Mom by Susan

Soon after Mom passed away, a very dear friend gave me a gift in remembrance of my mother - a bronze frame with roses all around it. She said to put a picture of my mother in it. I told her it was very fitting having the roses on the frame because she loved roses. This is the picture I put in the special frame and I keep in on my piano in my living room. I see it every day and always get a very warm feeling as if she is right in the same room with me. You know, some times I know she is that close because I feel her presence often.

When I was in elementary school, Mom would enjoy cutting her roses from her yard and making flower arrangements for me to put in my bike basket to surprise my teacher that day. She would leave to work and I would carefully ride my bike to Mingay which was over a mile away. She loved flowers. One of her resumes I came across among some of her old paperwork had down as one of her favorite hobbies was "flower arranging." She was always such a giving person in so many ways.

I'm so grateful that I am her daughter - she taught me so many things. I have so many good memories growing up. As I moved from California to come to BYU and then returned making Utah my new home, Mom always made sure we stayed close in touch since she understood living away from her own family members. Whenever the "Leavitts" came to visit, we always felt so welcome. The hardest part was when we had to leave especially when she was 'alone' and she'd stand on her steps waving goodbye. (Still makes me cry.)

I'm posting this small memory on Mom's birthday and at the time 11:11 because my family always thinks of her whenever we see that time. She would tell us to make a wish, especially whenever the clock said 11:11. Very often when any of us are together and see that the clock says 11:11, we point it out and grin at each other knowing who we're thinking of. Many nights before I close my eyes, I see my clock next to my bed say 11:11 and I get a warm feeling and think of Mom.

Thank you, Mom -I love you & miss you so much!