Mother, my heart aches with your passing. My soul is comforted with your release from pain and entry to journey with all those waiting for you, especially Carol. I trust that eternity is balanced again with you reunited. You were SO brave to resist pain medication as long as you could. You preserved "you"; proven each morning when you opened your eyes and waved your fingers at me with a waking smile (especially before coffee). Proven with each spontaneous witty reply to any comment in any situation. Proven by closing your eyes when I asked you to roll towards Lynda and you told us you couldn't see her. Proven by how you loved the cold pain of bio-freeze on your back. Proven by your unquenchable appetite that awarded you with all obtainable requests including molasses, honey, homemade biscuits, cornbread & milk, peach cobbler, subway, cracker barrel, key lime pie, cheesecake, butter pecan ice cream. Mother, I know it was so hard to hold on, but we finally found you coconut cream pie. Did you see that we found it? We tried. You were uncanny knowing where EVERYTHING you requested in the house and car was located, even the most obscure sticky note in your roller file with a lifelong friend's home number. You instructed us where to get the things you wanted. You even tripped me up when you wanted a pineapple milkshake because you hadn't eaten pineapple in so long, I had moved the pineapple cups to a box for the food kitchen. But out they came and back to the basket where you said they were and a milkshake I made. You gave me a Mother's love by wanting me to sleep somewhere besides the chair, but I had to listen for "you". I couldn't trust the monitor. You gave me a Mother's love as an infant, holding me on your chest to keep me from crying while I recovered from hernia surgery. You gave me a Mother's love waiting until I had walked out of the apartment for your last breath...you didn't have to do that...I was ready, I told you I was ready. Mother, thank you for your endless love. Rest in peace that you so much deserve. I love you and I want you to hold me again. I want to hug and hold you again. I love you.