**NOT COUPON RELATED**

17 years ago tonight at 10:30 p.m. my mom went home to be with the Lord. I can still remember that night like it was yesterday. It was a Sunday night. My mom was diagnosed with kidney cancer about 10 months before her passing. By the time they found it, it had already spread to her lungs and bones. The last two months of her life, she was in severe pain; unbearable pain at times. The Friday morning before that Sunday, she called all of us kids early to tell us, she knew she was dying and wanted to talk to each of us. When we got there she talked to all of us separately, but then together told all of us not to be mad at God, that it was because of God that she got through so much of her pain and that she was not angry with God. Shortly after she spoke to each of us, she slipped into a coma. She was totally out of it, not coherent at all. This lasted the rest of the day Friday, all day Saturday, and all day Sunday. She had that death rattle so we knew it was getting close. About 10:10 on Sunday night, my oldest brother and myself were at the foot of her bed. Some of her sisters were there with us and of course my dad, her sweetheart since the age of 14 (she was only 56). As we were all talking she sat straight up in bed, looked at my brother and myself and said as clear as a bell “It’s time now”. I won’t lie it scared the pants off me. She reached for my sister who was behind her and mouthed the words that she loved her. She then kept mouthing for my other brother who missed his flight and we got him on the phone and she told him that she loved him. Then she wanted my dad. My dad went next to her (we had her hospice bed in the living room) and my dad leaned over and kissed her and said “I love you”. My mom squeezed his hand and with her last breath said “FOREVER” and then passed away. As sad as it was, it was a beautiful moment to know she saw something to give her such a peace. That she sat straight up after being in a coma for almost 3 full days. She was calm and completely coherent as she said her goodbye to us. 17 years later, I still miss my mom and so many times still wish I could pick up the phone to call her and tell her what is happening, but I also have much joy in knowing I will see her again. As she took her last breath here, I am confident her very next breath was in heaven meeting our creator. It is so easy to hold grudges and stay angry at people, but we are never promised tomorrow. I have heard several people say they don’t even speak to their parents anymore. Life is too short to hold grudges or be angry. Humans will let us down each and every day; we are all sinners in a fallen world. I am so blessed to have the parents that I had growing up. They were not perfect, but God blessed me with them and I wasn’t the perfect daughter either LOL!! But at the end of my mom’s life, she was surrounded with all of us knowing we loved her. Tonight if you are holding a grudge against anyone, forgive them. Give it to the Lord and let the healing begin. If your parents are still alive, call them or text them and tell them you love them and appreciate them, because you are not promised time with them tomorrow. Love all of you guys and hope you have a great night!! That is a picture of my mom and the poem that she left for us when she passed (It was in a Chicken Soup for the Soul Book). . her legacy will live on FOREVER and I am so thankful God picked her to be my mom. I Love you Mom!!!!!!