"Memories of Momma" — A 71 Day Photo Tribute (Day 58)

MEMORIES of MOMMA*:

Mom had an affinity for Doberman Pinschers, and it was the main breed of dog we owned when I was growing up. The dog I most remember was our black and tan Doberman named Precious. Momma would tell me stories about how Precious would guard my bedroom door when I was an infant.

One year for Christmas, Mom gifted Dad with a life-sized Doberman dog statue, with the intent for Dad to put it in his barber shop as decoration. It looked like the real thing — so much so that when Dad opened the box that Christmas morning, I burst into tears and started crying out, "Momma, you killed Precious!" They quickly reassured me that Precious was alive and well in the backyard and that this was just a statute, not our stuffed family pet after a visit to the taxidermist. It was no doubt a hilarious story for years to come.

*It's Day 58 of my 71 day photo series in honor of my dear sweet Momma who passed away on 03.21.2016 after a harrowing 71 day health battle. Those 71 days do not define her. Oh no. What defines her — and me — are the incredible 66 years that she lived her life. I hope you enjoy these snapshots of the beautiful moments and memories of her life.

"Memories of Momma" — A 71 Day Photo Tribute (Day 57)

MEMORIES of MOMMA*:

During the early part of my childhood, my Mom was a hard-working waitress at Quincy's Steakhouse. It was a hard job, and she'd come home exhausted, with her legs ridiculously sore from being on her feet all day. Since my Dad was self-employed as a barber and health insurance was so spendy for our small family, Mom stopped working as a waitress and got a job with full benefits, working in the corporate cafeteria of a large tech company.

When Intergraph decided to downsize by shutting down their cafeteria, Mom was able to get a security guard position at the same company after she was laid off. She'd work a variety of shifts, day or night, and would patrol the sprawling corporate campus, keeping an eye on things and helping staff after hours, etc.

I remember when she first got the job at Intergraph, and she was so proud and excited about the health insurance. It must've been a huge relief for her, considering I desperately needed braces and I was an accident-prone kid. There's one thing that's for sure... Momma did her best to provide for our family. And her hair always looked perfect while she was doing it. :)

*It's Day 57 of my 71 day photo series in honor of my dear sweet Momma who passed away on 03.21.2016 after a harrowing 71 day health battle. Those 71 days do not define her. Oh no. What defines her — and me — are the incredible 66 years that she lived her life. I hope you enjoy these snapshots of the beautiful moments and memories of her life.

"Memories of Momma" — A 71 Day Photo Tribute (Day 56)

MEMORIES of MOMMA*:

Momma was around 25 in this picture, and she and Dad were totally in love. This photo was taken when they lived at Castile Manor in the mid-1970s. For those living in Huntsville, you can still see Castile Manor (aka the Kildare-McCormick House as it's called on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places) off Oakwood Avenue near Meridian Street.

This photograph doesn't do justice to the stunning dress Mom is wearing. For starters, it was a deep emerald green velvet dress, with a metallic gold trim around the bodice. It would put Scarlett's O'Hara to shame. The best part of all: she made this dress herself.

When I was in grade school, we had a class project that involved getting dressed up as a character. I knew this vintage dress would be perfect for the assignment, and Mom agreed to let me borrow it for the school project as long as I promised to take extra good care of it. I remember the back of the dress barely zipped because I was a chubby kid, and the bottom of the dress was way too long for my childhood height. Regardless, I felt like royalty, just as she looked like a Queen.

*It's Day 56 of my 71 day photo series in honor of my dear sweet Momma who passed away on 03.21.2016 after a harrowing 71 day health battle. Those 71 days do not define her. Oh no. What defines her — and me — are the incredible 66 years that she lived her life. I hope you enjoy these snapshots of the beautiful moments and memories of her life.

"Memories of Momma" — A 71 Day Photo Tribute (Day 55)

MEMORIES of MOMMA*:

Momma loved a good margarita. Her favorite lunch spot was Phil Sandoval's Mexican Restaurant in Huntsville. She would always order a small cup of the poblano chicken soup, an a la carte fish taco on a soft shell, a "bump" of guacamole, and of course a margarita with salt on the rocks.

This was our regular go-to lunch spot whenever I'd visit Mom for the holidays. We'd sit and have a slow, leisurely lunch and remark on all the colorful decorations. My favorite part, and hers too, was when the waiter would bring a small bowl of vanilla soft serve ice cream to the table, along with the check. It was a good distraction since we'd usually fight over who got the check, and I'd insist it was my treat. Afterward, we'd go to Target or HomeGoods to roam, giggling in the aisles or remarking at some new gadget.

I'd give anything right now to share one more margarita with Mom. Cheers to you, Momma!

*It's Day 55 of my 71 day photo series in honor of my dear sweet Momma who passed away on 03.21.2016 after a harrowing 71 day health battle. Those 71 days do not define her. Oh no. What defines her — and me — are the incredible 66 years that she lived her life. I hope you enjoy these snapshots of the beautiful moments and memories of her life.