Happy Mother's Day, Mom

It seems hard to believe that this is my second Mother's Day without being able to call my mom and wish her a happy day. No flowers to order, and no cards to send either.
Mother's Day turned into an "FTD" day for me after moving abroad. Although I am lucky that I am able to travel home twice a year, Mother's Day was never one of those holidays that I was able to celebrate with my mom. Fortunately, and sadly, I was with my mom two years ago on Mother's Day. I was still home after her stroke, and I am glad we had the day together, to form one, very pleasant, lasting memory.
Here are a few pictures from the last time I celebrated Mother's Day with my mom:



We spent a few hours at the Dogwood Festival in Fairfield. It was one of my mom's favorite festivals, and since I had never been there before, I suggested to her that we spend some time there for Mother's Day. Looking back on it, it was a really special day. Of course, we could not have known that it would be my last opportunity to spend this holiday with my mom, but it mixed together all the things my mom loved: Greenfield Hill, dogwood trees, and our town. For me, it was special because I was actually spending the day with my mom, in my home town, at a festival that is has been a long-standing tradition in our town.

One of the items I inherited was a beautiful painting my mom had purchased at the Dogwood Festival a few years prior, when she attended the festival with her then boyfriend, Jerry. I wish I could post a picture of the painting, but I don't have one, and the painting is at my father's house waiting to be shipped to Germany. My mom went crazy after purchasing the painting to find the perfect frame. My stepfather then went crazy when he found out how much she had spent on said perfect frame. I am now looking forward to having this painting in our new home, to remind me of my mom, and our Mother's Day at the Dogwood Festival.

So, happy Mother's Day to you moms out there. You all have a special job, and you will never truly realize the impact you have on your children. Happy Mother's Day to you too, Mom. I wish we could be together today, but know that I am thinking of you!