there is no grave to visit, no vase to hold the flowers.  no bench to sit where you rest for those who loved you best to pass away the hours.  no trees for shade or to hold a birdhouse or a chime.  no engraved stone with name, dates or verse about your life and time.

but there is a place on the world wide web for your memory to reside.  we go there to visit and pray that you see from above just how much you are missed and are loved.

there we leave words about our fondest memories, light virtual candles and place virtual flowers for you.

the tears on the keyboard are real.

we wish you were here every day of the year.....love you, mom

no valentine's day is complete without the memory of the stories you used to tell about your delivering flowers for different flower shops. people that you delivered for said you were the best delivery man they ever had. you always had funny stories of silly things that happened while delivering the flowers.

we tried several times to bring our family together again. you would ask us to come, she would ask us to go. love and miss you, mom

you always loved birthday celebrations. you once told us that you wished birthdays were more like a birthday "week" instead of just a day. we all laughed and agreed that soon you would make it a birthday "month" !!

Always remember to forget the things that made you sad.

But never forget to remember the things that made you glad.

Always remember to forget the friends that proved untrue.

But never forget to remember those that have stuck by you.

Always remember to forget the troubles that passed away.

But never forget to remember the blessings that come each day.

you sent me this picture.  so proud...said it was the nicest valentines you had ever been able to give. (2/14/2014)

February 14, 2016

new year's eve 2015...what a sad year for our family.  but, in the midst of the sorrow we must count our blessings. thanking everyone for their calls and cards and gifts during our family's loss. we made the memorial donations to the food banks and the humane shelter, both causes that you cared about.  you would be very surprised at the outpouring of love from some of the most unexpected sources.  always know you were loved. mom and dad

you always wanted to stay up to see santa..this is how it often ended.

much love, mom and dad

"the woods are lovely, dark and deep, but i have promises to keep, and miles to go before i sleep, and miles to go before i sleep."

                                                              robert frost

you learned this poem for class. we practiced it so much that dad and i even learned parts of it.

no matter at whose house it was celebrated, you always enjoyed the big gatherings.  sometimes at papaw's family, later at nanaw's house....it was lots of good food and family.  you never really liked the turkey and dressing as much as you liked the ham. but your true love of the holiday meal was the CHOCOLATE PIE! all the women in your life competed to bake the best chocolate pie but mamaw beat us all, hands down. at nearly 6'7" tall it would take a big man to fill your shoes (size 15!!), both literally and metaphorically.  happy thanksgiving with love, mom and dad.