Happy Birthday, Mom

Today would have been my mom's 58th birthday.  I can't believe she has been gone almost 13 years.  I wouldn't say it's any easier... I still miss her more than ever... but I guess the hurt is different.  It started as gut punch, something that would hit me unexpectedly and really knock the wind out of me.  Now, it's more like an empty ache, and I guess I can predict it a little better.  I hate it, and I'd give anything to have her back, even just for an hour, but I do the best I can.

For her birthday, I found a little video clip from Murphy Brown.  We both loved this show, and we never missed it.  Even after I'd gone to college, we'd call and talk about it (plus China Beach and Thirtysomething... those were our shows).  When this episode aired, we freaked out, because we both loved Barry Manilow (she and I saw him in concert twice).  We fell in love with this song.  When Mom married Mike Hugunin on May 27, 1995, I surprised her and sang it to her at the reception.  When she died less than three months later on August 18, I spoke the words as a poem during her funeral.  Here is "I am Your Child."  Forward to the song if you're not a Murphy fan.

Happy birthday, Mom.  I miss you, and I love you.