August 4th, 2006 - One year ago - We miss her

Alcinda Teixeira Vespera-DeFreitas : May 13, 1939-August 4, 2005

It's hard to believe that a year has gone by since we lost someone who meant so much to us.

I say "we" and "us" because she just did not mean so much to my sister and I, but she also touched the lives and the hearts of others who loved her so much, which included her son-in-law, granddaughters, sisters, brothers, nieces and nephews and so many many more. Hundreds attended her memorial service last year.

She was an amazing woman. People have asked what I mean by that. I mean she was real. She was not perfect. Yet despite her imperfections and ours, she loved us and we loved her. She was unselfish and giving. She was not two faced. She said what she meant...and she meant what she said. She was encouraging...she helped us to be strong woman, to try harder and to not give up. She loved life. She loved her family. She adored her granddaughters...her precious granddaughters. She may have been pint size, but she was a lioness at heart especially when it came to anyone trying to hurt her family.

She was loyal to her creater and heavenly father Jehovah till her last breath. Now she rests in his memory. Now she rests without pain till the day when she will hear Jesus' voice calling her out of her deep sleep.

I miss her so much. I miss her voice, her smile, her laugh. I miss her cute little feet with the brightly coloured short toes. I miss her hair - RED - even though it was now from a bottle and not the natural shade of her youth. I miss her bacalhau and milho...my favorite. I miss watching old movies with her and laughing. I miss her singing while she ironed. I miss the time we spent together in Florida. I miss our talks. I miss her smell.

I miss everything about her. I miss her yesterday, today and tomorrow.

I wait for the day when we are all together again...this time forever!