today you spread your wings and flew to heaven. How I prayed you wouldn't go and leave us! How I wished I could have reeled you back in and kept you with us forever. I prayed so hard, offering God everything I owned for more time with you. But that's so selfish of me, isn't it? I know we each have our own journey, our own destiny, and I have no power to change that. Yet how shocking it is that you were taken so soon. And how difficult it has been for us since you've gone. Nothing is the same, nothing will ever be the same again.

We miss you every single day, mom. We still go to pick up the phone and call you, oh those wonderful, funny phone calls! We were so lucky to have you, always there for us, never ever turning away from us. We had so many plans, the "girls" trip to England with your daughters and their daughters to visit all of the places Rosemund Pilcher wrote about in the books we all loved. Our family trip to Ireland, all of us together in a place you loved so much.

If I could have any wish, mom, you know what it would be. One more day...to hold you, to laugh with you, to tell you again how very much I love you. Can you see me? Can you hear me? Do you know how much I miss and love you? How much we all miss and love you? You would be so proud of your grandchildren, mom! They're all growing so fast, and are so beautiful. Your little Annie is amazing...just like you. I do believe you see...you know. Don't forget me, my mom. I will never forget you. Until we meet again, you have my heart...always. xx, Ker

Changing Times

Well, times have certainly changed. I can't remember a Memorial Day that my kids and I along with my brother and his family (and anyone else who was in town) got together at my parent's home for a little barbeque. So many memories. But dad is recovering from open heart surgery and didn't seem up to visitors (can we blame him?!?), although the kids really wanted to see him. And next year he will be in his new home in Florida.
Life is so strange. One minute you're in the middle of it all and maybe taking it for granted, and the next minute you're left with memories. Then it's time to move forward and make new plans.
So yesterday we spent a lovely afternoon with some friends on their sunny deck. It was a good time and the kids really enjoyed themselves. I didn't know many people but enjoyed talking with them and learning their stories.
Yet when that barbeque was started and those burgers were cooking away, I was lost in the memories of dad and my brother talking away at the grill, and the kids running around their wonderful backyard having the time of their lives just playing together. And mom...sitting on the back porch with her feet up, a cold drink and a funny story. Mom...so missed.
SO...along with the changing times comes some good news! I am just under NINE pounds down and feeling very hopeful. Of course the fact that I can hardly afford any food might be a part of it, but even when I'm around a lot of it, I'm making the choices I need to make today. And seeing results. I will get there! And here's to good changes for all of us.

Saying Farewell to our Childhood Home

There are moments in life that can take you by surprise, take your breath away and transport you to a place where it's crucial to work on acceptance. As we say in the program, "acceptance is the answer to all of our problems today." Yes...acceptance. So desired and yet so difficult to reach sometimes.
My dad has sold our family home, a home we've owned for 46 years, a home that has seen my parent's five children grow, leave, come back, leave, return for visits with spouses and children of their own. Such family history lies within those walls! So many memories.
We lost our beautiful mom four years ago next week...four years. It seems like just yesterday that we were having one of our daily laughs over the phone, planning for Christmas...a Christmas that never came. That's how quickly life can change. In the blink of an eye, our entire world can change.
My dad remarried and now he and his new wife are heading down South to begin a new chapter in his life. I need to be happy for my dad and to be on his side and work at putting my feelings aside. I'm a grown woman who understands that life moves on and we must move along with it or remain stuck in the past, which can cause us much pain. I know this. Yet I find myself yearning for the past, for the days of coming home and knowing that mom was there waiting, that dad would soon be there and that my brothers and sisters and I would all be together with them.
We've always been a very close family, very much involved in each other's lives. Yet when we lost our mom, it was as if the very foundation of our family began to slip away. Now it's as if we've all be scattered to the wind and holding onto our connection has been a real challenge.
My dad's wife sent us each the colored photo of our home that the realtor made, along with a copy of the virtual tour. As much as I will treasure having these, as I held the large photo in my hand, the colors all blurred with the tears that filled my eyes. As I looked at that beautiful home, I could hear my mom's voice calling my name, I could see us all outside running around, I could see our own children sitting on the front porch on July 4th enjoying their red, white & blue popsicles that their Nana had bought for them. Or running around the yard looking for those plastic eggs filled with candy and quarters that their Poppy had hidden for them.
Memories...such a gift to us. A gift that can bring a smile or a tear. I thank God for our memories, I thank God for such a beautiful home to grow up in, and most of all I thank God for such amazing parents who gave us such a wonderful childhood, who taught us so much and who showed us the way to create our own lives. We can never go home again, but in my heart, I will always be there with them.

Lost It!

I just worked on an article titled "Container Gardening" for the past hour and accidentally wiped it out before posting it. I am crushed! Will work on another one tomorrow...sigh. (Doing a lot of sighing lately!)

Container Gardening

I DIDN'T LOSE IT AFTER ALL!

Many of us do not have much outdoor space in which to garden. Over the years, I've worked on numerous indoor and patio gardens which allow me to enjoy the colorful beauty, wonderful fragrance and delicious taste of the many plants that are available at your local farmer's market or gar in all shapes and sizes.


My favorite planting includes flowering, herbs and vegetables all tucked in together in a wonderful, eye-catching pot. This type of planting will thrive on your patio or step if it gets either morning or afternoon sun, good ventilation and the right amount of water.


Many different pots will work. I've found the most unique containers that become wonderful planters. Terra cotta looks good with many different plants but it can be heavy and is not frost resistent. Unglazed terra cotta has good air circulation, which is very important. Wood offers a natural look. Usually you'll see wood used for window boxes or barrel plantings. It's important to ensure the wood has not been treated with any chemicals that will harm your plants or you, if you're planting edibles. Plastic pots are lightweight and come in almost all colors, shapes, and sizes. Some of them are also designed to look like clay. Plastic doesn't chip and the pots won't break if left outside in cold weather. But plastic pots do not allow for much air circulation within the planting.


Once you've chosen your pot, the first thing you want to do is invest in a good potting soil, one that has a good fertilizer/plant food mixed in. Before adding the soil, make sure your pot has good drainage. Makes sure there are holes in the bottom of the pot, if not you can easily drill a few. Create a drainage system by simply placing some small stones at the bottom of the pot, being sure not to totally cover up the holes. It's also been suggested to use a small amount of charcoal sprinkled on the stones for freshness. Once I couldn't get ahold of a single stone so I broke down some of the hundreds of seashells I've collected over the years and it worked wonderfully.


You can first place your plants on top of the soil in your pot to get an idea of how you want your design to look. Check out a color wheel to decide which flowering plants you want in the same pot. I like a variety of color, shapes, sizes and textures. I always like to put something tall right in the center, such as a group of Allium (chives) which have that pretty purple "globe" flower. Upright, trailing and clumping are the different terms used to describe the various shapes of plants. Trailing colorful plants always look great planted along the edges of your pot and include Lobelia, Pansies, Nasturtiums & Fuschia. A great look is mixing colorful trailing plants with green or variegated ones such as Vinca vine.


I like to plant a mix of red & green lettuce next to clumps of white Allysum along with herbs such as Rosemary, Sage (Russian Sage leaves have a fabulous color & texture to them), Mint, Lavender, Basil, Dill...the list goes on and on! It's also great to add some scented geraniums to the mix. Of course the lovely "Martha Washington" geraniums in white, pink or red are always a great addition to your container garden.


The possibilities are endless for your container garden when you let your imagination run wild. The only thing you don't want to run wild is your container garden, except for your trailing plants...the longer and fuller, the better! Otherwise, give it a good pruning once a week, water as needed (you'll see and feel the soil getting dry...don't wait until your plants are wilting!), and add a good plant food to the water. The results will amaze you and stand up to any neighbor out there gardening in their yard. And you'll have less weeds, too!

There's nothing better than walking out on your patio and picking some fresh herbs or vegetables to go along with whatever you're grilling. Or cutting yourself some beautiful flowers to bring indoors. And don't let the containers "contain" you! Trailing vines, roses, etc. look beautiful climbing along your patio railings!

Gotta go...I have some containers to plant! Let me know how you do or if I can answer any questions you might have. Happy planting!

Indoor Gardening

Here's a D-U-H moment for you. It just dawned on me that I might have some "Comments" to my blog posts! I hadn't checked! Unreal.

SO...a certain someone has requested that I dedicate a Post to indoor gardening for those of us who love all the color and textures but don't have the yards. I'd be happy to!

I have a bit of research to do and will have my Post up this week. Thanks for asking!

Monday Update

Good morning, all!

I'm really happy with the progress I've made over the weekend. Having a tool set enabled me to hang a beautifully framed poster that has been propped up against my bedroom wall for a long time now. I hung it over the new dresser I put in my room, switching out the oversized armoire for the smaller, more manageable dresser.

Going through my armoire, I filled an entire huge box with great clothes that I'll never wear again...so off to Goodwill. We also went through the kids clothes (just a start) and sent off 7 large bags of their clothes. Really nice things that someone else can enjoy instead of them sitting around in piles!

My daughter Leah and son Adam, along with his girlfriend CC, helped me to clear out our living room & vacuum and polish the wood floors. What a great feeling that was! I also inherited my parent's beautiful dining room table and chairs and lovely curio cabinet, so I have a lovely dining room today. Thank you, my family! The cabinet is breathtaking and brings back so many wonderful memories. (It was also a very teary weekend fully of nostalgia...lots of changes in our family, more to come on that!)

Then after a few hours of organizing and cleaning, my daughter and I took a mile and 1/2 power walk...yes, I'm sore but it felt great and a really good accomplishment! So is it my imagination or am I feeling lighter and more hopeful today? As we say in our family, "messy bed, messy head." Today my head doesn't feel messy and I have hope that my beautiful space will look the way it deserves to look...and I'll feel and look the way I deserve to! Life is good.

One a Day

Well, I've decided to do at least one thing each day to improve my life. I took a good look at myself this past week while my entire family was here during our dad's heart surgery...and I didn't like what I saw. I'd given in to the fybromyalgia I suffer with so badly and let it get the best of me. I let myself go, my house go, everything in my life has been on a downward slide. No more. It's time to take it up to where it belongs.

So each day I am choosing one or two things to concentrate on to reach my goals. Today I got myself a tool set...sound trivial, right? But for me, it's huge! I haven't had a tool set in ages, not since my kids were little and totally took the entire set apart and lost the pieces. So when I need to do a little home repair, I never have the tools I need! Now I do.

I'm also taking myself on a little shape-up journey. Now this is a journey I've started many times before. I go a little way and I stop. I'd get tired or I'd get discouraged and give up. Well...no more. I'll never give up. I remember how it felt to be in shape, to be proud of the way I looked. I don't like hiding behind people in photographs or feeling ashamed that my family is going to see that I haven't changed since last time they saw me...or changed for the worse. I want to feel good and I want to look good. And I am getting there, even as I speak!

So today I have my sneakers and a great track waiting for me after work. Four times around is a mile. I can do that. I can do five times around. And someday, I'll be running it again like I used to. Or at least a really fast walk. Because I have places to go still. I thought the ballgame was over after my mom died. Felt like just giving up on everything. But that wouldn't make her happy. I might be in the 9th inning, but this is one ballgame that I'm going to win.

The Calm After the Storm

Well, it's been quite a week. Our sweet dad went in for a triple by-pass which scared us all but he did really great and is recovering well...a real trooper. My entire family came in to be with him, and my sister Meg stayed at our place with her sweet 3 year old, Annie. Now they've gone back home and I have to say, the house is way too quiet! I miss that sweet little voice saying "good morning, Keekoo, I love you." What a gift she is.

So this post is about gifts...we receive them every single day and sometimes don't even realize it. I miss them when I'm out looking for them...because they are right in front of my face and I just need to stop and see. My children, my family, my legs that get me where I need to go! My good friends who will always be there for me, my music, my voice, my love of good books, good movies, good food and the health to enjoy them and the (sometimes) money to buy them! And most of all...my God...the greatest gift of all and the One I often turn a blind eye to, so wrapped up in the craziness of it all, the want, the need. We have everything we'll ever need right inside of us. All we need to do is tap into it and give thanks for it...every single day.

Happy Earth Day! Maybe today is the day I won't see kids throwing their garbage out of the car window on the highway (unreal!), or the guy aiming for the garbage with his coffee cup, missing and leaving it on the ground...or hey, even my kids picking up after themselves, not wasting water (20 minute showers?!?!) or electricity and actually thinking of someone besides themselves!

Wouldn't it be great if we thought of every day as Earth Day, and made a real conscious effort to do even one small thing every day to preserve this beautiful planet? Then maybe our kids and their kids will have a special place to live and breathe and enjoy. That's just my two (maybe three!) cents worth!

Computer challenged!

OK, I'm finding out more and more how technically challenged I am!

I can't seem to make the fonts smaller when I add a Post...
I don't know where to Paste the Button from Maternal Lens on my homepage (hey, I said homepage!)...
I tried to leave a Love Note on Maternal Lens and couldn't get my URL correct to add my name so now I am Anonymous!...
I can't for the life of me get a photo of myself uploaded...maybe that one just isn't meant to be!...
I finally purchased a laptop and I can't get the internet to work on it...

Challenged! Perhaps I need to go back to the times of manual typewriters, I'll wear my sweater set with my nice pearls and my swirly skirt down to my knees...and take dictation! Oh, does that come with a machine?...

To Meg

We lost our mom and life will never be the same again. Now our family home is being sold and our dad is leaving for a new life. It's all so difficult to understand, "how did the years go so fast, or did we just lose track?" (Karla Bonoff)...but we remember.

Memories of you so young, so small. My baby sister and better still, my best friend. I took you everywhere with me, my friends all knew that no matter what we had planned, our plans included my Meg. We delighted in your sweetness, your unending happiness, your love. You showed us what is most important in life, the innocence and the kindness.

I watched you grow in our family home, each day bringing something new and wonderful. You came into your own, a special person with so many talents and so excited to share them every day. Your special room with all of the touches that made it uniquely yours. My day was made with your beautiful smile and the lovely compliments you would give your big sister...for a little while, I was the world to you...and you to me.

Nobody can ever take away our memories, they lie safe deep within our hearts. Our beautiful mom, our sweet dad, our happy home where we grew and loved and laughed. I will carry it with me wherever I go, to the ends of the earth, to the moon and the stars. And I see the love and laughter reflected in our daughter's eyes, our true legacy, a testament to the love from which we came.

Happy Spring!

What a storm last night, the thunder and lightening was amazing! The entire back yard lit up for almost an hour and the rain just poured down! I love thunder storms! But part of me is still like that kid who hid under the covers!

Happy Spring! It's finally here and warm weather is around the corner. Can't wait!

My daughter and I tried a weekend "getaway" on Saturday, just a couple of towns over...a "resort" special, we were very excited. But when we arrived, the parking lot was full of decorated vans shouting "Go Team!" Oh, great!

We found out that there were three basketball teams, numerous cheerleaders and...oh yes! Five family reunions at the resort! "Getaway?" Yes, we got away! Quickly! We'll try again another time. Next time I'll be sure to ask that little question..."what do you have going on this weekend?"

Dashing off to work...here's to a good day, thank you for visiting "The Vintage Word." Kerry

Staying healthy!

Is it just me, or has this been one of the longest and tougest winters? Perhaps with our economy hitting such a low and bringing with it so many different kinds of problems, things seemed just a bit tougher this year. So it's easy to get run down, right? Right...run down, it's more like mowed down by a semi!

First Leah was sick...or was it me? Pneumonia...both of us. Then Adam went into the annual bronchitis & asthma attacks...still with him. Then Leah again...then me! Around and around go the germs, it's like playing a game of Ring Around the Rosy without the fun...we just all fall down!

Today everyone is feeling pretty good...the sun was shining this morning and the temp got up to 52 degrees! We spent most of the day outside, and look forward to many more, warmer and warmer days. Hope you're all feeling fine and enjoying your day!

Adam turns 18

Forgive the large type, I'm unable to change it.

So my son Adam turns 18 this Wed., 2/25. I wanted to do something special for his big milestone, so I contacted one of his best friends (grabbing cell phone numbers from his phone as he slept...very sneaky) and asked her to get 6 or 7 people together for a surprise pizza party at a neighborhood restaurant. Then I invited his dad, my brother and his family, and a few old friends I knew Adam would love to see.

Here I was so worried that nobody would show up...and in walked 20 of his friends! Forget 6 or 7, right?! The word was out and they were there! All very sweet and polite, although the restaurant was less than gracious about it. But it worked out so beautifully and Adam walked in with such a look of shock and happiness on his face, it was all worth it! His dad had bought a huge, beautiful cake that the waitress brought out all lit up and we all sang to Adam who was trying to hide his face but you could see the big smile. It was a good night. Happy Birthday, my Adam John. Where did all the years go? Here's to many, many more.

A Beautiful Day!

I just need to take a moment and be thankful for the warm sunny day outside. It seems like it's been a very long, cold winter and it gives me a lot of hope to feel the warmth of the sun. My son Adam's favorite song when he was young was "Here Comes the Sun." Well, here it comes Adam, life is good.

Love Waits

I wrote this after my mom died. I would give everything I have in this world for one more day with her.


It was 1947 in New Jersey when the handsome young sophomore from Seaton Prep first saw the beautiful girl from East Orange High School. If ever there was love at first sight, this was it. Something happened to his heart that day, and he would never be the same again.

His name was William John, “Bill” to his friends and family, and she was named Audrey Ann, known only to the world as Ann. She had always felt the name Audrey was too stiff and formal, although later came to realize how very beautiful the name was, much like the girl herself. Bill was the son of William and Mary Lou Manion, and he had an older sister, Mary Jane, who was quite the popular beauty herself. Ann was the daughter of Tom and Viola Degnen, with an older sister, Dorothy, and a younger brother, Tom. They lived quite close to each other, in a time where the world was a friendlier, more peaceful place to live, and neighbors were always welcome visitors.

And so began the love story of Bill and Ann, my parents. Their love story spanned 58 years, and is one that will never end. Theirs was a deeply real and poignant love, full of that wonderful mix of romance and fun, as well as the key ingredient in the recipe of love - honesty and respect for each other.

When he first saw her, Bill knew he was looking at the woman he would spend his life with. Ann, though, wasn’t nearly as sure. She was quite popular and always busy with her girlfriends, going to school, rushing home to her beautiful mother, Viola, finishing her chores, and getting ready for more fun with the girls. Her cousin, Helene, was her very best friend, and they spent all of their time together, their friendship lasting throughout the years. They would get together with friends to go to the movies, one of Ann’s favorite pastimes, or for trips to the library, window shopping, or just visiting at someone’s home. No matter what they did, there was always a great deal of giggling involved, for my mother loved a good time.

When she accepted her first date with Bill, Ann did not realize he was a bit younger than she was, and he kept that secret. She only knew that he was extremely handsome, and seemed to be quite sweet on her. Often times when Ann would come home after school, Bill would be there, sitting patiently, keeping her mom company while he waited for her. He might have gotten a quick hello along with her dazzling smile, as she kissed her mom and raced upstairs to change. Bill didn’t mind waiting, because he knew she was worth waiting for.

Summertime was Ann’s favorite time of the year, for it meant lots of wonderful trips to the Jersey shore. Years later, the shore was still one of her most favorite places on earth, and she passed her love of the ocean down to many of us. She would plan a weekend beach trip with Helene, getting all of their friends together so they could share the cost of gas and the hotel rooms. She’d be very excited as she told Bill about her plans, always sharing with him where they were all going.

One day as she was in the hotel room getting ready to go to the beach with her friends, the desk clerk called and told Ann she had a visitor. Puzzled, she walked down to the lobby to see who could be calling for her. And there he was, her loving Bill, who followed his heart to see her, not caring for how long, just knowing he had to see that beautiful face again. Being as though she had already made plans with her friends, Ann couldn’t spend much time visiting with him, but always left him happy just to be with her for a little while. Then she’d be off, giving him that smile and wave, as she and her friends raced to the beach like a bubbling wave rolling along the shore.

Bill and Ann became good friends, and dated throughout their high school years. Ann was there with him when he lost his father in a tragic accident, at a very young age. After Ann graduated and began work as a secretary, Bill went on to MIT in Boston, one of the youngest freshman in the school. They always kept in touch, and saw each other as often as possible. And when it came time for Bill to graduate with honors, it was his lovely mother, Mary Lou, who was there…but not Bill! He was on his honeymoon, having married his beautiful sweetheart.

Bill and Ann settled in Connecticut where Bill worked his way up in the world of nuclear engineering, and Ann worked in fashion retail as well as the unending career of motherhood. Their love took on a whole new meaning when the five of us children joined them. Our life together has been one of constant love, a family who has always stayed close to each other, sticking together through life’s many ups and downs.

As I sit here today, I thank God for that handsome young man who so patiently waited for the love of his life to be his. They have been the best parents any child could have, and on to the best grandparents any grandchild could ever have! Their 11th grandchild was born this past December. She came into the world right after our beautiful Ann passed away from it. My sister has named her Annie Viola, after two of the most wonderful women who ever lived. Not having our mom here for the birth of her first child has been very rough on my sister. I told her I truly believe that mom was the first one of us to meet Annie, and they have a bond that will never be broken.

The story of Bill and Ann is a story of love. It’s a story of two people who truly knew the meaning of the word, and lived their lives by it. Because of their incredible love, we also learned how to truly love and care for another, and now live to pass that on to our own children. Love is like that. It waits for each of us to pick it up and make it a part of us, to change our hearts forever, as Bill’s heart was changed forever, the day he first saw Ann.

Now Ann waits for Bill. She waits for him in that beautiful place where love never dies, where we take all of the wonderful feelings and memories of a lifetime with us, where the circle of life continues in eternity...the place where we shall all be together, never again to be without the love that waits.