May 2012

The biggest full moon of the year is 11:35 pm today. This “Supermoon” will be the biggest because the moon’s orbit is not a perfect circle and it will be closest to the Earth today. The May full moon is predicted to be about 16% brighter than average.

To best view this weekend’s “Supermoon”, look for it just after it rises or before it sets, when it is close to the horizon. If you can catch a view of the moon behind buildings or trees, an effect produces an optical illusion, making the moon seem even larger than it really is.

The last “Supermoon” was in March of 2011. (Thank you Jill Kane J)

I happen to read a post on Facebook recently that asked people to remember the best day of their life…and only one person posted to it…I almost added to it but I thought I would just be “Debbie Downer” so I let it go…but I think about the best day of my life every single Mother’s Day. 

John was touring in May and he had a few days off around Mother’s Day. Mary’s mom was having a brunch and I told him to just stay there…I was very willing to share him. (I figured I had to start getting used to it as both my kids were getting older and it would be part of my life soon.) For some reason John was adamant that he and Mary come to Hamilton for dinner…which was going to translate into a 5 hour drive for them…I was not comfortable about it…thought it would mean that they would be too exhausted to have any fun at all…but he would not hear any of it…they were coming and that was that.

We all went to dinner that night and I can so clearly remember looking at my family and thinking how lucky I was that they grew into such likeable adults…I could not think of any people I would rather be with…I enjoyed them so much! I just could not have been happier or more content…I figured my job was over and .. go figure…they turned out well!

Just having my family together was the perfect gift to me..but on top of that John brought me two trees…a Japanese Maple to replace one that had died and another Maple from Mary’s Dad…such a thoughtful gift..and one I really needed too!! (I hated the empty spot in my garden where my cute little maple had been) The cards that the kids gave me made me cry…so heartfelt…I actually brought them to work to put under my blotter so I could look at them and remember how much I loved that day …and my kids.

How lucky was I to save those cards…it turns out it was the last card I would get from John…last time he would write “Love ya Mom” …last family event…every single day I wonder what he would think of our family now…what would he say about the twins…how funny he would be with them...would he see himself in them?…and this thought is echoed by everyone else….our family has grown but the hole is, and will always be there for all of us.

After John died I was given two trees from people who I love and they loved John…but we just could not keep them alive…but those two maples are still going strong…and every spring I smile when I remember the day I got them…and I think of how lucky I am to be able to remember the best day of my life! My message to you today is to appreciate the good days…take a minute to look at your life and take in your successes…don’t second guess the motivation of others when they offer a kind gesture…and hang on to them…they are a precious gift.  You don’t have to have a "SuperMoon" kind of event to matter…sometimes the "SuperPeople" are what means the most!