To mom with Love

This may be the most important and personal blog I will ever write.
One year ago today I lost someone so dear and close to me,a woman who was just like my second mom,My mom Anne.
I can hardly believe it's been a year let alone believe she is gone.Unfortunately cancer took away this beautiful woman with a soul and heart that was one of a kind.
I have never felt so much pain and heartache,nor  have I ever cried as I did the day she passed away.
You would have loved her,so many people did.She was a woman who loved life,people,and always thought with her heart first!
There are so many memories I have of her.It would take forever to tell you all of them so I'll give you some highlights.
I remember the day I met her in Maryland.My dear friend Rachel(her daughter) and I were very good friends (like siblings without the fights) and Rachel said she was having lunch with her and wanted to know if i wanted to join them.
Of course I said yes,and as they say..the rest is history. We all met at Bennigan's(i still remember I had the Turkey O' Toole) and had such a great time!Anne was so inviting and warm to me as if I had known her for a long time not just meeting for the first time.
From that time forward I would see her whenever she was in town to see Rachel.
When Rachel convinced me to move to New York (the best decision ever!) I got very close to Anne.I had my first Thanksgiving in New York with them.I even spent Christmas Eve and Day at their house (something I think noone had done) because they wanted to make me enjoy christmas since I couldn't go home.
And on top of all that they invited me to her nephew's wedding in upstate.And she was so protective over me.She made sure noone made a rude comment about me being gay or made me feel uncomfortable.And noone did,her brother, his wife and his two daughters(michelle and Kerri)  and everyone there were so good to me.Now they are all a part of my family too.
Anne and her wonderful husband Bob (who is also like a father to me,a very funny one!) also had me join them to celebrate Anne's birthday that year.We had dinner at Patsy's(amazing restaurant)and we saw Phantom of the opera (6th row Orchestra..truly amazing!)
By now I had come to look at Bob,Anne and Rachel as my second family.Their love,warmth and generosity to me is something i will always be so thankful for and truly never forget!
So when i met Keith,it was very important they liked him as much as I did! I knew they would have my best interest at heart.And they did like him..Phew!So much that Anne referred to us as her boys!
When Keith and I were planning our wedding we had originally had my mom and Anne walking me down the aisle,but then my dad said he wanted to also.So I told Keith we needed an important job for her,and being the smart man he is he suggested that she marries us!Perfect! The most important job!
When we asked her I'll never forget the tears she had in her eyes.We told her there was noone more perfect to do this than her,and you know what, we were right.Our wedding day was the greatest day of our lives,and it was all thanks to our wonderful family and friends,my beautiful husband  and Anne.Who was the icing on the cake! She overcame her fear of public speaking for us.And when asked a year or so later if she would perform a ceremony for other friends,she said "sorry,but this was very special for my boys,I only did it once for them and I won't do it for anyone else.Iwant to keep it special."  Now that is Love!
My favorite times after that were being at their house and having her amazing baked ziti and catching up on what's new in everyone's lives. Unfortunately,those times wouldn't last much longer.
The following may 16th she was diagnosed with breast cancer.I knew something was strange that day when I called,it was also my birthday and Keith and missed our plane and called them to see if they could look up last minute flights for us .They tried their best but I knew something wasn't right but couldn't tell what.I was kicking myself a week later when I found out what had really happened,and they wanted to keep it from me,so i could enjoy my vacation. and birthday.
After she succesfully battled breast cancer she saw her daughter Rachel get married in a beautiful wedding that October. She was so happy,it was all over her face.Many knew what she had been through and was still going through,but that day she had waited her whole life for,so no sickeness,pain or fatigue was going to interfere.I even got to dance with her one last time that day. Shortly after  they found something in her lung which turned our to be  cancerous (almost 2 years after she quit smoking) during the next few months it spread to her brain and her spine.
14 months to the day she was diagnosed with breast cancer she passed away from  the last two cancers.I can't imagine what she went through,to have four cancers attack you in just over a year,and yet she stayed strong til the end! That was the amazing woman she was.
She was Strong,optomistic,loving ,protective,generous( i could easily fill a page describing her amazing qualities!)and above all else she always thought with her heart first!
So as you can see losing someone this incredible is extremely hard,but I am so thankful she was in my life for these years and will continue to live in my memories forever.
My heart goes out to Rachel and Bob who dedicated their lives to Anne when she was sick.Rachel,you are your mother's daughter and Bob you were the greatest husband anne could ever ask for and an inspiration for me to be the best husband i can be!!
Lastly I just want to say....
Thank you mom for being the best at what you do...everything!
Love your boys,
Jefferson and Keith