Saying Goodbye To Mom

My Mom passed away this week.  She has battled diabetes, stroke, heart attack, leg amputation, colon cancer, and many other health challenges, all in just the past three years. It is with love that I think of the phrase, "a cat having nine lives." If I'm counting correctly, this was her tenth hospital stay. 

Mom was a fighter. She was stubborn and she was strong. I rarely heard her complain about her physical challenges. She didn't talk about how things have changed, but rather about what she was doing to adapt to the changes.

Family was the most important part of her life. She was a great daughter and big sister,

 a loving wife and help-mate to my dad, Farmer Brown,

 

an encouraging Mom who taught us to replace, "I could..." with "I will..."

a wonderfully supportive Grandma,

 a special Great-Grandma,

and best of all, my friend. 

Because of what you taught me Mom, I will continue to change "I could" to "I will."

I shared this poem on my blog when my Dad passed away three years ago. It's a perfect fit for Mom as well. Love you Mom.

In Our Hearts

by Rose de Leon

We thought of you with love today,
But that is nothing new.
We thought about you yesterday.
And days before that too.
We think of you in silence.
We often speak your name.
Now all we have is memories.
And your picture in a frame.
Your memory is our keepsake.
With which we’ll never part.
God has you in his keeping.
We have you in our heart.