Our mom lived her life with a deep love for nature, travel, learning and a sense of adventure. She found joy in simple moments—opening all the windows in the house for fresh air, stopping to take in a beautiful view, sharing a warm cup of coffee, enjoying a piece of chocolate, or her beloved time spent outside gardening. Growing up for me,  her home was filled with life..houseplants trailing around the ceilings and the sweetest holiday decorations - especially Christmas-  that made everything feel warm and special. She had a natural way of creating beauty in the spaces she touched and in the stories she shared with us..She was incredibly funny, with a quick wit and a creative spirit. When I was little, she would turn off all the lights and light oil lamps so we could imagine life like Little House on the Prairie. She taught me to read—and then nurtured a  love for reading, learning and self improvement. Competitive Scrabble games around grandma and grandpas dining room table in Minnesota sparked my vocabulary and will always be a cherished memory for me. She taught me to laugh, especially at myself, and not to take life too seriously. She didn’t need big moments to feel fulfilled, but she gave us so many of them anyway—trips to the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone, and curated my love of hiking on my first hike at Mt. Cutler. She gave me so many opportunities to learn.  She was spontaneous - sometimes it was as simple as a picnic in the park .. exploring seven falls or visiting a puppet show and tiny town in old Colorado City. She sparked my imagination time and again. When I was restless - I would  beg her to take me on a  drive, where she let me choose which way to turn—and she would just keep driving. She did that for me so many times. I know I was hard on her, but she never stopped showing up, never stopped loving me, and never stopped being there. Looking back, I see she was teaching me perseverance, strength, and endurance all along. She faced real challenges and carried more than most people ever saw. There’s a line that says, “They tried to bury us, but they didn’t know we were seeds,” and that reflects her life-  she kept adapting and kept going. She endured.. and made her way through her challenges. She often told me at times when I was upset about having to move out of state.. ‘Lisa..bloom where you’re planted,” and she lived that in her own way—moving forward and finding moments of beauty wherever she was.

In the breeze, the sunlight, the mountains, the art she created, and in the quiet moments that she loved, we will always find her.

To us, she was more than a mom—she was a source of perspective, a reminder to forgive, to endure, to laugh often, to care about others and to take in the little things that make life meaningful.

Momma—every time I watch a sunrise or sunset, or see the mountains bathed in light and color you’d tell me it looked like torn paper art, and I saw that.. never seeing the same view twice, that’s where I will find peace ..where I will feel your spirit… and in all the ways you helped me become who I am today. Thank you, Mom ..for every memory and every moment with you. I love you always and I will miss you forever.