She was beautiful, with thick, luxurious hair that she would never color and flashing black eyes that could show love or anger, but mostly love and always understanding.

She was loving and giving and so very kind-hearted; a true and loyal friend, but you got the feeling she could also be a formidable enemy if you made the mistake of hurting someone she loved.

She knew many people and the ones she loved, she loved in spite of, and sometimes because of, their shortcomings.

She always cared for others, yet never got around to caring for herself.

She was gentle and wise, creative and talented, although she never thought so.

She was mysterious and secretive, an open book and a plain everyday housewife and mother.

She loved parties – giving them AND attending them and her home felt like home to everyone who ever visited.

She shared her love and life with her husband of over 60 years, their children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren.

She died not knowing any of this…who she was, who her family was or how very much she was loved by them.

She was my mother and she died a year ago after a 10 year battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

If you’ve ever known or loved someone with Alzheimer’s Disease, this story is familiar to you. If you’ve been lucky enough to escape the shadow of Alzheimer’s, it’s a journey you can’t imagine; a nightmare you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy, much less your cherished friend or loved one.

Alzheimer’s Disease is waging a war, but it’s a war that doesn’t get much attention from the average citizen, not until that citizen gets an up-close and personal view of the everyday battles. Battles that are as ugly and destructive as any military operation could ever be.

Our only hope to win these battles and, ultimately this war is to find a cure for Alzheimer’s Disease. The American Alzheimer’s Association is committed to finding a cure and eliminating the threat of Alzheimer’s Disease. But dedication and good intentions don’t fund the necessary research to find a cure or the programs to help those already afflicted with this dreaded disease.

The Memory Walk is a fun and inspiring event, held annually, to help the Alzheimer’s Association fulfill their mission statement to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease. This year’s walk, Memory Walk 2008, will be held November 15 at The Dallas Zoo. Teams of different sizes will meet and walk to raise money for the cure.

Everyone is invited and urged to participate. Volunteer to walk, or sponsor a walker. For more information about Memory Walk 2008, call 214/540-2411 or visit the Dallas Alzheimer’s website at: www.AlzDallas.org.

Join me on Nov. 15^th at the Dallas Zoo. I’ll be walking and I’ll be remembering.

The Garland/Richardson Aggie Moms Club would like to invite you to our next meeting, Monday, October 13th at 7:15 p.m. at the Garland Women's Activity Building, 713 Austin Street in Garland. Our club was established to aid and support Texas A&M students from the Mesquite, Garland and Richardson ISD's, as well as their families.

Our Aggie Moms club is a great way to find support, information, and share problems and solutions concerning our Aggie students. Join us and meet other moms who will help you navigate through Aggieland.

Are you and your Aggie starting to worry about upcoming semester exams? Are you wondering what you can do to make your Ag feel special and help relieve some of the studying stress? Well, here's your answer....DEADWEEK CARE PACKAGES!

Our Aggie Moms Club is currently taking orders for Deadweek Packages to be hand delivered to our beloved Aggie students during the week before their final semester exams. The packages are $10.00 each and are guaranteed to put a smile on your Special Aggie's face. The deadline for ordering packages is October 15th, so get your order in NOW.

Let your Aggie know you're thinking about them with our special delivery. To order your Deadweek Package, visit our website at: www.garlandrichardsonaggiemoms.org, or contact me at melindaproza@yahoo.com. Better yet, come to our next meeting, you'll be glad you did, I guarantee!

Gig 'Em!

I went to my first-ever Texas A&M Aggie Moms Club meeting the other day and I have to admit I was a little bit nervous at first. We've all experienced it - the uncertainty of going somewhere you don't know a soul, not knowing if you'll make friends or even fit in.

I shouldn't have worried. The Aggie Moms made me feel welcome immediately, even forgiving my obviously bad decision of carrying an orange purse (orange, as you know is the color of our arch enemy, The University of Texas in Austin, a/k/a "the OTHER university"). The Aggie Moms quickly forgave me my mistake and corrected it by giving me an official "Aggie Moms" tote to disguise and hide the offensive orange error.

While visiting before the meeting, several of us were discussing being brand new Empty Nesters. We traded stories of adjusting to a much quieter house, with only the family pets to keep you company. Sympathy and heartfelt encouragement were offered by the moms who have already experienced this trying, emotional time, and we first-timers consoled each other and traded news of when our fledglings would be returning home for their first visits, followed by lots of sad head shaking and deep sighs all around.

Finally, one mom, with a twinkle in her eye, admitted that maybe this empty nest thing wasn't all THAT bad. There's less cooking, cleaning and laundry and she and her husband had actually gone on a spur of the moment date night during the week, without having to worry about anybody's dinner but their own and the dog's.

Another mom chimed in that she and her husband had tried to go on a romantic get away weekend, but they couldn't get anyone to watch their pets, so they had to stay home.

We stood there, silently considering this new phase in our lives, both the positive and the negative. At last, one brave mom voiced the thought we were all thinking. "So, what's the life expectancy for the average family pet, anyway?"

I'm sorry, but I've given this job my best shot and I've decided I'm not cut out for it. No hard feelings, I just feel that it's best for all of us if I move on. Please accept this as my two week notice, effective two weeks ago.

If I'm being fair about it, I have to say that the fault for this failed relationship rests mainly with you.....BOTH of you. I've tried, I really have. You've been walked EVERY SINGLE DAY, even though you know how much I hate to exercise. You've been taken for daily car rides, allowed to sleep on the furniture and given more treats than I think is legal. And, still, you fail to do your fair share, to meet me halfway. Life, as you BOTH know, is give AND take, and that doesn't mean I do all the giving and YOU do all the taking. Two of us need an attitude adjustment, if you ask me.

It was bad enough, dealing with your lick granuloma, Dudley, and the "troubled mind" the vet said is the cause of your behavior. It's not enough that I have to deal with huge scrapes on my wood paneling from the gigantic plastic cone on your head, not to mention the fact that you knocked me flat when you hit me behind the knees with it yesterday.

Nope, now I have to deal with the fact that maybe this is my fault...maybe somehow you've caught my OCD behavior. Maybe living here with us is just too stressful for you. Must be the fact that you're not TIED TO A BOAT ANCHOR IN THE BACKYARD, ANYMORE, and you receive regular exercise, love and affection in a safe, caring environment. Must be quite a cross for you to bear, I guess.

And, because Dudley was getting too much attention, you, Layla decide to wander where you SHOULDN'T have on this morning's walk, ignoring my commands to "place" and what happens? Yep, you wind up cutting your foot and limping home like you've dislocated your entire shoulder. I was so worried I was practically hyperventilating, only to discover, upon examination that it's just a tee tiny cut that didn't even bleed until I was poking at it.

Really, you two are just asking too much, without giving your fair share in return. I guess it would surprise you to learn that there are dogs in this world who DON'T go for daily walks? They DON'T go for daily car rides? They DON'T spend every waking (and sleeping) moment of the day underneath their owners' feet? LOOK AT ME WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU! Do you think it's NORMAL for dogs to have "Popcorn Time" every day? I can tell you both that it's NOT!

Nope, I'm sorry, but I'm through. Oh, I'll miss you both, I'm sure, but I feel that my services are being underappreciated and I could better use my skills in another position. I hear there's a couple of cats who are looking to hire.