Letter to mom

Dear mom,

I'm sitting in my living room watching the U.S. Open...  You've been gone for 2 months now.  I don't know whether I can't believe it's been that long, or I can't believe it's only been that long.  I just wanted to tell you how things have been the last 2 months.

The weekend after you died I stayed home from church for "Breakfast at Wimbledon," like we always did together.  Nadal actually beat Federer in a really long 5-setter.  I can picture how you would've cheered for the great shots and what you would've said as they kept pushing it out to another set and something like 9-7 in the 5th.

Wade's teaching is going really well too, mom.  I painted 2 walls of his classroom bright green - I wish you could see it - it makes it look so cute in there.  I've helped him enter his grades a few times, and I make him lunch every day.  I had so much fun that first week, putting together his turkey sandwiches in one side of the Tupperware, with carrots and a little cup of Ranch dressing in the other side.  The ladies at work make fun of me a little, but he appreciates it because it's one less thing he has to worry about after teaching, grading & lesson planning.

Mom, I wish you were here to commiserate with me about my condo flooding and the HOA being very slow to do anything about it.  It rained a lot the week you died and the week of your funeral - some people said God was crying with us - but because of that, the water came into my condo 5 times in those 2.5 weeks.  Then more recently we had a huge day/night of rain and it flooded all the way in to the hardwood floors & the closet under the stairs.  Now my A/C is broken too, so I'm kindof overwhelmed.  I wish I could come over to your house and flop on the end of the bed and tell you all about it.

Oh, but mom the flowers and plants we picked out are doing so great!  I've been out there so many times and wished you could see them.  You'd be so excited and proud of my first little gardening.

The encore azaleas have already started their fall blooming, and they're a gorgeous hot pink color.  There are a couple places where they look a little bug-eaten, though - I wish I could ask you if that's ok or if I should do anything about it.

The knockout roses are great too, and they just stand straight up and soak in that sun all day.  The Mexican heather are going crazy, growing so big - I don't know if you'd be surprised or not.  I did transplant that day lily to behind the rocks like we talked about, but I haven't taken that lantana out yet.  It did provide me with a couple wildflower-esque bouquets for my kitchen table (I stole a vase from your house because I figured dad would never need them all!).

I planted 2 hydrangeas in my back patio area - so far only 1 bloom though.  I don't know what the deal is with my garden phlox - it hasn't grown nearly as well as yours.

I finally put the screens back in my windows that you took out and cleaned for me when I first moved in!  Before too long we'll start to get some "dog weather" - when you would have loved to take the dogs and go camping, even if dad wasn't a fan :).  I'm going to be in Jill's wedding in December, and I bought my dress for it last night.

Can you believe that Hillary is 4 months pregnant?  We'll have a little Starrett before we know it.  You would have had so much fun shopping with us for all the cute baby clothes & everything.  You'd be really proud of dad and excited that he's going to church now pretty regularly.  I haven't called him as much as I should, but we talk about once a week.  I left Paisley in your garage one evening and she escaped by jumping out the window that's 3-4 feet off the ground!  That little rascal.  She'll be 2 years old in another month!

There are so many other little things I would tell you if you were here.  I sure do miss you.  I guess by the time you blink and turn around I'll be there with you, telling you about the 60 years I was married to Wade, and all our children and their children!  Just save me a place on the porch swing!

I love you!