See my Mom passed away in 1993.  It happened quite suddenly on a Sunday morning while she was on the phone with a friend.  Those of you who knew her knew that she loved kids.  All kinds of kids.  From little babies to toddlers to even teenagers.  Granted my brother and I weren’t model kids as teenagers, me especially.  But she loved us with all her heart and loved to provide anything she could for us. She was a strong and smart woman too.  She left her parents house on her own long before that was a normal thing to do.  She made her own living and didn’t really have any interest in marrying for security from what I can gather.  She married my dad cause she loved him and he was a good man.  Not cause she needed a man to be happy.  They got married when she was 34 and I arrived about a year later.  In 1968 this was somewhat of a big deal, having a kid at 35 and another at 37.

When Siri was born she was the first girl in our immediate family on the Hinze side.  Before that it was 8 boy cousins.  Sure there is extended family with 2nd and 3rd cousins.  But this was the first niece she had.  I was in high school, Otis wasn’t far behind me.  Most of the family was done having kids really.  Heath was the youngest cousin up to that point and he was in junior high.  At 52 years old my Mom’s grandmother instincts kicked in when Siri was born.  And apparently it was contagious ’cause Dad got bit too.

They would have Siri over for the weekend, take her to the zoo, Mom would make her doll clothes and tea sets.  Dad taught her how to paint.  Thing was you could see on my Mom’s face the joy she got out of doting on a little girl.  Both Otis and I knew she would go nuts when we had kids.  I had decided when I was about 20 that I was definitely going to have kids before I reached 35.  Fate laughed at that one and I bet is still laughing.

So our daughters, mine and Otis’, won’t know about her except for stories.  How she would spend a good part of November baking for the entire holiday season.  That you would never go to her house and not find some cookies or sweets of some sort.  Amelia won’t get to sleep under one of the beautiful quilts she made just for her.  Mom won’t be making a tea set, doll clothes or little girl clothes for her.  Amelia won’t have my Mom to teach her how to bake, not that Andrea and I can’t teach her that.

But what gets me on the day to day stuff is I can’t call Mom up and ask her why? how? and what am I supposed to do?  Andrea and I can’t just let Amelia spend a weekend with her grandparents.  Don’t get me wrong.  Andrea’s family is great and they all love Amelia to pieces.  Her family is an added extra special bonus to being married to her.  George and Mary are awesome grandparents and will be a big part of Amelia’s life.  But the 3000 or so miles makes it a little difficult to have a sleep over.  And my Dad will love and spoil her just like he’s done with my niece.

I’m just jealous we don’t have that cushion of family near by to help and support and reassure.  And I guess I’m here to remind all of you that do, be thankful.  Having your family close and available as your little one grows is a blessing beyond measure.