Mollie,
Our journey began on a frigid December day in 1996 and in that moment love became us. Almost immediately, the road we traveled became bumpy; you lost your beloved Maddie and I lost my Dad. Death would change us and we would not be the same. Our hearts held each other as we mourned and in those moments love became us. Our losses solidified our journey as we learned we would need to navigate around the road block of a liver disease and a detour was taken. Our hearts held each other as we dealt with your medical issues and in those moments love became us. Our journey traveled down roads of great joy. Your health issues did not define who you were just what you could eat--veggies. Your personality did define who you were--sweet. Your presence did help define my life--love. Our hearts held each other as we shared our joys and in those moments love became us. Our journey continued, the miles we traveled began to add up and much to our chagrin we were growing older together. Our road began to head towards the west where we would watch glorious sunsets together. Most often the sky was filled with vibrant colors; graduations, weddings, births. But, occasionally, the clouds of life's storms would block out the sunsets and we would weather difficult times; divorce, broken relationships, and yes, even deaths. Our hearts held each other as lived during the sunsets and the storms and in those moments love became us. Our journey together began to become more difficult, the road much harder to travel down. Our health that we had once begun to take for granted begin to slow our travels, the liver disease did begin to define your days; blindness and deafness became traveling companions, as well. Our hearts held each other during the beginning of the end and love became us. The progress of our journey continued,slower, more difficult and at times, painful, until finally, on October 7, 2011, the road trip came to an end and we reached your final destination. You continued on a journey without me and I am left to watch the sunsets and weather life's storms without you. Our journey here has come to an end, but our hearts still hold each other and our love becomes us. Mom