This is a photo of the two of us taken on "Hat Day" at the nursing home in 2002. Everyone was supposed to wear their favorite hat that day. Many of the residents made their own or had one of the staff make one for them. Mom had her "Queen's Crown" hat on a day before hat day. When I came to visit that day, there she sat in all her glory with her crown on! All I could do was exclaim..."Oh Pooh, look at you..you have a crown on!!" Mom sure was a good sport because I know she did not like having that hat on. When I told her how special she looked, however, she got a big smile on her face and said, "Wanna see..." which meant she wanted to see herself in my mirror. She said the same thing when I exclaimed how cute she looked in her Tigger hat for the Halloween party...."Wanna see..." But when she looked at herself wearing the Tigger hat she said, "Damn fool," but with a smile so big on her face that I will never forget that day.

Mom had a small blue pillow on her bed which said on it, "Queen Mary." Everyone used to tease her about that. I guess that is why on Hat Day it was only appropriate that the staff made a queen's crown for her..

I love and miss you, Queen Mary...I hope you are on your throne in a beautiful castle in heaven instead of being in a wheelchair down here on earth...

I will forever and always love you!! I thank God every day for giving me the honor of being your daughter....