Belinda Ann Knochel

Belinda Ann Knochel is and will forever be my dearest mother. She was born on July 18th, 1954 in Wisconsin and was the oldest of six children. I do not know much about her life before I came into the picture in 1996, but I certainly have so much to share from our time together.
My mother instilled a deep love of animals and wildlife in me, which is what led to my pursuit of a career as a marine biologist. She loved her dogs dearly and I know caring for them brought her immense happiness. One of my favorite things to do with my mom was walking our two beloved dogs, Howard and Gizmo. Mom was also an amazing artist; she used many colors in her paintings which mostly consisted of wildlife portraits.
Simple things brought my mother joy. I can still picture her sitting in her chair in the living room in the morning, sipping her instant coffee and reading through the newspaper while our dog Howard gazes up at her, hoping to get some attention. I will always remember how she called me "chicken little" and would sing to our dogs. She came to all of my volleyball games, soccer games, and ballet recitals in addition to the practices for each different sport! We loved shopping together at White House Black Market, drinking wine in the hot tub, and battling each other in badminton. We have many memories together of visiting Bruno sand dunes, my aunt in Wisconsin, San Francisco, and Yellowstone. She always encouraged me to pursue my dreams, even though that dream is an unstable career with a poor pay grade. There are so many more memories and funny stories that we have together, and I will write them all down when I am emotionally ready.
If I had the option to choose who my mom would be, I would choose my mother. I spent 18 amazing years living with her and yet it doesn't feel long enough. Even though my mother picked me up from school over a thousand times, made me a thousand lunches and a thousand breakfasts, and told me she loved me a thousand times, it still doesn't feel like it was enough. I wish she could have stayed with me longer, but I feel comfort knowing she is at peace and that she would want me to try to find some happiness in my life. Mom, I love you so much and I will never know another love like I have for you; may we meet again.