People have asked how we are doing without my mom. We haven’t moved on but we take a step forward every day.

My dad is doing surprisingly well. He makes many meals in his air fryer, keeps the house clean, hosts Happy Hour with the neighbors, and does a lot with his mom. He even made us a fantastic prime rib meal for Easter. He is getting accustom to my daily quick phone calls on the car ride home after work. It isn’t the same as talking to my mom, but we are getting much better at communicating. If there is one good thing that has happened without my mom it’s that we’ve grown much closer.

I didn’t realize how much my mom and her sister Michelle talked but I think it was a lot. I can tell Michelle feels a deep loss and I am trying to fill in the best I can (except I really am not one for talking on the phone for more than 15 minutes).

My kids don’t seem to be impacted. I am shocked because they were really close to their grandma. They mention her every now and then, but it’s not something that seems to bother them. Michelle’s kids are much more aware of the finality and have honored her memory in sweet ways.

I have my ups and downs. Today was especially hard. We painted our cabin and I thought about her every time I loaded the paint brush. She helped us paint many homes and would have been here this time too. We went out for dinner tonight. A live singer sang a 60’s song “Last Kiss” – she would have stood up and danced! It’s simple things that make me think of her all of the time.

One day at a time – we all move forward with her in our memories. It isn't getting easier. It just is.