Picture taken while mom was trying to watch a movie lol -  - you knew when you called or wanted to talk that Mom was in the middle of a movie with no pause or rewind because of the look or tone of her voice - she was always so nice but ... ya just knew - call/talk to me later!!!! -  - miss you so much Mommmmmmmm - I MISS YOU SO MUCH!!!!

I miss you so much my little mommy - miss sitting in your computer room listening to music, and talking about nothing, laughing all day - you are my sunshine my lil gaylee and such a thoughtful lil mommy - you would do anything for your children, all of us - and all of us wanted to be your favorite even though I knew I was lol :)  I just want to call you right now and hear "hello dear, how was your day" - your happy voice that can make anything right.  I'm listening to your favorite songs and the songs that remind me so much of you - Whitney "Nobody Loves me Like you Do" - nobody loved all of us like you did - how did you do it - you were so strong for everyone .... Oh!!!!! - this is the story page - not the I am missing you page!!!!  I will be back tomorrow with a story cause I have lots of them :)  I love you Mom!!!!!!! and am lost without you.  I wish your days with me had not gone by so fast.

I remember this picture - it always makes me smile - everyone takes pics of you scowling or no make-up or in some uncompromising pose lol - I wanted to take pictures to show to Beverly - they all loved you at work - the Friday banana bread or muffins that you made fresh that morning,  Pedro couldn't wait to see what was for lunch because you put enough food in my bag for 2 weeks lol - loved the cookies, gouda cheese, fruit, crackers... surprises lol - Beverley really wanted to meet "Mama Gayle" - I so wish she could have met you - but we took this picture so I could share at work - you were being silly and when I look at this picture just makes me miss you more lovely lady.

I loved Gayle so much.  She always made me laugh.  Everything always had to be "perfectly perfect."  So generous, so giving, so understanding, so full of wisdom, forgiveness, and love.  Her loss has left a hole in my heart that will never heal.  I pray for Bill and her family.  They have lost a great woman.  May she rest in peace and know that she mattered and will forever be missed and loved.  Bless you all.  Merrilee

Miss Perfection, Miss Positive, Miss Wonderful - Mom always had something positive to say about every one very day - talking to her was like a bolt of "I can do it!"  :)  Her kitchen was so homey - not big enough for all she wanted to do, but comforting and when cooking - everyone needed to be out of it unless she asked for your help...and do not touch anything unless you have washed your hands!!  :)  found this email about dad - surprised she let him in the kitchen lol - I so miss you Mommie!

Good Morning Honey,

I’m going to “try” to bake a banana cream pie for dad….I promised him one yesterday, but was too much under the weather.  You can’t imagine how I cook these hard days for me…..dad gets out all the supplies, including pans that I’ll need to accomplish my menu….wow, having a sous chef is fab!!! LOL.   Dad is learning how to cook, wash hands at every turn and then some…..he’s a riot, saying, I can stir, or I can do that, just tell me.  Golly Gee, I have to give up on my cooking and baking, but I don’t go down without a fight!!  LOL.  He calls me “miss Perfection!”  I tell him that he should be grateful for that, seeing that everything is “Kosher” when cooking and/or baking.   He’s organized the kitchen cupboards, “alphabetically” that is….shame on me he says when I get them out of order….you’d be surprised at his accomplishments around the house, trying to make things so much easier for me…..this man can do anything!  All I have to say is….well, you know what I mean.  LOL.

Oh wait….William and the two boys just walked in……to be continued.

Love,

Mommy

Mom was going to write a book - we started with how her mom met her dad ... this was as far as we got :)  It would have been a great book - wish we finished it!  The beginning from mom:

Remembering …

As she walked into the little café,  then called the Chateau in Omaha, Nebraska, Hazel (Grandma Damato) was happy to see her best friend Edith (Aunti Edith, married to Grandpa's brother, Uncle Jim)..  They had been friends since grammar school and now that they had graduated, she was excited to tell her about her new job.

As she walked to the table, her gaze was fixated on this gorgeous hunk (Mom's Dad, Grandpa Bill). As she got closer,  he and his brother (Uncle Jim) were singing a beautiful Italian song on the Café’s small stage, which was the standard that they perform for the patrons, per their father.   She reached the table and greeted Edith.  She asked her who was that singing.  Edith said that she was seeing Jim, the older brother, and she thought that his name was Bill, Jim’s brother.  I should tell you that William, my father, was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, and grew up with two brothers and two sisters.  My grandmother and grandfather were Italian immigrants who settled in Omaha, Nebraska towards the American Dream.   More on that later.

He walked off the stage and took her hand and sang to her as if she was the only woman in the café.  Hazel was flustered yet as he held her hand she knew that this was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.