Mom

I just wanted to write about my Mom today...because she's all I can think about.

For starters, my Mom was one of the most beautiful women I've ever known, both inside and out. My Dad knew the first time he saw her that he just saw his future wife, but he "didn't know how he would ever get a girl like that to go for him". She made everyone around her want to be better. I think that's what got Dad through Dental School, that strong desire to be his best.

They were dirt poor those first few years, but they made it through. Mom worked as a Dental Hygienist while Dad went through Dental School. Match made in Heaven wouldn't you say;)

She raised six of us, but 'mothered' literally hundreds.

One sunny summer day, she was bay sitting Carter and Layla for me while I went running, and when I came back I found the above scene. The kids were down to their unders, and had just finished eating ice cream cones. The three of them were swinging on the porch, and laughing together. I'm so glad I snapped a picture.

Aside from her family, one of Moms great loves was sewing....really it might have been more of a love hate thing, but we'll go with love.

She made each of the girl grandchildren a doll when they turned 5 that looked like them, and was their size. She would measure them and everything, and give it to them for their birthday with a cute new outfit on it. I guess it was kind of a twofer (2for1), they got a doll and a new outfit.

She just knew how to make everyone feel special, and important.

We had a girl weekend in Lava one year, and the last night it was just the five of us. I think we were delirious and sleep deprived, but we couldn't stop laughing. Dad gave us all these cute matching black jackets, and wanted to take our picture, but we just kept laughing each time. He would pose us, and be ready to snap, then we would start giggling again. Dad started getting frustrated, and that just made us giggle even more.

When we found out about Moms brain tumor, we all came together. We knew Mom would not want to pass in a hospital, and the Doctors said there was nothing they could do to prolong her life, so we decided we would take care of her at home. It was finally our turn to take care of her. We all did our best to be there, and had some incredible moments we shared with her. When she passed, it was in her own home, with her family around her.

This is a picture of my sisters and I getting her dolled up one last time.

(that's Mr. Bensons baby bump you see there)

Today, it's been two years.

Have you ever lost someone you love? To me sometimes I think life is like a movie, and you have leading characters in your movie. Have you ever lost a leading character?

After the funeral you see everyone around you go back to their normal lives, and you sit there in a shock, and wonder how they can do that. You realize you won't ever go back to your "normal life", because nothing is normal without that person you love. The scenes you had with that "leading character" are past, but the movie isn't over. You have to keep shooting. The theme might change, but that's really up to you. My Mom was not just a "leading lady", she was a star, and she won't ever be replaced, or forgotten. Her Move was a classic! She still holds such a tender, beautiful, inspiring piece of my heart, and I want the rest of my movie to make her proud.