Memories

February 25th marked two years since my mom passed away. It was a surreal day. I can't believe that I have actually survived without a mom for two whole years. How did I do anything? I had some big life changes in those two years. I graduated from college, moved two states away to work at a Young Life camp, I had some of the hardest times in my life at that camp, I was a bridesmaid in 3 different weddings, I packed up and moved to a new city all alone, I got a new job, my dad got remarried, then I got another job, then my dad's wife was in a horrible accident, then all the holidays rolled around again. Yay....see. How did I do all of that without a mom? Guess the Lord can get us through anything :) Anyways, last year (the one year anniversary of my mom's death) my family and I just kinda wanted to be together. We didn't do much though. But this year I planned a big dinner (with all of my mom's favorites things) with my family and we ate and then told our favorite memories of her.

We had cornish hens, which we used to have every time we went to the beach when I was little. And this was hilarious because they look just like a baby turkey. So you have a whole bird on your plate (minus the head :) ). Josh and Bri'Anna were both like um, excuse me, what is this? What do you do with it? You want me to eat this? HAHA. Super funny. And then we had twice baked potatoes, the bread that they serve at OutBack, and fresh corn on the cob. Incredible dinner. For dessert, we had plain NY Style cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory. Amazing....

After dinner we shared some memories. Since there was alot shared, I will just share mine. When I was maybe 5, we went to the beach. (Side note: I LOVE the beach. We used to spend basically all summer at the beach. Now we go for about 2 weeks a summer. My mom LOVED Jimmy Buffet and therefore passed on the love to me, also making me a Parrot Head.) Ok, so we are at the beach, and go to an amusement type place with go carts. I thought I was so cool because I could drive one all alone. I go around the track and they put up the last lap sign. After that lap everyone pulls into the station, but I decide I am not done, so I keep going around the track. The guy comes out to stop me, but I almost run him over so he jumps out of the way. Well, my mom, angered now, comes onto the track to stop me herself, but I am a determined little girl so instead of stopping, I just run over her foot :) Hahahaha, I eventually stop and pull into the station. We have this picture of my mom and I on a bench. Her foot is propped up and she is pouting. Her white Keds tennis shoe has a huge black tire mark across it, the shoe houses a few broken toes, and then I am on the other side laughing with my shoulders shrugged and my hands thrown up in the air. Priceless :)

My other favorite memory: You need backstory. So since I love Jimmy Buffet so much, I began to love Kenny Chesney too. Kenny and Jimmy have some similar styles. Mainly, they both LOVE the beach, just like me! Well, the summer after my sophomore year of college my friend Pierina and I go to see Kenny for the second time together. This was after the song "When the Sun Goes Down" was popular. Well, Kenny had Uncle Kracker as a special guest come out in the middle of the song and sing with him. It was really exciting! So meanwhile, my family is all at the beach so I call my mom after we leave to tell her how great the concert was. She doesn't seem that interested, but then, I say and then Uncle Kracker came out and sang with Kenny! She perks up, freaks out, and starts screaming "I can't believe you saw Uncle Kracker! OMG! He is so awesome! I love Uncle Kracker! Oh my! That sounds like the best concert ever!" Hahahaha...I was like what is wrong with you? You have NEVER talked about Uncle Kracker before and besides, he only has that one song out about swimming through your veins like a fish in the sea. It was super funny. I don't know why she got so excited about him, but she did. Ok, so a year later, Pierina and I, die hard Kenny fans, decide to go to another Kenny concert. Before the tickets go on sale, my mom's best friend Delane (who also LOVES Kenny) says she wants to go and tries to talk my mom into going with her. Suddendly, my mom remembers that Uncle Kracker was on his last tour, so surely he will be on this one too. My mom says "Heck yes I"ll go with you!" But, she is NOT going to see Kenny or Sugarland (who opened), but Uncle Kracker. Over $80 to hopefully see Uncle Kracker....haha. We try to tell her that he probably won't be there again. But to her, it was so worth the possibility. April rolls around and it's time for the big concert. This was after my mom's first brain tumor, so she was not in the best health, which makes this story all the better. All four of us go to the concert. We don't have seats together. It's me and Pierina, and then Delane and my mom. Well, I REALLY don't think that Uncle Kracker will be there, but pray that he will be, just to make my mom happy. "When the Sun Goes Down" comes on, and off to the right of the stage this big man appears and starts singing. It is none other than Uncle Kraker :) I cried. And I am crying now writing this. It's just the little things in life. It made my mom so happy and she kept saying "I just knew he would be there! See! I told you guys!" If only she was around to hear Uncle Krackers 3rd single in like 15 years, Smile. Haha, he's such a great artist ;)