First off, my condolences on the passing of your mother. I know how you feel, my father passed away a month ago and he loved the holidays very much. The holidays are never going to be the same again.

I'm reminded of a liner note in John Mellencamp's Scarecrow album that reads "There is nothing more sad or glorious than generations changing hands." We're now in the middle of those generations where we see the glory and feel the sadness.