We've gained an angel we know . . .

On Wednesday, May 9th, the world lost a wonderful woman . . . my mom, and my children's sweet and loving nana. Others knew her as friend, sister, m&m lady, Joan, Joannie, confidant, counselor and sweetie.

It had been a long road for my mom the past few years, first caring for dad when he was ill, and then dealing with her own health issues which took a turn only 4 days after dad’s death. The last few months of mom’s life, she was in and out of the hospital, and after her last hospital stay, she did not want to go anywhere but HOME!!! We had begun an addition to our home for “the mother in law”; but it was not yet finished…..so we all decided to forego waiting for the addition to be completed, and we brought mom home.

Mom was a trooper from the get go. She did not want us to cry over her failing health, but rejoice in her life and her life to come. She told us there were always poorer souls in the hospital that needed our prayers, and she would offer up her own suffering for people she knew in the hospital, or for strangers that were in the rooms next to her. She even counseled people that lost their mother in the room next to her’s. . . they came in and talked to mom, and mom being her usual self, helped them thru their grief. This was the way mom always was. . . growing up, she would talk with us kids and all our friends about everything, we were known as the “kool-aid” house, where mom would talk about anything we asked her about. My friends quickly learned that if you asked for Joan’s opinion, you better be ready to hear it! Just like Father Sean said the other day, “she was a straight shooter; and you always knew where you stood with her”.

Even at the end, mom was telling us how things were going to be. . . My brother needed to leave around 1 pm on Wednesday to get back to Seattle, so he said his goodbyes to mom. She had told him a few days previous, that she would probably pass away after he left, and he would have to turn around and make another trip back over. She even told him it would be around 4 hours after he left. We didn't really think much of that, but 4 hours, and 40 minutes after he left, mom took her last breath, and she was gone. My sister and I were with her, as was Kenneth. Frank had just arrived home from work and came in and was with us, and then all the kids came in to say good-bye. She went peacefully, which had been all of our prayer.

As I have said before, when you lose someone you love, you gain an angel you know. . . . so we now have both nana and papa to pray too. Thankfully mom’s suffering is over, and, like my children have been saying, -- now nana can dance with papa. . . and she won't have oxygen in her nose, and papa's legs will work! :)

Thank you Mom for everything . . . you will be missed by all the many people you touched. . . with your compassion, your spirit, your humor, your love, and yes, your advice and m&m’s. You were truly the "wind beneath our wings"; and we love you so very much.