Here are some words from the heart!

Dear mom,

January 6th marks the day of your funeral. It was so beautiful with all the many flowers and pictures. I made 8 collages of all your best photos for all to admire. So many came to visit. There were over 300 people. The service was perfect and fit just for you. Below are a few words from my heart to you, I love you:

What can I say about this remarkable woman? She was a wonderful wife to my father Denis for 38 years, an amazing mother to myself and my brother, a great sister to 6 siblings and most of all a trusting friend to a lot of people. My mother was loved by so many and loved so many in return. She had many friends and family was always so important to her. It makes me smile to look around this room and see all the love and support in each of your eyes. Mom was so honest, trustworthy and such an all around great person.

She turned 58 years old on December 6th and was the last born to John and Laurette Drain. Mom was the baby sister of, Dolly, Betty, Hugh, John, Jim, and Joan. She was an honorable member of the Seven Sexy Sweethearts club, along with the other six members, Helene, Joan, Patricia, Elsie, Mary, and Sharon. These women are the best of friends and have been amazing support for my mom and my family for as long as I can remember but most of all over the last two years. We love you all and appreciate everything that you have done from the bottom of our hearts. Mom may have left us here but don’t worry about her because she is at peace in heaven with both her parents, her brother Hugh, and her nephew Brian who left us only a month ago after his own battle with Cancer.

We are all sad to say goodbye but it is not Goodbye but rather see you soon. I will always remember how hard mom fought this awful disease but of course she did not do it alone because like Steve always said we would, we got through it together. She was not going down without a fight. When she did decide to start her new journey, she was at peace and in absolutely no pain. Mom had so much courage and strength and it is this Courage and Strength that she has left to help all of us at this time.

Mom, I have always admired you and been proud to be your daughter. . Two years ago, God lead us down a very bumpy road and there was no smooth path in sight, but then things changed. The treatments began and were working, I got engaged to this amazing man who for about the first three years called you Mrs. Munro. He just could not bring himself to call you Blanche so you sure got him back, right Mr. Jenkins? And we were blessed with another wonderful two years together as a family. My friends always said how lucky I was to have such a cool mom who was just like one of the girls. I have heard more than once from friends things like “Blanche was the only mom that always treated me as an adult even when we were only teenagers” or “Your mom was always like my second mom”. I always knew that there was something special about you and since you got sick, I have spoken to so many and apparently it was no secret because they all knew it as well. I remember one outing that I will always hold close to my heart that happened in April 2004, just before you got sick. You, Dad, Steve, and I went to Game six of the NHL playoffs to see The Toronto Maple Leafs and The Ottawa Senators play at the Corel Centre. Which of course the Senators WON!!! We had standing room only tickets. We were all dressed up in our Sens gear. The weather was so sunny and bright. We were just so happy that it is hard to believe that only three years later we are here, I just wish that I could wake up. It feels so surreal.

We have so many good memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life. I do have one regret and that is that I did not make you a grandmother. I know that things happen for a reason so I will not lose too much sleep over it because I know when it does happen, you will be watching over me and making sure that I do everything right. I am positive that I will succeed because I learned all that I know from an excellent teacher. I love you with all my heart and I hope that you will always remember this. I hope that I made you proud and that I was able to make some of your dreams come true through my love. Don’t worry about me, I am strong and will be ok. I know in my heart that you will guide me to do the right thing like you have always done. I could only wish and pray that I turn into half the woman you always were. Mom, I am everything that I am because you loved me!