Scrapper's Daily Dose Gallery - Almost Heaven - Powered by PhotoPost : Heaven : Dear Mom

This page meets 3 challenges ...as follows:
Journaling Challenge
Bling Challenge
Chipboard Challenge

Items Used: Bazzill, HS Chipboard Alphas, ATB Flowers, MM Brads, MM Bling, Doodlebug trim, Paper unknown.

** Note this picture was taken last Thanksgiving ... my mom passed away this May.

Here is the journaling:
Dear Mom I can't believe you're gone! I know life is short and we need to cherish all the moments we are given, but I can't help but feel that you were cheated somehow when doctors diagnosed you with Alzheimer's disease. You lived 7 years beyond your diagnosis, yet I felt that you truly didn't live at all that terrible disease robbed you of so many days when it took your memory. I knew that one day you would not remember my name, or Morgan's name, or even your own name for that matter but somewhere deep inside you there was familiarity with us. Whenever we were with you, especially the last year of your life, you would look at us with big smiles as if to say, "I know who you are, I just can't verbalize it anymore". You would touch my face and caress it, stroke my hair like you did when I was a little girl, and you would pull my sleeves down when ever I pushed them up as if you feared I was cold. I truly missed the sound of your voice and knowing you would never talk to us again. You gave me a few treasures though, the most memorable on Christmas Day 2006 when I walked in and said Hello and Merry Christmas to you. You looked right back at me and said "Merry Christmas" a small tidbit but enough to thrill me forever. It was a moment of lucidity clear thought a memory from deep within and it was the best gift I've ever received. Who could ask for more? Not me. The last few months of your life were precious to me it seems I couldn't get enough of you. I spent as much time as I could with you at the nursing home, holding your hand, bringing you ice-cream treats, combing your hair and watching you sleep, knowing that at some point in my life I would draw on each of those memories to help get me through. Morgan and I found you very ill May 7th 2007 and I knew that your end was near. We didn't leave your side and in fact we had to make a very hard decision that same evening to "let you go" even though we wanted nothing more than to keep you with us forever. Family gathered around your hospital bed and stayed through the night waiting. You held on until the next morning when the sun came up I knew you wouldn't go in the dark you were afraid of the dark, and at 7:15 am after Morgan and I said a prayer for you and sang you a special song you passed away with your hands in ours. Silently, peacefully and knowing you were loved. I'll miss you forever my sweet mama but I know that one day I'll be with you again in heaven. Your Loving Daughter Always, Tania