And somehow we’ve got through those. A few more firsts, nine months total. It feels crazy and still incredibly sad that a year ago we were in Tenerife on a happy family holiday. 

Valentine’s Day involved the Jichevs together for brunch and flowers to the cemetery. A few cries over mum’s card to dad last year. A bit of appreciating our time together. An Arsenal match. Another first without mum. 

  

Mother’s Day equally hard. Facebook posts of friends celebrating with their mothers were lovely but unhelpful in reminding us of our own gap. I ran a half marathon (slow) in honour, and think mum would have appreciated it… I hope she’s watching somewhere.
Nine months was a small family gathering in the Bulgarian church. Unbelievable and surreal mostly, thinking Mum would come back from her business trip. 

Sigh. 

The next day we ran to the cemetery. It was a beautiful spring day, and some time to reflect and catch her up on the half marathon, dad’s acting career, Gigi’s new job. Life goes on in a way, and not in others.