DOMINGUEZ FAMILY BLOG: In Memoriam: Two Year Anniversary: Remembering Mama Two Years Since She Passed Away!

Mama, we think of you today. Two years ago you lost your battle with esophageal cancer. Today we remember all the good things you taught us all as we come together to honor you. You loved us all with so much passion. Shame if anyone does not realize that, but I doubt anyone would fail to do so because of the things you did for us all. You remained neutral in so many occasions and often tried to referee the sometimes differences of opinion sported by us all whom are so very different. You did not take sides even if some thought you did. Having been the matriarch of such a large family must have been difficult and often trying for you. G-d bless you for that. But I am here to thank-you, Mama, for having done a wonderful job.

I recall you always saying you did not favor this person or that one. Shame on me for having taken so darn long to see that you were telling the truth. You may have appeared to have had your favorites, but that was so far from the truth. The ones whom visited you more often with no outlying reasons and did more for you were not your favorites, they were simply loved ones whom you appreciated very much because they visited you so much, because they did things for you without you having to ask. You were always so grateful for the things people did for you and especially when they visited you. Nothing wrong with that. Not at all! They maybe made themselves more endearing (not more loved) because they extended their hand out to you. Nothing was asked in return. If you had more pix of some then of others, then maybe the others (me included) should have taken you more pix for you to proudly display as you always did. Instead of us wondering: "why more pix of this person?", maybe we should ask: "did Mama think we did not care because we seldom gave her pix of us to display?"

In the long-run, I humbly want to ask Mama for forgiveness for all the times I doubted her or was cross with her. I admit I was always a handful...especially in my youth. For the times I may have made things more difficult than I needed to with you, Mama, please forgive me. I am sure you did. I always tried to apologize and ask you to forgive me, but if I lacked in doing so at anytime, please know I was truly sorry for it.

I admire you, Mama, for having done such a terrific job at leading this family of ours. With so many of us, it is amazing that you did such a great job and never got mad at any one for our own short-comings. You were a wonderful Mother - a wonderful person - a wonderful friend - a wonderful human being.

We all remember your greatness! We all still miss you so much.

But we live on in as much greatness as we can like you did. We cannot fill your shoes, Mama, but we can try in earnest to lead the family. We still have so many good times to share as a family. We do things as you would have done, as you would have liked for us to continue doing. We honor you each and every day in our own ways. Today we all gather to celebrate what you meant to this family and what your great love means to us as we go on without you.

Todos seguimos recordar que, seguimos adorarte, continuamos amarte ... seguir a extrañar mucho. Descansa en paz, querida Mamá!