Missing my mama today

Debra Carper Wood, 52, of Prince George passed away December 6, 2007 after a 20 month long courageous battle with cancer. She was the daughter of the late Newton Robert and Ruth Lee Dunn Carper. Mrs. Wood was preceded in death by a brother Gary Eugene Carper and her grandparents Dan R. McClenney `Daddy Mac` and Gladys Stales McClenney `Mimi`. She was member of Christ and Grace Episcopal Church in Petersburg. She is survived by her husband David Wood, children Kari Lee Merkel and husband, Thomas of Washington D.C., Corporal Christopher Ryan Taves of Korea, and Joshua Burdett Wood of Prince George, Va. , brothers Newton Robert Carper, II of Norfolk, Va., Randall Keith Carper of Portsmouth, Va. Dan Richard Carper of Florida. A Memorial Service will be held on Wednesday, December 12, 2007 at 1:00 pm at Christ and Grace Episcopal Church, 1545 S. Sycamore Street, Petersburg with The Reverend David Teschner officiating. The family will receive family and friends following the service. Arrangements provided by the E. Alvin Small Funeral Home and Crematory, 3935 S. Crater Road, Petersburg. 

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It's been five years and yet it still feels like I talked to her yesterday. There are days I come into the office and as the morning goes by I feel like I'm missing something and realize I didn't get a phone call from my mom. I hate that she wasn't around to experience all of my pregnancies and births and that she's not here to see how wonderful her grandbabies are. I hate that my girls don't know who she is, even though I tell them. It hurts every time Stasa asks where my mommy is. I just hate that she's gone.



We didn't always have the best relationship and there were more times than I can remember where I exclaimed how she "ruined my life" for the silliest things, like not letting me sleepover at my friend's house on a school night. But she loved me no matter what and loved Tom and always doted on us when we visited. I take comfort in knowing that she's still with me and I see it every day when I look in the mirror and when I look at Stasa. I love you, Mom.