This is going to be like removing a duct tape band aid.  I'm going to do it quickly and it's probably going to seem quite painful, because I need to just put it out there.

My Mother passed away on the 7th.  As you can imagine, the past few days have been busy, with a lot less sleep than normal, and in a bit of a haze.  We are sad, we will miss her, but I also know how much of a blessing it is that I can say both of my parents went unexpectedly.

She was 82, so really is there such thing as unexpected or surprise?  Yes.  Mom had COPD, a progressive lung problem that put her into periods of sickness that made her so weak and so not herself.  She was feeling quite well recently:  visiting with her sisters and cooking for them, going to church, and even calling to give me a little shit on the phone (that's how we REALLY know she was feeling well).  She was at home:  she wouldn't even consider moving to something smaller or more accommodating for her lung issues (no stairs/bathroom on main floor) and while she had had a couple of visits to the hospital due to the aforementioned COPD in recent years, she wasn't there recently.  She passed in her own bed.  It appears maybe she got up in the morning and returned to bed not feeling great - which happened sometimes with her lungs - and she passed there in her bed.  Amen.

We had her viewing at Stevens Mortuary.  I am overwhelmed with the number of friends from work and even from high school that stopped, the number of cousins who expressed their adoration for my Mom and the special things she did for them, and how smoothly things went - even the weather didn't get too much in the way.  After the service at her parish (Our lady of Fatima) we took her to the cemetery where she will be joining my Father.  There are so many people we've lost that I'm sure were there to welcome her.

There are many difficult things ahead.  Some big like selling my childhood home, some that seem silly like knowing someone else will someday have her (our) telephone number.  My sister and I will get through them slowly as we need to leaning on one another.  I am also blessed to have my Favorite Egg to lean on right now.  In the mean time, thank you everyone who has expressed their love - for all that you've already done and for the things you will do to help us moving forward.