I miss my mom. We were truly polar opposites. She was very gregarious, and I was very shy. She had the most beautiful speaking voice. It had a lilting quality to it.

My mom used to watch American Idol on and off. She liked Clay, but she also liked Ruben. That changed one day while I was giving her a shower. Music was piping in to the shower. She stopped and asked who was that singing with the most beautiful voice. I had to stop and listen. It was Clay singing "TITN". I just got so excited and told her it was Clay.

After that, whenever we got in the car for her weekly doctor visits, she would insist that I play Clay for her. She would tell me over and over what a beautiful voice he had.

We both listened to Clay sing "MGUCL" on GMA Christmas morning in the hospital. I'm not sure how lucid she really was, but she knew it was Clay.

She loved hearing my stories about traveling to see Clay. She told me that she would do her very best to get better so I could at least attend Clay's two Clearwater concerts. She kept her promise.

I wish she would have been well enough to have seen him in concert. His music comforts me now, and I smile when I think about her enjoying his music. I wish she could have heard Clay's new CD.

I will hold my memories forever.