On a morning very much like this morning three years ago today, mum left her tired old body and stepped through the veil to reunite with daddy and many other family and friends that have gone before her.  I remember the morning and all the emotion and feelings like it was yesterday.  I had been with her most of the time for the past two days because I knew her time was very short.  She had been sleeping most of the time and was starting to breath with that rattly sound. This was ironically on Mother's day.  My sisters all came down and we spent an emotional afternoon talking, laughing and crying as we reminisced about our mom.  We started planning the funeral and making arrangements. That night was sleepless for us, (except for mum...and I don't doubt that in the state she was in, she was already receiving callers and invitations from the other side, beckoning her to join them)  I laid there staring at the baby monitor, listening to her breath.  Early in the morning,  the time between each breath started getting longer and longer.  I got up and went down to her room and sat on the edge of her bed and held her hand.  There was a peaceful, almost sacred feeling in the room and I knew we were not alone.  I laid my head on her chest, whispered my love and goodbyes and within a few minutes, her breathing stopped and she slipped away.
I sat there holding her hand and crying for a while...not really sad that she had died, because we had been praying that she would not go on for a long time in this condition, but I think it was just realizing that she would not be with us anymore.  It was selfish crying...my heart was aching knowing that until I join her on the other side, I wasn't going to be able to talk to her, or see her, hug her, or just be with her.  There were many more tears to come, but I think after I got through this, I could cry tears of joy for her...she had completed her mission here on earth...had lived an exemplary life filled with joys and sorrows.  Had raised her family and had loved and taught them well, then continued to teach us through the life she lived.  She left us all with "gifts" that we inherited from her.  I can see qualities in all of my sisters and in myself that were so strong in our mother. So really, she continues to influence our lives even when she is not physically here.  That's about the best gift ever. 
So happy graduation day mum...I know you are happy and doing good for others in heaven...just like you did here on earth. Thank you for the things you taught me and my kids, for your great example and the joy that you shared with everyone who knew you. I miss and love you so very much...

 This was about a week before mum died.  Rebecca, her care giver from hospice for the last three months of Mother's life, was the dearest lady and we were so blessed to have her...she sincerely loved mum and mum loved her too.  She was so sweet and kind and gentle with mother...I couldn't have done it without her.