Dear Mom

Just wanted you to know what you've been missing:

You've missed a wonderful wedding that took place in a beautiful setting, a high school graduation, college graduations, and the birth of your great granddaughter. You would be so proud.

You're missed buying a house, new house being built on the Kenai River, many updates and refurbishing to a home that watched us grow up, and a move to Juneau. You'd love Juneau - a new place to venture, to watch the eagles and herons, look for orca and humpback whales, watch the sea lions and harbor seals; the wildflowers that spring up in June –so vibrant and varied; walks on the sandy beaches, through the rain forest with the huge dark green trees providing a clear undergrowth to wind through, and along the rushing creeks and numerous waterfalls; the cruise ships filling the docks, the downtown shopping, and the float planes coming and going.

You've missed the slicing of a thumb, broken bones in a foot, loosing all the front teeth and graying of hair. You would give encouraging words and worry about our healing

You've missed activities of creativity and accomplishments of the digital arts; return to the physical arts, playing competitive sports, about 9 quilts, 3 fabric bags, 6 pillows, 8 sweaters, 3 hats, 14 pairs of gloves, 20 pairs of baby booties, 4 felted slippers, and a teddy bear (but who's counting). You would be right in their creating items with love.

You've missed becoming established in a profession and completing a prestigious internship. You would be proud and be telling your friends.

You've missed following an inherited desire to travel and your courage to move someplace new as a young woman. You'd be planning your next visit.

What you haven't missed…being in my thoughts every day since you've been gone.