With a Sad and Heavy Heart...

As many of you know...My precious mother has been gravely ill. It is with a very heavy heart that I must inform you that My Dear Mother has passed away. She entered into the loving hands of our heavenly Father on September 18th... one hour after I saw her and introduced her to her new grandson Jacob.

She was truly an amazing woman who will be missed and lived a life like no other always keeping family,friends and the needs of others in her heart and mind. She was a servant of the Lord and I feel some sort of peace knowing that she is home and no longer in pain.

I, however, have lost my true north...my guide...my cheerleader, my confidant, my shining example and the best mother and friend anyone could have ever wanted.She always told me the right thing to do... and I did it... if not for me but to make her proud. Her family was first... always... and she was the most kind, caring and compassionate person ever. If you knew her... you were truly made better just by being her friend.

I ache for her and I can only hope that one day... this ache will be less as I know it will never go away.It causes my physical pain to know that I will never hug or kiss this dear woman again. She is gone and there is no more.She has taken a piece of my heart and my mourning is intense and overwhelming.

Thank you to all of my true friends that have been there for me and for all of the kind words and prayers.

I leave you all with this reading that has brought me some comfort knowing that others are rejoicing and she will be met with love...

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side,spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and startsfor the blue ocean.

She is an object of beauty and strength.

I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speckof white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then, someone at my side says, "There, she is gone"

Gone where?Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast,hull and spar as she was when she left my side.

And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.

Her diminished size is in me -- not in her.

And, just at the moment when someone says, "There, she is gone,"there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voicesready to take up the glad shout, "Here she comes!"And that is dying...