In Memory of Shirley

My MIL , Lee's mom passed away on Wednesday early in the morning.. It was totally expected but I was hoping to get to the end of this year without another loss especially after losing Lee.


My memories of her are mostly good.. I knew her for just over 18 years and met her for the first time after Lee and I had been dating for just over 2 years at her 50th Wedding Anniversary. Before that we had chatted on the phone every so often when I was at Lee's and he happened to be calling his parents. Four years later she and Lee's Dad (Walter) came out for our wedding and Lee had me call their room the next morning.. Shirley happened to answer the phone and I said "Good Morning Mrs Ringen. It's Mrs Ringen calling" (Lee's idea). Three months later we went out to California for a visit (ok our Honeymoon) and she asked if I liked to eat Cantaloupe. I do like it... but not everyday.. which is what Shirley did.. each morning there was a slice of cantaloupe waiting for me at the breakfast table.. after a few days I asked why she kept serving it as part of Breakfast. She replied that she thought I liked it.. which I did.. but not in the amount that I was eating. Years later I still eat Cantaloupe but I have a private giggle when I do.


In 2005 she became a widow when after 60 years of marriage, Walter died. Lee and I went out for the Memorial and Funeral and stayed at the Assisted Living Complex. I wound up going up to her room each morning before the nurses could get to her room and help her finish dressing.. It wasn't much but it helped her and I think that she liked that I was able to help her in that way.


When she moved to Southern California we went and visited her again (we stayed with her son Alan and his wife Debbie). We had a nice visit and went back again to see her and brought the girls with us in 2010. This would be the last time that Lee and his Mom would see each other and the only time that the girls would get to meet their Grandma Ringen.


Now that she is gone, the girls have only one Grandparent left (my own Dad died in 2001).. I'll be heading out to California sometime soon to say my final goodbyes to a woman who was a fabulous mother, loved her children immensely and let them be their own people. Lee (according to what he had told me) didn't get a degree from college..He went to the school of hard knocks for a majority of his life and Shirley had always told him that if we ever found a window or bumper sticker that said "School of Hard Knocks" she'd be proud to display it on her car to go with Alan's MIT sticker anytime... That's a really great and special mom.. I will miss her very much...

Dear Santa

Dear Santa,

I've really good this year and I have a request.. you probably can't fill it but I'm going to ask anyway. Could you please bring Lee back? The girls and I miss him so much. The holidays aren't going to be the same ever again and it would be the best surprise ever if he came back. With your help I know that I can make sure that the girls have a great Christmas (their first without their Daddy here). Could you please make mine just as good ??? I don't require much... just some love and understanding to get me through. A sign from Lee that I'm not screwing up our kids too much. That I'm doing what he would want me to do.

Thank you hopefully in advance..

Cheryl

Some Updates..mostly good

Halloween is OVER.... Hooray... though we are still right in the middle of the princess obsession and seem to be watching Cinderella as much as possible lately. Thankfully I love the Cinderella story and will watch it willingly as many times as they want..

Lily (Cinderella) and Anna (Snow White)

In other news... I'm back to knitting on my socks.. I have turned the heel and picked up stitches and even gotten the Gusset finished and am now working on the foot. I'm almost done with these socks.. I want and need to move on to a new project. Definitely not socks though. I need a sock break. Maybe I'll try to figure out Shirley's sweater that I inherited last year or work on a secret project for a relative of mine that asked. Or work on my blankets that I started quite some time ago and have not finished yet..