Tonight was bittersweet. We all sat around the table of my parents' house for our Tuesday night dinner. This will be one of the last times we gather at that house. My mom is in Heaven now. My dad is selling their home and moving to a smaller house just a few blocks down the road. How many times while she was still with us did my dad and I drive by to look at their new home! But this dream my dad had of he and my mom moving there just was not meant to be. Anyway, we enjoyed ... a fabulous meal. My sister Melissa made delicious salmon. There was so much more food than just that. I remember at one point my daddy just took out his cell phone and looked at the picture of my mom that is his background photo on there. His lip quivered just a little, almost imperceptibly, and he said something to her. What I do not know. He spoke so softly. We passed around my great niece, baby Valentina, from one of us to the next to the next to the next. She was in fine form this evening, giggling and smiling and jumping up and down. She nestled for a while in my father's arms. My cousin Cookie was there. She stayed in Connecticut and helped to get my father's new house ready, but she will be going back to Florida on Saturday. My nephew Christopher, this will be the last time any of us see him for quite a while. Tomorrow he will be off to Navy boot camp. Almost everything has been moved from my parents' home. A few weeks ago, my sister Annette and I went into her bedroom, finally, to pick out clothes of hers that we liked. I must say that even though almost all her things are gone, that house still holds fast to her memory. I can picture my mommy standing in that kitchen stirring a pot of macaroni on the stove, pots and pans and dishes all around her. (She was an excellent, excellent cook. Especially as she got older, though, you would never call my mother a clean-as-you go type!). You know what tonight reminded me of? It reminded me of when the play is over, and they take the set down, and the cast walks away one by one. I made note of the, "For Sale" sign on the lawn. How strange, that sometimes this sign means happy things to people when they see it, and sometimes the same sign can bring tears to their eyes. I watched as people walked out one by one -- my cousin, my sister Annette and my niece and the baby. Tears welled up in my eyes even though none of them is going anywhere. And then my nephew Michael came out. He is getting so big! After that, my nephew Christopher, who is the one who took me home. We hugged. We said, "I love you." All I could think of was the first time I ever saw him when he was only one day old. God speed, precious boy. We love you so much. tea length wedding dresses for older brides

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