March 14, 1958 Donna Jean Dickey Molyneux

As many of you know my mom passed away Dec 26, 1999. She died after a short battle with Liver Cancer. She was only 41 when she died. This passed Saturday would have been her 51st birthday.

I wanted to post a blog about the things that I remember about my mom and share the things that I miss about her the most.

• I remember when I was little, I couldn't have been more than 5 or 6 I would ask my mom to play with me. She would ask me what I wanted to play. I remember being under the stereo or something and I asked her to play hind and go seek with me. I was already playing by myself, I just wanted someone to come and find me. I remember her answering me, but she pretended not to see me, she would look all around the room for me, and at some point she acted like she was worried. I remember thinking how silly she was.

• I remember when I was in 1st grade (we lived in the appartments in Lehi, by the Cemetary) one night before bed I was watching my mom do her finger nails. If any of you knew my mom, you would remember that she always had her nails done. This particular night, she let me stay up and she did mine too. I remember I went to school thinking how cool I was with my pretty hands.

• I remember the first day of Kindergarten and having my mom practice with me "The pledge of Allegiance" while she was helping me get ready for school. My mom had a way about her that helped you learn something at an easier pace. She was the best teacher I know. She even helped some of my aunts and uncles pass High School.

• I remember being in Elementary School in North Ogden and being able to go to mom's work after school at the Blind School, behind Horace Mann Elementary. I thought it was so cool that my mom was teaching all these kids that couldn't see, hear or had other disabilities. She was a very sincere person. She loved children, it didn't matter what kind.

• I remember falling asleep to the sound of the sewing machine while my mom would stay awake and whip out quilts for us kids. As I got older she used her tallent to make a living. She was a seamstress. She could make anything she wanted on a sewing machine. When I was in Junior High she went out and bought some pretty expensive fabric for me to make a dress in Sewing class. My teacher expected us to know what we were doing and I failed misserably. My mom was furious. I was frustrated and never wanted to sew again. I'm gaining my desire back as I get older, my mom was so tallented in many ways.

• When we lived in North Ogden my mom started to learn how to bellydance. She initially learned for a weightloss program. Me and my little sister Erna would watch her practice. I remember going into my room and trying out the same moves. When I asked my mom to teach me she would crank up her Middle Eastern Music and she would teach us how to dance in the kitchen while doing the dishes. I grew to love bellydancing at a young age. I've danced from about the age of 9 or 10. When I was teenager I performed with my mom, sister and our troop in many functions, like the Belly Dance Festival that is held every August, and the Ogden Street festivals, We used to dance on occasion at Media Play, now they're FYE's. We used to dance at a family Greek restraunt in Salt Lake. Now if we want to dance we love to dance at The Athenian in Ogden. I still dance today. Just not in public :) I miss my mom and the things she would teach me.

• When I was younger, my dad would leave to go on the Deer hunts every fall. When he left I remember getting a turn to sleep in mom's bed with her. It meant the world to me to cuddle with my mom. She would let us rent movies, get pizza and stay up late.

• On Saturday mornings I remember getting in bed with my mom and dad and cuddling. We would talk about everything and get tickled or teased. Once all the kids would be in bed Dad would bail and it would end up either being me and my sister or just a few of us in there with mom. We would take turns rolling the skin on each others backs. It was fun to spend time with my mom. These times would be some of the most treasured moments for me.

• I remember when I wrecked my Dad's bronco when I was 12, we were at the Belly Dance Festival in the year 1990, and I couldn't resist a Triple Dog Dare from my Brother Jared. My mom was sooo mad. She even called me a "Son of a Bitch", I remember her begging the cop to withhold my driving privilages forever. He laughed and told her no. Luckily for me, I did this in a parking-lot and didn't get a ticket or anything....Well maybe not anything....I had to ride home in the Bronco that I wrecked and I had to imagine what my dad would do to me when he found out. Because this was before the days of Cell phones. She got MAD!!

• I remember when I had Kurtis and would come to visit my Mom and Dad, my Mom would take Kurtis to Toys R Us and get him a new book or a new toy or something to put in her toy box for him when he came. She loved Kurtis.

• When Austin was born, he was Colic. When I would visit my mom was the only person that could get him to calm down. Infact as soon as she would get him and cuddle him he would fall asleep on her chest. She loved Austin. He was 20 months old when she passed away. She loved her grandbabies.

Those are just a few of the many memories and stories that I wanted to remember. I miss my mom terribly. I wish that she would have been able to meet Jake before she died. I think she would get a kick out of him. I know she would love him. When Jake and I had EmberLee we named her after Jakes mom and my mom. EmberLee's middle name is Dona. That is how she spelled her Bellydancing name. I will always treasure the memories of my mom. I love and miss her so much.

Happy Birthday MOM. Until I see you again.