Oh Mom!

It didn't matter how many times I had heard the story before, I always wanted you to tell it one more time! You were driving the family home from a day of water skiing on the lake. Everyone was a sleep in the car except for Kuya Josh and he must have been just a few years old at the time. He was eagerly sitting in the front seat just watching the road as you captained the journey home. Slyly you reached your hand around the opposite side of his head (this was long before seat belt laws) and you with all the stealth of a ninja would ever so gently tickle his right ear. Quickly he would jerk his head around to find who the culprit was! He glared at each of his siblings because he knew, he just KNEW that ONE of them was pretending to be asleep! Their ruse was so complete that he/she might even be faking the snoring and drool! Mom you almost made it home as you turned down Orleans drive you couldn't contain yourself any longer and you burst out in laughter of course waking everyone up in the car, the jig was up!

Oh Mom! Kuya Josh must have exclaimed! At that point you probably parked the car and lovingly pinched his ears and bear hugged him just like I've seen each and every one of my siblings do to their own children. Oh how I wish I could have one of those bear hugs from you right now. Long pause... I love you so much...

Mom I try so hard to love my kids the way you loved us. You were always the perfect example of unconditional love. There are so many "Oh Mom!" memories racing through my head of all the times you played with us, met our physical needs, you prayed for us, you took care of us and spoke highly of us even when we weren't around. You prayed faithfully for each of us each day and each night that we would get to know the savior intimately... like you did/like you do. Oh Mom, I miss you so much.

Alas... You are gone. You left us 3 years ago and now you are in a place of perfect peace, where there is no more suffering and only tears of joy. Thanks for being the best mom in the world!

Your Loving Son,

Jonathan