Happy Birthday!

There's a new girl in town...

Mom...You're a Nana again...Michael, Lisa and Big Sister Mia welcomed

Lena Rose Tuniewicz on December 28, 2010

8:10 a.m.
7 pounds 5.5 ounces
20 inches long

Merry Christmas in Heaven!

All decorated for Mom's favorite holiday...

Happy Thanksgiving

Oh, it's been awhile...

Wow, it sure has been awhile since I posted. It's not that I don't think of my Mom all that time it's just finding the time to sit and write. There's alot going on in our family right now. Soon there will be two new grand babies in our family. It saddens me so that Mom isn't here to welcome them or watch them grow and frankly that sucks. Well...it does. I am also in need off heading to the cemetery. That too I have been slacking on. I plan on getting there in the next couple of weeks or definitely by Thanksgiving.

Missing you always Mom...always in my heart and on my mind....

Heavenly Anniversary...

Dear Mom,

Where do I start...today marks three years that you have been gone. While it feels just like yesterday I can't believe that it has been three years. A lot has changed over the years but one thing remains the same...the hole in my heart that misses you every single day. I wish more than anything that you could be here. Here to see your grandchildren, here to talk to, here to confide in, here to offer your advice and me to do what I was going to do anyway, the list goes on and on. While I will never understand God's reason I know that there must be one. I hope that this world can see how wonderful you are. You are an amazing, amazing women, and I pray that I can be half as good as you.

Mom you were the center of our lives. We celebrate the life you lived and all that you gave us. Our wonderful memories are the things that comfort us.

With our hearts so full of love we are looking up at you and hoping that you are looking down on us.

We know that one day we will meet again.

I hope that you are singing and dancing with the angels.

Missing you with all my heart and soul.

~Christine

No words needed...

Happy Mother's Day in Heaven

If roses grow in Heaven, Lord, pick a bunch for me. Place them in my mother's arms and tell her there from me. Tell her that I love and miss her and when she turns to smile, place a kiss upon her cheek and hold her for awhile. Because remembering is easy, I do it everyday, there is an ache within my heart that will never go away. Happy Mother's Day in a Heaven, my beautiful mother. I love you always.

@-->>------

Wishes Heaven had a phone...

Wishes Heaven had a phone so I could hear your voice again.

I thought of you today, but that is nothing new.

I thought about you yesterday, and days before that too.

I think of you in silence, I often speak your name.

All I have are memories and a picture in a frame.

Your memory is a keepsake, from which I'll never part.

God has you in his arms and I have you in my heart.

I love and miss you Mom.

Happy Easter!!!

She dreams in color, she dreams in red...

This past weekend I ventured into some of Mom's things. I found old some old necklaces, a bracelet of mine, our baby teeth (I guess Mom couldn't part with them) and charms. One charm imperticular was of the NY Islanders symbol. Mom loved hockey and Mom loved the Islanders. In fact, at one point, the dentist that she worked for was the team dentist. We grew up going to hockey games and both Michael and Bobby play hockey now.

Mia has taken a liking to hockey and actually every time she sees a hockey game she sings "Let's go Islanders". I thought the charm would be most appreciated in her little hands. She was told that it was Nana's and was thrilled. So thrilled, that she wanted to sleep with it on the first night that I gave it to her.

Mia and her Nana have a special connection. Mia was just under one when Mom died. She recognizes her in photos. Knows who's Mom she was. She also knows that Nana's favorite color is red. How does she know this we will never know. She woke up one morning and told Lisa that Nana's favorite color was red. No one has ever told her this, so how does she know? I can only conclude that Mom visits Mia in her dreams. It's also kind of comforting to me. Knowing Mom is out there, watching over us and her grand kids.

She dreams in color...she dreams in red :)

National Wear Red Day 2010...

Why you should participate in Wear Red Day 2010...

Everyone can support the fight against heart disease in women by wearing red. It's a simple, powerful way to raise awareness of heart disease and stroke.

By joining together with thousands of women, companies and organizations, and cities across America on February 5, 2010, you'll help the American Heart Association support ongoing research and education about women and heart disease.

Oh how we wish...

On Saturday John and I took Mia to the toy store as a reward for being a big girl now. No more diapers! On the way to the store and out of no where she said that she wished she was baby Mia so that Nana could hold her and give her a bottle.

Oh Mia how we all wish the same thing...

Happy Birthday Mom!!!

Today Mom would have turned 62. On Satuday John and I brought her some flowers and a balloon. It was a cold and very windy day.

Birthdays were a special thing at our house. Mom let you choose the meal of your choice and she cooked it up. So John and I decided to have dinner in honor of Mom. We invited everyone over. Bob, Sandi, Gavin & Mason drove from Pennsylvania just for the day to celebrate Nana's birthday.

I think Mom would have liked the dinner. We had chicken cutlets and pasta. We toasted to her and had a nice time together. Desert time came around and Bobby had brought over a cheese cake. Mia saw the cake and knew it was Nana's birthday. What do you think any 3 1/2 year old would want to do? Sing Happy Birthday, of course. I gave her three candles (one for every birthday that she has missed). Lisa lit them and we sang. We all sang Happy Birthday Mom/Nana. Tears rolled down my face at what a sweet, sweet thought this was. Mom would have loved this. She would have loved spending time with her grandchildren.

Here's to Mom and hoping that her birthday in heaven was celebrated amongst the angels. Happy Birthday Mom. We love and miss you dearly.

Merry Christmas in Heaven

Merry Christmas in Heaven Mom. We love and miss you!!!

2 1/2 years...

It's been awhile I know. It's not that Mom hasn't been on my mind, she has, it's just that I have a lot going on right now and finding the words, the correct words, has been hard.

Today marks 2 1/2 years that Mom has been gone. Can you even imagine. 2 1/2 years. That shocks me. A lot has changed in my life since that day and a lot will be changing in months to come.

The holiday season is upon us and the house has been decorated for Christmas, Mom's favorite holiday. The tree has been trimmed this year with ornaments from our childhood. Mom's grandchildren helped decorate it and while it was a beautiful moment it was also a sad one. I wished so much that she could have been here to watch them as their faces lite up with excitement.

Tomorrow we will decorate Mom's grave, equipped with lights to shine up to heaven. She's needs to see it all the way up there in heaven, don't you think?

Happy Anniversary in Heaven Mom...We love and miss you so very, very much.

Happy Thanksgiving...

Happy Thanksgiving in Heaven...

We gathered as a family around the dinner table.

Turkey, stuffing, stuffed mushrooms galore.

Pies and cakes and laughter and joy.

The only thing missing was your sweet face to adore.

Happy Thanksgiving in Heaven Mom.

We love and miss you so very deeply.

29 Months

28 Months...

28 months have pasted and my heart still aches.

You know, when I was a kid, and my parents used to argue, I thought that they would never get divorced because, well, that can’t happen to me.

Well it did.

When my Mom lay unconscious on the bed I thought that she would just come right out of it.

But she didn’t.

I never imagined my life without her. I never thought for a second that she would be gone one day and that I would be left here alone, without her.

I’ve learned a lot in 28 months. Some things good. Some things bad.

I have really tried to do my best which we all know sometimes just isn’t enough.

I think that I have a tough job ahead of me. One that I would never wish on any one.

Sure I’m not the one that has to explain to their kids my Nana isn’t here anymore.

I‘m not the one that has to hear Mia say that she misses Nana and that Nana used to give her a bottle. I don’t have that. One day I will…I hope.

But I need to start living for me. For my husband.

My Mom was the great and powerful Oz (like the Wizard of Oz reference). She knew all and knew what needed to get done. Sometimes I was on her side. Sometimes I wasn’t. But you had to respect what she did. What she overcame.

I miss Mom terribly and today, 28 months later is no different than that day. Sure the constant pain has subsided. Sure the heart has mended. But there is a tear. A tear that will never heal. I can bandage it and cover it but it’s there and it’s part of me.

I can still cry at the drop of a hat. Can’t watch any television shows that have to do with anything medical. Cry when someone losses a loved one. Hate driving by the hospital where she died. Miss calling her during the day. Miss her.

So today, 28 months later life must go on. The dogs will get a bath. The basement will get cleaned out. The carpet man will come over to leave us samples. But even with all this going on there will always be one thing missing…Mom. So today at 2:51 p.m. I will stop and remember. Remember that great and powerful Oz. Remember Mom...