(See end of post for special offer.)

I meant to post this yesterday, because September 20 is my mother's birthday, but life happened. Anyway, here we are today:

September 20, 1995 –

Today is Mother's birthday. It is a busy day for me. I have a presentation at 9:00 a.m.. at Southwest Medical Center here in Oklahoma City, a luncheon speech at Baptist Medical Center, and a reading at 5:30 p.m. before the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma City Chapter of the Komen Foundation.

I wonder briefly if my overscheduling the day has anything to do with the fact that it is the first birthday since my mother's death in May.

After Les and I fight the rain one last time and return to the hotel, weary and cold, I feel let down. I've been hoping against hope that our new grandchild, due next week, would arrive on Mom's birthday.

I try to call Keith and Kara several times, but the line is busy. It is already 10:30 p.m. I check my messages and there isn't even one saying that they have gone to the hospital. Kara's first labor was very long. I know it is too late. It is simply too late.

Fifteen mintues later, the phone rings. Keith says, "We did it. We have our little girl."

On Mother's birthday? Was Kirsten Nicole really born on Mother's birthday? Oh, joy of joy!

The circle of life continues.

(Excerpted from The Last Violet: Mourning My Mother, (c) 2002 Lois Tschetter Hjelmstad)

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