One day while we were still living with my grandparents, my sister and I received a card and a letter in the mail from my mom. In it she said that she was moving to Kentucky for a while.

Kentucky? How random of a place is that, especially when all of our family is from Texas...

My mom always had emotional issues. Not the sit alone in a room with a glass of vodka emotional. She just sort of bottled up and did not talk to anyone. I never knew this because to me she was the funniest person ever! She was always laughing and everyone liked her a lot. But I suppose that's where I get that personality trait. I'm usually laughing and in a good mood too, but that doesn't mean that deep down inside I am not sad or angry about something.

Perhaps she was angry because now she was a 23 year old divorcee with the (indirect) responsibility of a three year old and an 18 month old. I think I would be pretty mad at the world too. But you don't just take off like that.

Nevertheless, she left and I don't know how long she was gone. I don't think it was a whole year. I just know that she was gone.