Letter to my Dead Mother

Dear Mom,

I'm making cranberry sauce today. It's Sunday morning, and I also made pumpkin muffins with Dylan. It's November, it's getting close to Thanksgiving. Remember, we used to make cranberry sauce together? I loved sipping the hot, sweet cranberries, mixed with water and sugar, as it was cooking. I tasted the hot cranberry juice today, and I was thinking about you. I'm going to make pumpkin pie this year with Dylan. I've never made pumpkin pie before. I hope it comes out okay.

We're going to have a quiet Thanksgiving this year, just the four of us. Remember how much fun we used to have on Thanksgiving? We used to help you make the apple pie and the stuffing, and always pick at the stuffing. You made the best Thanksgiving food, Mom.

I started a new job this year. It's really busy. I wish I could talk to you about it. I'm sure you would be proud of me, being a working mom, just like you were. I don't know how you juggled raising the three of us, and working full time. I'm having a hard time, Mom. But don't worry, Wendy is helping me, she's giving me advice.

It was Halloween Friday night. The kids had fun. Dylan dressed as the man with three arms, he had a fake arm in his pocket and his real arm went through the middle of his jacket. Summer was a furry gray mouse, and she was really cute. She loved trick-or-treating this year. Remember we used to hide the candy in the sideboard in our hallway, and secretly start eating the candy out of the bag before Halloween?

I miss you, Mom. I hope you're not too cold out there. I wish I could bring you a nice warm blanket. I love you, Mom.

Love,

Jennifer