Patti....A Special Mother What is Mothers Day without another story of an incredibly special mother? I had always thought that somehow Patti should have been mother of the year for the last 10 years, yet I never said that to her. To me she was mother of the year everyday of the year! This is the last portion of a story I sent to Chatelaine for a "Best Mom" story....it was never published but I had great healing writing it!!! Nan "She was a mom that never let them miss the Santa Claus Parade, and laid on the floor with them to show them how to separate their Halloween candy into bags of gum, suckers, chocolate bars etc. Christmas was mayham at their house and your birthday was a very important day, celebrated with gifts and cake. She took a cake decorating course at night school at the urging and expense of Aunt Gloria. When anyone celebrated something special she'd be the one to provide the cake! She did a princess cake for one neice and a Pochahantas cake for another, but her best cake was the one she did for her brother, Gerry's wedding. It was so professional looking and she was so proud of it! Family was everything to her and nothing made her happier than getting together for any celebration. She was the "peacemaker" in our family...finding excuses why people do what they do!! She was wise beyond her years. Everything challenged Patti, whether it was a ceiling fan to be installed or a wall to be plastered. There eemed to be nothing she couldn't do. Her garden was a great joy o her and you always got a call when the first crocus peeked through the snow. Her roses were her show pieces and the poppies she and the kids started from seeds were huge beyond belief. Although Pati kept busy, she always took time to pray, there was so much to pray for. There is a place east of Peterborough that she liked to go to. Its called Marmora, a farmhouse with a quiet woods where people go walking and praying. It was her "sanctuary". She took all of us there at one time or another. She loved the quiet, peacefulness of the place and she wanted all of us to share in that feeling of being with God. She always returned from Marmora with renewed vigour and hope for a brighter tomorrow. It was her need for sanctuary that led her out on the 9th of July. Her 37th birthday had been on the 8th. She decided to go that night, it wasn't a good idea to go that late but Patti wanted to beat the Toronto traffic....and when she had her mind set, well, there was no stopping her. She fell asleep at the wheel, just 20 miles from her desination and she went to be with her God. It was probably His only chance to get her without the kids, as she usually had them with her when she went to Marmora. Her funeral was a tribute to her life as people filed through telling us how she had touched their lives. Nurses and doctors who came to express their respect for a "Lady" like they had never met before. Seniors who cried for the loss of her kindness to them. Teachers that knew how well she had mothered her children. Strangers to us that she had touched. They just kept coming and coming. Her coffin was covered in flowers brought by so many and there were pictures everywhere. As all these strangers came together to honor her last celebration, there was a sense of "how?" How did she touch so many in such a short time? How did she love so many when she was so busy? Howcould God take someone who did this much good to all? We will never know! But whatwe do know is that she never had material things to "thank" her but she had more in the form of respect and honorability than many obtain in 100 years of life. She was an incredible woman and to say she was "Mother of the Year" seems to be not quite enough, but a beginning of a "thank you" for teaching so many of us how to simply love one another......and I will always love you Patti! Nan