What I remember

Ash has been asking me to contribute to our blog. His written words are so beautiful and my writer's anxiety has prevented me from contributing thus far. Then he asked me to write a few words about my Mother, but again, I did not feel I would be able to convey my thoughts and feelings appropriately. I decided to keep it simple and relate some of the more memorable moments with my Mom, talk about who she was and the impact she had on my life.

• I remember my Mom would pick me up from Kindergarten and we would go out for lunch at Theo's. I'd look forward to our lunch date every Wednesday.
• My Mom would always have breakfast on the table for us every morning before school. She would yell up the stairs for my brother and I to get out of our beds and face the cold NH mornings. She would then drive us 2 miles to our bus stop, where she would sit and wait with us in our warm car until the bus arrived. She would always be waiting for us in the afternoon when we got off the bus.
• My Mom made it to EVERY SINGLE soccer and softball game.
• My Mom traveled an hour to work each day to pay for my college education. This incredible selfless act still amazes me.
• My Mom loved nothing more than to go out to eat. Nobody did Chicken Parmesan like Angelo's did Chicken Parmesan. "It was the sauce" she would say. Mom, I hope you are surrounded in Angelo's Chicken Parmesan with extra sauce.
• Next to eating, shopping was my Mom's next love. She would shop for those she loved the most, her three Grandchildren. My Dad had to buy a truck to transport the masses of gifts she would spend 8 months shopping for, down to my brother's house in RI. She would stash the gifts in the trunk of her car and wait until my Dad wasn't around to sneak the bundles up into the spare bedroom, which was now storage space for my Moms shopping sprees. I used to tell my Mom she was out of control. I am so glad she was out of control.
• Mom liked to talk. One Martguerita and she was off........! This picture of my Mom is likely post -One Martguerita.
• Mom loved being a Grandmother the most (more than going out to eat or talking)
• I remember the incredible strength my Mom displayed when hearing of her diagnosis and prognosis. She told me she would miss not seeing Max and Sydney grow up. I promised her we would do our best to talk about her, relay stories and remind them that they were her favorite people.
• Before my Mom died she told me she wasn't worried about me, she knew I would be just fine. I told her this was because she was a great mom. I think it's important that Moms know this before this time in their life.
• I remember when I first told my Mom that I was going to move in with Ash. My Mom, who seldom left NH, had a flight and a purpose within three weeks. She immediately liked Ash. I will never forget the night Ash asked my Mom what she thought of him and about her daughter moving in with him. I thought she was going to choke on her chicken Parmesan (which was good but not as good as Angelo's Chicken Parmesan.)
• I think of my Mom every time I look at my hands reaching out to help a patient, reach for the steering wheel or each time I grab hold of the handlebars of my bike. We have our crooked middle fingers and our knotty knuckles in common. I love looking at my hands, thinking of my Mom, thanking my Mom. I love watching my hands grow old. My mom is always with me.