The Search

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​This husband and I…

Went on a mission...traveled south a bit…to the town where he was born…in search of his mother’s resting place…she passed away…when he’d just turned three…in a tragic accident…

His memories of her…come from stories shared…by his father…and 7 brothers and sisters…

The search in the cemetery…turned up nothing…no heart shaped stone with her name…could be found…the library…no microfiche with historical news…the local paper…no computerized records…but actual newspapers from years past…

We sit and scan…for hours…all of the 1958 editions of the Pleasanton Express…in search of something…an obituary…an article…to fill in gaps..we chuckle at the news…of 1958…Billy got a fishhook in his eye…there’s a rat infestation…get a free bra when you buy a Mold and Hold zipper girdle…

Then we found it…dominated the first page…sad details of his family’s loss…we see…we had been at the right cemetery…the heart marker apparently worn away over time…

This mission…seemed impossible…closure…but no closure…thoughts of what if…and maybe…

The search will continue...again…one day…in case we missed something…pay homage to a woman…who would be proud of the young husband who raised…her 8 beautiful babies…who all turned out to be…pretty amazing…people…
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And this husband of mine…agrees…