Hi Colleen. It's so good to see you posting again. I have been wondering how you have been. The first year is especially difficult after losing your mom. My mom died on September 28, 2007 from Pancreatic Cancer. My mom was the center of all the holidays and I knew facing Thanksgiving and Christmas after having lost her only 2 months earlier was going to be difficult. What made/has made our situation so difficult is that my dad is angry and bitter over having lost the love of his life. They were married for 56 years and he is sad and lost without her. We try and continue on with the holiday traditions that we had before mom passed away but there is definitely a void without her here.

I feel the best way to honor my mom's memory is to continue on. That is what she would want us to do. It's o.k. to be sad and cry, the first year is very difficult. Take care.