IN MY LIFE- HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

Today is April 11th. It's my mom's birthday. She would've been 98 today. She will be gone five years this August. I still miss her.

I remember her birthday fondly. Mom was born on Easter Sunday in 1920. Occasionally April 11 would again fall on Easter. Two reasons to celebrate on that special day.

I would always take time to pick out a special birthday card for mom. Cash would be included for her Bingo, and usually a box of candy ) Whitman Sampler or Russell Stover).

We threw an 80th and 90th birthday party for mom. I'm glad we did. For her 80th, many family members were still with us. Mom didn't want a party, but she never had one to the best of my knowledge. It was tough to keep it a surprise. We had to entice her to check out the local VFW in Phoenixville on a Sunday afternoon by telling her there was "special Bingo" there. That was a white lie, and she knew it ( Mom knew every Bingo game within 50 miles of here). But she played along after a few heart-stopping moments when she said she would rather stay home that afternoon.

At first, once mom found out it was a birthday party she got a little pissed. She said she didn't want all the fuss and attention. Then she reconsidered, knowing the work that went into the planning, and didn't want to disappoint the guests.

We had the party catered with a DJ. All of her Bingo buddies showed up ( some even skipping Bingo that afternoon, which both impressed and touched mom even more). Family and friends were there, many she hadn't seen in ages, many i either didn't know or didn't recognize.

My oldest brother took pictures and a video of the affair. Mom would watch the video later and admit it was a nice event. Always mom, instead of using the money for Bingo she "treated" family members with small gifts down the road from her birthday stash.

Her 90th was also held at the VFW. We told her ahead of time about this one, and surprisingly, she was OK with it. No way we would've been able to surprise her again.

So many of the family and friends were gone since ten years prior. Her 90th was also special because it was so much later in life. Even though we talked about doing it again when she turned the magical 100, we all knew that may not happen. Still, if anyone could reach that milestone, it was mom.

Soon after the party mom got sick and ended up in a local nursing home.  I was a social worker there and got to see her everyday. I was with her at the hospital when she died in August of 2013.

I think about her everyday, birthday or not. I know she is in heaven today, celebrating with those same family and friends. I took her some flowers today and laid them next to her grave at the cemetery. The afternoon was still chilly and gray. But bluer skies are on the horizon, with the promise of warmer weather ahead.

98 years is a long time. I'm glad she was around for the time she was, grateful this really happy, sweet, kind lady was my mother.Life goes on for me. She is at peace. I know she is watching over me and smiling, especially on this of all days, mom's birthday.