penny pickles art: 6 months ago today

So this isn't going to be my normal happy go lucky post - perhaps a bit dark for a child art website and blog- but it is part of me and therefore part of this. 6 months ago today my mom passed. I think in one of my initial blogs, I mentioned how painting became my therapy as her caring needs increased. It was my release, my outlet. Mom was also my biggest cheerleader and would constantly tell me that I needed to do craft fairs or sell my wares because she always thought I was so creative. I remember drawing out my flowers are de'vine theme for the first time in her room on her bed and her thinking it was beautiful. She really liked it finished, but unfortunately she was a bit distracted by her physical decline to truly appreciate it or much of anything else. The weeks leading up to today, I don't think about the "anniversaries" of her passing, but my mood changes and I guess subconsciously I get pretty melancholy. So this time six months ago, I was in the beginning planning stages of preparing mom's services and such. It feels like a lifetime ago, but in a lot of ways, just yesterday.

I was blessed this weekend with a visit from my dear cousin Caity and her family. My cousin Caity was my mom's eldest sister, Paulette's daughter. Paulette too, battled breast cancer and lost that battle too early in life. Last night we stayed up until way too early this morning talking about a gamut of things, but mostly about our mom's, loss and life from this point forward. It was hard, it was wonderful, I am exhausted. I felt her presence with us last night and I know she walks with me each day. For today I am just having a lazy day with my family and spending time enjoying each of them.