Sweetest Daughter

Every year, my parents would give me a Christmas ornament.

It was a tradition that they started when we were young.

Mom would look for an ornament that made her think

of me. Each year, I unpack the

ornaments I've been given.

This year, I lovingly looked at each ornament

she had given me.

I looked at the last one, an ornament

she picked out when we bought our house.

It's a little tin house that says,

"New Home" 2004.

Who would have guessed that five Christmases later,

she would be gone.

My Dad has started cleaning out some of

my Mom's things. While looking through her stuff, he

found a candy cane ornament that said, "Sweetest Daughter".

My Mom had bought it for me at some point.

There were candy canes for The Big K. and

Doodles.

Dad gave them to us to hang on our tree this year.

I cried as I gave the ornaments to the kids.

I cried as I hung up the ornament she'd given me.

It was like still having her here, even though she's not.

As I look at that small simple ornament,

I think how lucky I am to have had her for a Mom.

To know how much she loved me.

To know how proud she was of me.

To know how happy she was to see me become a wife

and a mother.

My mother was my best friend. I miss

her more today than I did yesterday.

I miss her so much during this time.

I wish, with all my heart, that

I could spend just one more Christmas with her.