Today was the birthday of my beautiful mother--

My thoughts have been with you all day,  Mom.  It's your second birthday in heaven, a day of joy and celebration for you and your life so well lived.  I so want to be joyful, too, but the expected tears come throughout my day as I reflect on our years of celebrating your birth together.   I'm happy, sad, full of joy and selfish sorrow.  I want you free from all your pain and suffering and yes, in the presence of the Lord.  And yet I'm so conflicted as I do life without you.  Devotions from your Bible, one of the many held in your hands over the years of your faith walk and full of little notes of encouragement and even address of those whose lives you were speaking into begins my day.  Some time to sort through some of your special things and remember their places in your home.  I can hear your voice on my phone on a still saved voice message, your last to me before you left for heaven, always closing with an "I love you, Cathy."  But it's your arms around me that I miss the most.  You were my rock and my cheerleader, always loving, always accepting, always praying.  I will let myself cry today as I so miss
 you and our life together but tomorrow will be a new day, a day I will, with a grateful heart, embrace
all God has for me that began with you, my sweet Mother.  Always loved, forever missed----