Darlene Lorraine Burman

I'm so grateful to Momma for always being not only a good mom, but also the one person I knew would encourage me in whatever I tried to do. "You can do whatever you put your mind to", she often told me. And because of Momma, I pursued every creative outlet I wanted as a kid and on into high school. Ever present, she faithfully attended my award ceremonies, concerts, parades I marched in, and every play I performed in. She also bragged about me to anyone who would listen, often to the point of embarrassment. Thanks, Mom. Momma also gave me the foundation for my belief in God. I can still hear her saying, "How can you not believe there's a God? All you have to do is look at a single blade of grass and see the marvel in His creation." But she never held the reigns too tight with me either. I'm certain this is because she trusted me. "You were always such good kids, " she once told me. "I trusted you because I knew you and Jennifer would do what is right and stay out of trouble." And because of that trust I was allowed to be out all day during the summer and on the weekends... off living "adventures" as grand as my imagination and surroundings would allow. I would spend the day riding my horse, or fishing in the local fishing hole, or simply sitting on the back deck reading a good book. And boy could she laugh... both Jenn and I loved to find things to make Momma laugh. She would laugh so hard she couldn't breathe and her face would turn bright red. Oh how I loved those moments. And the Christmases... oh, the Christmases. Momma, a wonderful cook, would be cooking for days before the holiday finally arrived: cookies, pies, candies would fill the counters, and on the day of celebration, we would enjoy a lavish meal fit for a king. I have such fond memories of Christmas at Momma's house. But life for Momma was not always filled with good times. There was the divorce with Daddy, the stroke, losing Bob and almost all her siblings and her parents, and then her battle with cancer and her resulting amputation. She always credited her belief in God for overcoming all of this. "With God nothing is impossible," she would say. "God will get me through this." And indeed God did... all the way to the end. When Momma was diagnosed with Diverticulitis, I thought she would take an antibiotic and just as she always did in the past, bounce right back. But this time her body was too frail, and the infection too difficult to overcome. So I put in calls to my sister, Jenn, and Momma's best friend Jan, letting them know if they want to see Momma one last time, they'd better come now. From that day forward, we all spent as much time as we could sitting with her, talking to her, reading "Our Daily Bread", "When Jesus Calls", and the Bible to her. It was on Thursday, June 25th, the day after Jenn arrived, that Momma became unresponsive. It was as if she held out until Jenn came, and then could no longer stay awake. From Friday on we girls (Jennifer, Kel, Mary, me, Jan, and her caregivers Elizabeth and Tamara, and even some of Elizabeth's daughters) stood vigil over Momma... so she would know she was loved and cared for. But it was Elizabeth and Tamara that were with Momma as she took her last breath. They both marveled at how peaceful it was. "Never have I seen someone pass so peacefully as your Momma", explained Elizabeth. "She just took one last gentle breath, and was gone." Gone, but not forgotten. You will always be with me, Momma, in my heart and in my memories. I love you and miss you every moment of every day. Till we meet again...