Our dear Mother, Grandmother, and Great Grandmother passed away Friday, July 19 at 7:00pm. It can be said, it was a good passing with all her children and many of her grandchildren in her room when she left this world for her heavenly home. Not knowing what her night before had been like, when we entered the room the morning of the 19th, she announced, in a clear voice, that "today" was the day she was going to die. Direct, firm, and in no uncertain terms she repeated herself to us and others. She talked of being tired and wanting to go home. When I asked if home meant my house, Hood River, or her heavenly home, she looked at me somewhat perturbed with a response of “heavenly home” as if I had forgotten all of my biblical teachings. She was right of course, but I had not forgotten, I just needed to be sure. One by one, as family came together, Mom talked with each person most times with a specific directive just for them. Each directive and ‘love you’ was followed with a wave goodbye. She also had a command to all of us to ‘behave’ and love each other. We all agreed we got the ‘love each other’ part down pretty good, but we couldn’t say the same for the behave part. As we struggled with our new realty, we also renewed our commitment to Mom’s directive. If it could not be the quality life that she had come enjoy with her friends at Down Manor, her First Baptist Church family, her water aerobics and sports club buddies, and her ability to live an independent life, then it should be no more. Comfort care was the choice, no longer prolonging her life by any artificial means. To her repeated refrains of “Let me go” we remained true to the collective commitment to see this through. At 91 years, plus 4 days, she was true to her morning declaration and she went home. We are all tremendously sad and we will miss her oh so very much. The grief and the sorrow are sometimes unbearable. But we are Rachel’s children and we did as we were told. We do love each other and we will do our best to behave.