"Later Mom"

Todd and I always had a very close relationship. Since Bill was working long hours and moving as we did, it was hard to make close friends. Todd and I became best friends. He would sit on the counter in the kitchen talking to me while I cooked. I never had to ask Todd to help around the house; he always pitched right in. Todd and Shannon got along so well that Indiana neighbors remarked on their great brother/sister relationship.

When Brandon came along, Todd spent a lot of time with him. It wasn't unusual when Brandon began walking to hear him get out of his bed and walk downstairs to sleep with Todd. I knew when I was gone, Todd would take excellent care of Shannon and Brandon.

Todd and I enjoyed walking together and talking. We would take Brandon in the stroller on our walks. Todd would push the stroller up the hills, and I would push the stroller on the flat roads.

Among the many things we talked about on our walks were these tips from Dr. Peale's books. Todd seemed to be getting into these ideas too. He had a journal and wrote some of the quotes from one of the books in it.

When February 6th, 1988 came along, I told Todd that we should do what we could to make it a great day. The year before, on February 6th, hadn't been too great. I wasn't about to sit around having another pity party. I'd been reading Dr. Peale's books, and I was determined to have this overcoming life these other people had I was reading about.

I told Todd we should do something special this year on February 6th, something we hadn't done before to make the day great. Todd agreed and was quickly on the phone making plans to go sledding with some friends. Around noon Todd walked to the back door. Brandon was crying, wanting to go with Todd. I was standing at the kitchen sink trying to defrost a frozen chicken that I planned to make that evening. With a point of his finger, Todd said, "Later, Mom." Little did I know then how much later that would be.