May 16 - what today means to me.

This is a very hard day for me to get through. On Friday May 16, 2003; my brother called me that evening to let me know that our parents were the victims of a bank robbery in Greer, SC. They, along with the bank teller that was working that day, were shot to death by a still unknown assailant.

That was 8 years ago today. Time has eased the pain, but it has not erased it. There are moments that go by that bring the pain back up to the top. My children were the oldest of their 6 grand children. The oldest two have both graduated from high school with out my parents there to see. One graduated from a police training program. One got married last summer. All without my parents there to see. There are times where my daughter does something that reminds me of myself at her age and I pick up the phone to tell Mom and then I remember that she's not there to call.

I thank God every day for the time that I did get with my parents. That the last time that I talked with them, my last words were "I love you.". I thank God that my parents gave me a firm foundation from which I have built a strong marriage and been a good parent to my four children. If you are fortunate to have a great relationship with your parents, don't forget to thank them. Don't forget to tell them that you love them. Don't forget to tell your spouse, long term partner, children, and dear friends how much they mean to you because life is unpredictable. It could be a gunman, a drunk driver, a heart attack, stroke, or other act that cuts a precious life short.

But Life is messy and complicated, but what a ride we get to enjoy when all is said and done. To my parents, I thank them for every lesson I ever learned whether I knew it at the time or not. Thank you for coaching my soccer teams, refereeing the soccer games, driving the band bus, chaperoning band trips, driving me to piano lessons, bassoon lessons, and for allowing me to stumble, fall, make mistakes, and become the woman, wife, and parent that I am today.