"I need a sign to let me know you're here..."

This past Sunday my sister Marla, PJ, and I spent the day together- a Mama-Sister-Aunt-Son-Nephew Day!

We had big plans to go to Neshaminy Mall so I could shop at the Crazy 8 store there, and then we were going to visit my Mom-Mom's grave, since the cemetery she is buried in is right next door to the mall. We hadn't been there since her unveiling this past spring, and since we had what might have been the last beautiful weekend before it gets cold, the timing seemed perfect.

I shopped my brains out at Crazy 8 (Love. That. Store!) and got PJ a sweater I'd been lusting after for him, plus a few other items! We had lunch together, shopped a bit more, and PJ even got to take a mini-carousel ride! He was less then enthused- the ride was before lunch and (not unlike his Mama) he gets crabby when he's hungry! Aunt Marla gifted PJ with an early birthday present, a CD of songs sung by Elmo and other Sesame Street characters that's personalized with his name, so PJ hears Elmo singing right to him! We played it for my little blonde Sesame Street fan the next day and every time he heard his name, he would look up with an excited look on his face and clap his hands!

After the mall, we made the quick trip across the street to King David Memorial Park, where not only Mom-Mom is buried, but also her son, my Uncle Gary, Mom-Mom's twin brother Harry and his wife Bea, and their son Paul, who died when he was only in his 30's (I was very young when he passed away). The park is beautifully kept and it was a gorgeous, late-afternoon day when we got there. We stopped at my Uncle Gary's stone- PJ's Hebrew name is the same as his, Gadaliah. We sat down by Mom-Mom's stone and I let PJ reach down to feel the cool, raised letters. He squirmed from my lap, sat down on Mom-Mom's stone, and started talking non-stop in his baby-babble/growl. He looked earnest, but happy, and truly, honestly seemed like he was having a conversation. I've never seen anything like it.

We stayed for a bit, watching PJ "chat" with Mom-Mom, talking about how much she would have loved his blonde hair (and how much she would have hated my dark hair!). We left a tube of lipstick by her stone in her signature color of pink and got into the car to head home.

I will always be convinced that PJ and Mom-mom are connected- the timing of PJ's entrance into this world and Mom-Mom's exit was meant to be, even if it does hurt me that I can't see them together. I know they know each other though, and since it's all I have, it means everything.

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