I snuck this photo of my Mom, Phyllis Crawford, when visiting Northern Virginia in May 2007. My sister was getting her Master’s Degree and many of us were visiting. I love the light in this photo. And I miss Mom. She would have been 72 today had she not died of cancer in 2010. May 8th…

1949 1955 1960 1966 1977 1983 1988 1994 2005 These are the years that my Mom, Phyllis Crawford‘s birthday fell on a Sunday, the second Sunday in may — Mother’s Day. In my kid-memory her birthday always fell on Mother’s Day which was just another way she was perfect. But the truth is memory is…

This time of year is hard. Clicking through gets me to a grid of easily purchased items under the headline: “Choose a Gift for Phyllis.” Social media, Facebook, knows who my mother is. It’s smart enough to know that. And in spite of the fact that she died in October, 2010, I can’t bear, yet,…

AND THEN I LOOKED UP AND IT WAS TWO YEARS SINCE MY MOTHER WAS DEAD BECAUSE I HAD PUT IT ON MY ELECTRONIC CALENDAR TO ALWAYS REMIND ME THAT IT WAS OCTOBER 27 THAT WAS THE DAY THAT MY MOTHER DIED AND GETS EQUAL BILLING WITH THE NEW YEAR AND SAINT PATRICK’S DAY AND TAX…

Photo of Mom from 2005. Happy Mother’s Day Phyllis. Save us a seat.

Ave Maria was a favorite song of my Mom’s. It was played at her Wedding on June 15, 1968 at St. Rita’s Catholic Church in San Diego, California. And it was also played at her beautiful Memorial Mass on November 6, 2010 at Our Lady of Nazareth Catholic Church in Roanoke, Virginia. Below are both…

This is a time capsule from the night before my parents were married in June of 1968. It’s an audiotape made by my uncle Jerry at my Parent’s rehearsal dinner. It’s quite remarkable. Who will you hear? Who? Age   James Crawford 21 Groom Phyllis Silva 22 Bride Art Silva   Father of the Bride…