Happy Birthday Mom

My mom’s birthday is today. She would have been 60 years old.

When she passed away -- nearly 11 months ago -- on March 23rd, I couldn’t handle it.

I'm still having a hard time.

This last year has been extremely tough for me and my family and the only way I've dealt with things is because of the love of my family (Megan, Grace, my dad, sister, aunt, grandmother and all of my friends.)

I think my mother would want us to remember her for the wonderful woman that she was, but more importantly, she would want us to take care of each other and want me to be a good son, husband and especially a good father. So, I’ve tried in the last year to be all of those things.

At the same time, I've tried to remember the person that my mother was. I've listened to others tell stories about how she impacted their lives. And I've tried not to cry hysterically at the drop of a hat.

The one thing I’ll always remember about my mom happened on her birthday last year. She asked for a Kohl's gift card for her birthday, so we bought her one. Instead of buying something for herself with the gift card, she bought outfits for her new granddaughter Grace.

That says all you need to know about my mother. She cared more for others than she cared for herself. And that is what made her a truly wonderful and special individual.

Happy Birthday Mom. I miss you every second of every day.