Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are great days in the Rosenberg house, but not for any particular reason other than it is a nice quiet day at home with the family. There’s no other neighborhood kids coming and going, so we have some piece and quiet and the kids are always so sweet helping us celebrate our day.
Unfortunately, I have to say that my first Mother’s Day was not all I would have liked. Your first Mother's Day you would think would be you'd get to sleep late, maybe get breakfast in bed. Those would be the traditional ways to celebrate such a milestone day. I'm not sad that it wasn't all that I had imagined though. Jaden was only 6 months old at the time but what made that day do sad was that Jody's father was in hospice dying.
As it happens, with new life comes death. It is such a shame because Jaden was so little when Jody’s dad passed away. He only got to see Jaden for a little while. He didn’t get to see all the milestones that have come along with having a grandson, like Jaden’s first steps or first words. He didn’t get to see what Jaden is becoming now which is an amazingly bright boy who loves to read and go to baseball games. He also never got to meet his granddaughter Jaime. She is so much a Rosenberg he would have loved it. She is so smart, loving and funny. She would have hugged him and talked his ear off non-stop. She also would have had him wrapped around her little finger.
Instead, he passed away shortly after my first Mother’s Day. He had just been moved to hospice a day or two before Mother’s Day so Jody and I and the family just were just spending a lot of time sitting around waiting as we knew the end was very near for him. It was a painful moment watching Jody losing his father and knowing there was nothing left any of us can do to help him anymore.
But thankfully at least Jody’s dad did get to hold Jaden in his arms on the morning of Jaden’s Bris. He also got a few surprise visits from us at his nursing home before he got really sick. Jaden may not remember him but at least he did get a chance to meet his grandfather and I am grateful for that.
And, although I have already had a number of Mother’s Days much happier then that first one… it still does not change how thinking back to that one makes me feel. I’m not sure that Jody even remembers that particular day, but it still holds a place in my heart.
I can only hope every Father’s Day for Jody can be great and full of love from his two amazing children as this past Sunday was. It is not like we did a lot that day. We just spent the day being a family -no outside distractions. It was just my parents the kids and us playing in the pool and having fun. Life goes by way too fast, so it is good to have a day when we all just take a moment to tell the people that we love that we love and appreciate them.
And, I just know if Jody’s dad were still around today, he would be truly proud of what a great father his son has become.
And I didn't know if you knew,
so I'm taking this chance to say
That I had the best day with you…
today.
-Taylor Swift
20 days and counting!