Today should be Mom's birthday! Happy Birthday Mom!

May the constant love of caring friends soften your sadness.

May cherished memories bring you moments of comfort.

May lasting peace surround your grieving heart.

I love my Mother and I know she loves me. We are all grieving so things have been said or done to cause more hurt.  For my part in that I am sorry. We were a family once but now it seems we are working against one another rather than grieve together. I know now I must let go and move forward. I feel isolated right now living so far away, but I know with time that WILL get better. My apologies to the one that did reach out. I know you are grieving too. So if there is anything I am holding that you would like to have, to keep here memory alive, please let me know and I will do my best to get it to you. I can no longer reach out to try to mend these relationships. It will very difficult to return to Denver knowing Mom will no longer be there. But I know I still have a brother and brother-in-law that still love me. And of course friends as well.
I will miss you dearly and love you always.

Since Grandma didn't have any services planned right after her passing, I decided to visit Grandpa Mac. I explained to my daughter, Hailee, the proper proceedings after the passing of a loved one ie. wake, funeral service, gathering to talk about the good times, etc. I hope it helped her to grieve a little better because she is proud to be a MacNeil. I know I will because there are people in my family who care. I love you, Grandma. You will be with your one and only soon enough.

The good ol' Saturn. I remember riding with Grandma in this car to the Commissary, long drives on Sunday with Grandpa, or just to take me to Taco Bell! The aroma of her perfume can still be sensed if you try real hard! This is the grandma I remember.

Here's Grandma and Grandpa in front of their house in Montbello, the house I grew up in.