Talking a trip with Doris, I was sitting in the back seat with Butch (chocolate lab).

My behind started heating up, and I advised her and Bart.

"Mom" assured me there were no seat warmers in the back.

Later in the trip, I advised that I knew how bacon felt, cause my behind was roasting.

She decided we needed to stop for ice cream...and when we pulled away at dusk, I noticed an orange glow on door panel.

She blushed, laughed, appologized, and kept a little glint in her eyes...

Later, bought me a car pillow...and presented it with a giggle.

Still have the pillow, memory, and can still see that glint in her eyes...and giggle.

Wow. 86 years old. I kept trying to comprehend what that must be like...but I never fully understood. What I can tell you is at 47...I really don't have that long at all till I reach her age...God willing. Mom was an amazing woman.  Altho being an only child, most of her life was spent alone. Even when she was surrounded by people & family that loved her... But she always tried to put on a brave face about everything she encountered.

She was the 1st person in her family to graduate from college.....Not only graduate, but to earn her Masters plus 40 hours in teaching & guidance....now that's an amazing accomplishment! She wasn't the one that my Dad's Mom had in mind for him to marry, but her married her anyway. They adopted Robert @ a very young age, so my Brother has ALWAYS felt like Mom & Dad were, and are, his family. And then 11 years later, I came along....This has been a long standing "joke" with Robert and he knows that I love him dearly, but it still gives us a laugh; when it really didn't sit well with Doris at all. LOL She did a great job raising us two....it couldn't have been eazy with two boys. I kept on doing my best to reassure her of that in her later years.

But congestive heart failure, diabetes, high blood pressure, macular degeneration and neuropathy were her "companions" for the latter part of her life.  And again, she was a fighter & fought through it all. I feel satisfied that I was able to help her do what she wanted; & that was to stay in her home as long as possible.

But she was tired of fighting.  And I kept asking God to "not make her have to suffer any." And eventho this was her 4th stroke, her brain was still strong.  The last neurological Dr, Dr. Alexandrov (who with a last name like that...he's actually from East Tennessee.....well actually Georgia - COUNTRY), had even said so. But her body was just not able to keep up.  And now she is no longer in any pain; she can see clearly; walk normally; breathe normally; and her little worn out heart is just beating so stongly...it gives me a sense of relief to know this.

Most of us really do only get one Mother in this world. Mine is gone now; but will never be forgotten!

I met Dot for the first time in the summer of 2011.  The "you gotta meet my Mom" meeting that every girl looks forward to and dreads at the same time.  Dot, of course, was the gracious hostess, so charming and unassuming.  So much that I didn't realize until after I left that not only had she found out everything about me but probably had my family tree figured out.  Our common bond other than our mutual love for Robert was that we are both mothers that would go to the ends of the world for our children.

Shortly after we met I lost my mother.  Dot helped plug that hole in my heart.  When Robert and I married I got a mother and a brother and a wonderful family in California and Indiana.  Dot got a grandson and a great granddaughter.  She fell in love with both but was especially thrilled with Paige.  Being a teacher she immediately realized that not only was she beautiful but very smart and encouraged her everytime she saw her to strive for greatness.  I never talked to Dot without her asking how Paige was doing.

Dot was as adventurous as they come.  She never missed an opportunity to try, if physically possible, a new adventure.  On one of her visits to the farm she hopped on the back of a four wheeler with Robert and took off for a tour through the woods.

On a trip to Indiana one summer we made a side stop  at her friend's in Nashville.  Dot and Dolores had started their teaching careers together and they had not seen each other for several years.  As we got closer to Nashville she informed us that Dolores had pets and they were chickens --- that she kept in the house.  Dolores was delightful and Dot even got to hold Nellie the chicken in her lap.  We did NOT have Kentucky Fried Chicken for lunch that day.  Dolores and Nellie couldn't make it today but they did send their deepest regards.

When my son Kaven brought Melanie into our family Dot wrapped her love around her and helped her plug the hole in her heart from the loss of her mom.  With the birth of Madeline her eyes were so bright and loving only a mother, grandmother or great grandmother could understand.  Madigrace made her feel younger she said and she could already tell how smart she was going to be.  Dot never stopped bragging on her girls or her sons for that matter.

I will miss my nightly calls on the way home from work - the "Hi, Honey's", the endless bags of treats and treasures and the love she wrapped around me.

My world is selfishly sadder today without our precious Dot but I have no doubt that heaven is having a Large party and Dot is completely in charge.