10 Years

A lot can change in 10 years! In 10 years, you can come back home from studying abroad, you can graduate college, move cross-country, meet your future husband, graduate from grad school, move to the country, get married, move back cross-country, get a real adult job, buy a house, grow and birth a baby, travel all over the world. You can fall in love. You can make new friends and keep the old. You can struggle with choices, you can learn a lot from trial, error and experience. You can cry a little and you can laugh a whole lot. You can be thankful for the good things that have come into your life.

And you can also really miss the good things that have left your life.

10 years ago today, my mom died. And what hasn't changed is how much I miss her every single day. Seriously. Every day. What hasn't changed is that it's really hard - perhaps impossible - for me to talk about her without getting a big old lump in my throat that I desperately try to choke down and keep it all together. What hasn't changed is how much I really, really wish she could have met Jonathan and see how much he loves me. And even worse, how bad I wish she and Silas could have a wonderful relationship.

10 years later, it's still painful, but it's a different pain. What makes me happy is that I think if she were still alive, she'd be really proud of me and really happy for the lives we are each living now - despite all the change. She left a legacy of compassion and an example of loving motherhood - so she is survived by more than just a husband, a daughter and a son.

For those who still have their moms, give them a little extra love, be a little bit forgiving, and be graciously grateful for the time you spend together!