There are times when a simple "Thanks" isn't enough, but that is really all we have in our language for these things. So, thanks to everyone in my extended FF family for all your kind words, thoughts, and prayers. We have gotten past the cremation and a small memorial service without too many problems and are now trying to make some sense out of the mess of papers left behind.
The truly remarkable thing is how well my stepsister has been taking all this. She is 59, with a mild developmental delay, and has been living with Mom for the last 55 years. If this had happened 10 years ago we would have had to have her under sedation with round-the-clock attendant care, but she is dealing with this nearly as well as we are. We are having to do an awful lot of patient teaching, as Mom handled all of the finances for both of them; Theresa has no clue how to set up a budget, pay bills, and prioritize her funds. Dragonfly Lady and I are going to have to walk her through this process slowly over the next several months, but we feel like she's going to be able to stand pretty much on her own by the end of summer.
Again, thanks to all for the support you have given us. It has meant a great deal more to us than you can imagine.
