sweet things

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marzipan cake with raspberry filling

It’s a potent cup of emotions– today is my mother’s birthday and Ben’s last day at home.

As a going away gift Ben spontaneously cleaned the refrigerator for me. It’s a task I rarely take on myself. Why should I when he does it for me?

“Mom, I’m worried about you. You’re all going to die of food poisoning when I leave.”

“You need to concentrate on eating celery, carrots and red peppers because they are all about to go bad.”

“Explore the fridge every few days mom– let it breathe.”

“Sure it’s still good, but is anyone going to eat it or will it just be sitting here when I get back?”

“Coffee yogurt, mom? Isn’t that a little borderline?”

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still has the chipmunk cheeks

Our beloved Kit & Kevin gifted Ben with a freshman survival kit. It is so brilliant and thoughtful that it made both Ben and I a little teary–“Why are they so nice to me, Mom? I can’t believe they went to so much trouble for me.”

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laundry bag, vitamins, shoe polish kit, air freshener, apron, Kleenex, gum, Gatorade, Cliff Bars, a USB drive, Shout wipes, a piggy bank with “Mission Fund” on one side and “Dating Fund” on the other, lots of other things I’ve forgotten and best of all a homemade cookbook filled with Kit’s best recipes.

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I visited Mom’s favorite quilt shop and bought enough fabric to make two quilts.

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Mary’s first piano lesson today.

The hours spun by so quickly that I didn’t make it to the cemetery. I wanted to; I thought of her every moment. I mothered my children in the way she’d like and felt my heart ease a bit.

At the end of the day, Gabriel looked at Ben, spontaneously clasped his arms around his waist and called, “I’m really going to miss you Ben, I’m really going to miss you.” And we all joined in a great crazy dog pile of silly hugging missingness.

August 22, 2010
August 26, 2010

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7 Comments

  1. Azúcar

    August 26, 2010

    I’ll join you on the borderline.

  2. Sue

    August 26, 2010

    Sounds like a lovely day of farewells.

    =)

  3. Jeanelle

    August 26, 2010

    a beautiful cake for your beautiful mom. I love that he cleaned the fridge for you!

  4. Annie

    August 26, 2010

    Oh, Michelle, I thought of you all day yesterday, gathering and letting go. Loving these words of yours today xo

  5. Tracy

    August 26, 2010

    Thinking about you. “Explore the fridge…” LOL. Sounds like he needed an apprentice to fill his shoes…

    LOVE that you live on the border and that when I do come visit I will be carrying a venti latte at all times. It is like a 3rd hand.

    Look at sweet Mary at her first lesson. sigh.
    xoxo,t

  6. Ken

    August 26, 2010

    Mom and I love you forever!
    Thank you for being such a wonderful wife, dedicated mother, loving sister and precious daughter.

  7. Tifani

    August 31, 2010

    So many emotions here. Michelle, you are beautiful!

Comments are closed.