happy birthday mom

Happy birthday mom, you would have turned 87 today. I thought you might want an update on what you have missed in the thirteen years since you went home.
I married Kathe a little over a month after your passing. I know you never really met her; after all she refused to come see you in the hospital. You were right mom; she was not the right girl for me. I wonder how you knew. She was abusive and I was too blind to see until it was too late. She also refused to go to your funeral and got mad when I went.
I stayed with her for almost two years. Come to think about it I am glad you weren’t here to see me during that part of my life. I don’t remember if I told you that Kathe had multiple personalities. Talk about a life experience. I didn’t know if I was coming or going. I had her arrested on spousal abuse, but like a fool I would always forgive her.
I finally got to the breaking point after she threw a full glass of milk at me after one of her one-sided arguments. (She was great a picking me apart regardless of what I did or didn’t do.) Anyway one of her personalities got upset and threw the milk at me, hitting me in the head. I waited until she was asleep and I grabbed what I could fit in my car and left her. The biggest problem was you were no longer there to tell me everything would work out. I had no place to go to. Nobody to heal my soul, for the first time in my life I had to heal my broken-heart by myself.
The world as we know it changed for good on a peaceful day in September of 2001 when terrorist crashed airplanes into the Twin Towers, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania. We all watched in horror as the towers crumbled down. Well I can’t actually say all of us. Kathe was in a minor accident that morning. (About the same time as the towers) That is really what the argument was about. She couldn’t understand why I paid more attention to her minor accident.
Salt Lake City finally got to host their Olympics in the winter of 2002. It was a big deal for the city, not such a big deal for me. I remember watching the opening ceremony thinking how cold it was. It was at that moment I knew I had to leave Salt Lake City for a warmer climate. I couldn’t stay there any longer. It didn’t help that I was living in the same apartment complex as Kathe. You know me once I decide to move somewhere else there is nothing that will stop me. I moved away from Utah the day after the closing ceremony. I ended up in Anaheim California a few blocks from Disneyland.
My life changed forever while there. I found true love. Oh, not in Anaheim but San Diego. Mom I met the perfect lady in a chat room on AOL (I know you told me to stay away from the internet) you would like her mom, and I wish you could have met her.
The first thing she told me was, “I will never leave San Diego,” how’s that for funny? I guess my wanderlust shows in my eyes. She had even thought about canceling our first date, but she decided that one date with me couldn’t hurt. Boy was she wrong. We married a little over a year later. She is what had been missing in my life. I also became dad to her daughter Allison, who became my sunshine.
I now live in Springfield Missouri, yah, I know my true love stated she would never leave San Diego, I guess wanderlust is contagious.
We have been on a cruise to Mexico, Disneyworld, Washington DC, Philadelphia, and we went to New York City to see Phantom on Broadway. I know you loved Phantom of the opera, you would love seeing it on Broadway, there is no substitute,
Do you remember how I said that I would write a book? Well, guess what. I have written three books.
Mom, I need to go. I am sure you are busy talking to Mozart or playing Pinochle with my brother Bill. I just wanted to let you know I am happy and miss you.
Happy Birthday.