Ellen May Reilly born: December 18, 1927.

A dark haired Irish beauty, swept off her feet by a tall handsome man; soon they were married at Blessed Sacrament Church in New York City.

What would I tell her if she were alive today?

I would thank her for loving each of her 8 children unconditionally.

I would thank her for her sense of humor, telling us stories that made us laugh out loud, adding joy to our day.

I would thank her for her patience, speaking with a soft tone, explaining why we shouldn’t be doing what we were doing.

I would thank her for the sacrifices she made for us. I remember one Easter she bought me a new, beautiful gray, wool skirt and top with an Easter bonnet that had yellow daises on top. And then she made her own Easter bonnet using her old white hat and embellishing it with red, artificial cherries. I remember telling her how beautiful her hat was and how clever to have made it herself.

I would thank her for her resilience, especially when she gave birth to a baby girl who later died because her lung collapsed. I still remember seeing my momma’s face when she came home from the hospital. I was very young but still I felt her pain.

I would thank her for teaching us to be kindhearted and have empathy for others.

I would tell her she was beautiful inside and out.

My Momma with my sister and me.

Just remember in the winter

Far beneath the bitter snows

Lies the seed that with the sun’s love

In the spring becomes the rose.