[Eclipse]

It was a heavy heart that I tell you all that the Lord called my mother home yesterday, August 25th around 4:18 in the afternoon. It is with great JOY that I tell you she is now completely HEALED of all of her earthly ailments. My father, sister and I, along with my pastor and another church member/friend were with her has she took her last breath. We held her hands and prayed and sang her in. My mother looked intently off into the distance and seemed to be focusing on something. Before she took her last 2 breaths she distinctly smiled and everyone in the room laughed. She was happy to go home and rest in Jesus' arms.

My church member said that you can be prepared for death, but you are never prepared for the grief. I think this is so true. I praise GOD for allowing us the 8 months of my mother's hospitalization to allow us to say somethings that should have been said before. I always told my mother I loved her, and she me, but I rarely went into great detail about WHY I loved her. How I appreciated her sacrifice and her perserverence over the years. How she displayed her unconditional love for me.

The next few days will probably be the hardest I have ever faced. I ask that you continue to pray for my family. We will be leaving Atlanta shortly to return to my hometown where her funeral will be. She will be buried in her hometown near her mother, father, three brothers and sister. My parents did not have a computer, so I won't have access to the internet unless I am at my sister's house, but I know I will be able to feel your prayers lifting me up.

For those of you who don't know, my mother was a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She celebrated her 25th year in the sorority earlier this month. Her sorority sisters were wonderful during her entire illness even though she was almost 200 miles away from them. The card, notes and phone calls were such a joy to us. They have asked to conduct a ceremony, and I know my mother will be tickled pink.