Remembering Mom

Today is the 6th anniversary of my Mom's passing. These are the words that I wrote about her in my Christmas letter that year:

I will remember a woman. A woman who I called Mother.

I will remember a woman who was beautiful of face and equally as beautiful of heart. I will remember a woman whose heart overflowed with love, generosity, and selflessness. I will remember her incredible warmth, her unfailing kindness, and her endless patience. I will remember her wonderful sense of humor, her hearty laugh, and her electrifying smile. I will remember her innate sense of fun and adventure, her wide range of interests, and how she was always game for just about anything. I will remember her inherent goodness, her integrity, and her unfailing sense of right and wrong. I will remember her intellect, her sharp mind, and her passionate love and concern for our community, our nation, and our world. I will remember the lessons she taught us about the value of hard work and perseverance. I will remember the home that she provided for us, a home that she filled with love and peace and cheer and fun, a home that she opened to everyone without thought or hesitation. I will remember how hard she worked, how much energy she had, and how tireless she was. I will remember what a great event planner she was, so much so that we began calling such an event “A Linda Werner Production”. I will remember how she always made sure that we, her family, knew that we were the most important thing on earth to her, often saying, “My children are the joy and the reward of my life.” I will remember how she took such delight in even our tiniest victories, even when we were well into adulthood. I will remember the example she set for us as a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a daughter, and a friend. I will remember how she taught us, in word and in example, to love wholeheartedly and with great compassion. I will remember how courageous she was throughout her battle with illness, and how, even when she became physically compromised, she never lost her enormous capacity to give and love. I will remember what a wonderful friend she was to me…to all of us.

And I will remember standing at her deathbed, struggling to find the perfect final words to say to her, and finding that the only words that my lips kept forming over and over again were “thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you”. For so great was my mother’s love, that even at the very moment that I was losing her, I couldn’t help but be overwhelmed with gratitude for having had her in my life.

May she rest always in the loving arms of God.

I love and miss you so much Mom!

Until we are together again,
All my love,
Krissy