My mother-in-law died today. It was a peaceful death and not exactly unexpected, but she is gone now. I have been married to her son for almost 43 years. She was special to me. For the last 11 years she has lived in the same town as us. Our lives have been altered by her being here. My husband is an only child, so all the care fell on his shoulders. I tried to help as much as I could because as I told her several times in the last days, “when I said ‘I do’ to her son, I said I do’ to you, too”. The disruption to our lives she has caused and the joy that she brought to our lives have so co-mingled that I am almost convinced they balanced each other out. This woman showered sweetness and love where ever she went. People fell in love with her immediately. That was both a point of irritation and a blessing. Like most people she was mixture of things, and my feelings right now are a mixture of things. She called me the daughter she never had. Ours was a good relationship, but there were times I could have joyfully choked her. The last few days were a blessing. We were able to laugh, reminisce, and tell each other that we loved each other. God gave me a special gift in this lady. I know that in time, once we take care of all that needs to be taken care of, I will mourn. Right now, I am just being grateful. Eternal rest grant to her, O Lord. May the perpetual light shine upon her. Grant her peace.