Mom: Things I Need to Remember

This post will likely be meaningful for only 2 people (myself and Christopher), maybe 10 if you include family.  Nevertheless, these are words I need to write, and that is what is most important right now.

My mom's memorial service was beautiful.  There were stories told that I have heard 100 times (Jessica was born, Jessica had jaundice, Jon went racing the next day), and stories I had never heard before (my mom's bachelorette party where they did shots out of some guy's trunk).  The memories and stories of friends and family were the things that would carry them through the hard times. I have so many stories, laughs, and moments with my mom that I don't ever want to forget. Some good, some bad, some just because they involve her. On the advice of my mom's cousin, I bought a gorgeous leather covered notebook yesterday.  I'm going to use this book to write down important things I need to remember and things I want to tell her, the moments she can't be here to celebrate.

The "Good Morning Glory" is a story I think everyone has heard at this point.  If I had to explain to someone new in my life who my Mom was in one telling, this would be it.  The mommy that started a tradition when I was a baby, and continued it through the year I turned 27.  But really, every single morning I woke up for school, or came downstairs on a Sunday she would say "Good Morning Glory". Through stubborn high school days, sick days, college, and my professional career.  When I left for college, every morning when I woke up to check my IUP email (at least on her workdays), there would be an email waiting for me - and the message something like this:

Good Morning Glory, I hope you have a great Monday! I know you'll do great on your history exam, and I hope your knee feels better after Saturday's fall. 

And then when I got a grown-up job, she sent me the same email every workday, even when she knew I was off.  There are hundreds of sent and received emails with subject lines of Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Thursday #2, & Friday.  Yes, Thursday #2, lest one of us be confused or forget that we had two topics of conversation going via something she forgot to send in the first email of the day. She sent those emails through the anxious days when Chris was so close to coming home that we didn't speak of it, and simply emailed that morning with:

Good Morning Glory, Have a good day, Love, Mom

I haven't found the perfect photo yet, but I am going to get my first tattoo before the end of the year.  And that tattoo will be similar to the photo below (less greenery), of a Morning Glory flower.  This is the one image that without being a photo of her, means "Mom" to me.