what we lost

She was an amazing mom. Truly, wonderfully perfect, like the kind in picture books. She could have worked, but she stayed home with us - playing games, making brownies, reading stories, snuggling, singing in the car, sewing halloween costumes, coloring, painting. She taught us how to swim and ride bikes and decorate a Christmas tree. We planted flowers and trees. There were tennis rackets, dance classes, curly pigtails, bubble baths, chicken enchiladas and homemade dollhouse furniture. That is what we had, and that is what we lost.

She died when I was 6. She was 28, but I lost her much sooner than that.

She found out when I was four - almost five. She though it was an allergy. So did two different doctors. It wasn't. The cancer was rare and agressive. The same stuff would kill most of her family within the next 5 years.