Day 29: Six Months

This blog is going to be "deeper" than my normal posts of regular day-to-day life.

Today was a hard anniversary for me. Six months ago, Momma passed. For the past six months, I've wanted to pick up the phone and call her to ask her a question, or to tell her something funny the kids did at work today. I wanted to call and ask her how she managed three kids while Pops was away on trips so much. I wanted to hear her laugh and just one more "I love you."

There's not a day that goes by that I don't think of her, and all she did for me. She was truly my hero, and every time I told her that she just shook her head like she wasn't good enough. But she was, oh, she was. I can't even list everything she fought and overcame in her lifetime. I mean, she battled cancer for 11 years. I still won't say that she lost that fight, but she finished it. I thank God every day that I was given those extra 11 years with her... I can't imagine losing her when I was 10, or 12, or even 18. I am so thankful that she was there for our wedding day, and she was so happy that I was with someone who made me so happy. She told me all the time that she could tell that Arron loved me with everything he had.

I wasn't going to cry today. I was going to stand strong. But here I am, blubbering like a fool. I remember the shock of going home and seeing her, and knowing I wouldn't have the two or three months the doctors told us we'd have. She made it ten days, just long enough for all of us kids to get together to say our goodbyes.

On October 11, 2010, the world lost a beautiful and kind soul. My brother Paul said he thought she would pass on 10/10/10, but she, as a mom, was an 11, and she showed us that to the very end. She passed away at high noon, and we had her funeral on the following Friday. Every Friday morning when we were in school (and even after we all graduated), she'd wake us up with, "It's Friiiiiday!" She loved Fridays.

These past six months have gone by so quickly. I can't believe that it has already gone by, but at the same time, it seems like an eternity has passed.

I'm just going to end with some pictures. They're not in any particular order, just how I found them.

 The beginning of a 30-year marriage. ♥

Momma and Jacki.

On their honeymoon.

Wedding day, July 19, 1980.

Another honeymoon one. So beautiful!

This was Arron's birthday present last year from her. She was so upset that it was so pretty but wouldn't fit into a flat rate box! She had to unwrap it and re-wrap it not as prettily.

At the Guadalupe, one of her favorite places.

Our last picture together, at Makayla's baby shower, June 2010.

At the pool, May 2010.

One of my all-time favorite days. Galveston, May 2010.

Momma and her puppy, Carly.

All of her brothers and sisters. The Luedeke family.

This is how I will always remember her--t-shirt, capris and Crocs at the beach with a smile.

My wedding day,August 29, 2009.

My bridal shower, June 27, 2009.

We used this one for the funeral program. Captures the beauty of who she was, inside and out.

She loved her crawfish! Mother's Day 2009.

Mother's Day 2009.

Modeling with her beloved car on the beach.

:)

In our beautiful yard, May 2010.

First family portrait, December 2010. Pops, Momma, Jacki, Paul and I (the baby!).

Here's to you, Momma. I'll dedicate a margarita to you tonight. ♥

"Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." - A.A. Milne, writer of Winnie-the-Pooh