I’m not discounting the sacrifices our Armed Forces have made and continue to make but today I’m adrift in memories.It bothered me that though I have been a mother for nearly forty years and a mother to the one who set her course recently I have so few memories.

But thanks for the memories!

Remembering finding out I was expecting when my family was complete! Surprise!

Such a sweet child  if they wanted to resent her she soon had them under her spell.

Fast forward to three years old. Big sister goes to college in Michigan . I was not allowed to cry but sister saying goodbye to sister choked me up. Meg says part way home “let’s go back and get her”.

Jamie,big sister’s boyfriend . His hair was long (then) and he said he didn’t like kids, Within a day Megan was hanging a monkey from barrel of monkeys from his ear. He was captivated! We captured him and he remains a son and brother in good standing!

Babysitters-good and bad. Allie was her second Mom. A little tougher than me but when you have a crew you can’t cater to one. I remember when she was caring for five or six kids with chicken pox.I remember calling Allie and saying Meg has one chicken pox. She checked all of them over and the next day they erupted.

Grade school is a blur.Middle school are the lost years. Her friend Hannah. Sleepovers where she took a giant tiger and lion.

High school she was sick and the many tests brought us closer. It was so hard to get blood I wanted to say here take mine.

The banking course that would guide her into a career. Going to the Language Village in Minnesota.

Akron University. She became an Resident Advisor. Many moves.

Graduation and back home. Her first car. Totaling her first car. Her new car.Her first job. Her second job. Her best job. Planning for the future.

I’m grateful for all of you for listening to me go on! I guess I have more memories than I thought. If you have little ones write things down because the memories fade like smoke and then they are gone. Your child is gone!