Dear Mom-Mom,

I want you to know a few things before it's time for us to say goodbye— most importantly that I love you! I may not have shown that when I was younger and said some mean things, but that was then and this is now. I have and always will love you. You have always shown me unconditional love, and nothing can ever compare. I am sorry for the fight we had when I was younger and compared you to my other grandma because you are just as wonderful and I love you just as much. I never want you to think I don't love you because I always have and always will love you.

Thank you. Thank you for always looking after me and giving me all that you could offer. I still remember when I was younger and would go to your house after school every Friday and order that gross pizza you and I both hated, but Pop loved it. We would play all night until mom and dad came to get me. Thank you. Thank you for taking me out to buy toys or to eat at my favorite places. You always made sure I was at my happiest. I love you.

You are so strong. Remember when they told you, you didn't have that much longer to live. You only had a couple of years. That was my first birthday. You told them to let you out to right now to celebrate and they listened. But you didn't listen to them when they told you that you only had so much longer. You showed them. Here you are, 19 years later still showing them that those couple of years meant nothing, and they don't know what they're talking about. You are the strongest woman I know, and I am humbled to call you my grandmother. I love you.

Even right now, with all you are going through, you continue to show them they're wrong. You continue to keep living your life and not letting the doctors bring you down. You determine when it's time. You will never change. You still are always offering me food when I am over, cracking jokes and, of course, still being your feisty self. No matter what you go through, you always come out your strong, feisty self. You are amazing. I aspire to be you one day. Raising a family of four kids then taking in two more because that's the type of person you are. You are generous, kind hearted, funny and wonderful. There is no way I can come close to being as wonderful as you, but I can and will try. I love you.

It hurts me to think that days with you are slowly coming to an end, but that doesn't mean it's goodbye forever. I know you will always be by my side. I am so grateful for that. I am grateful for everything you have done for me. I know you will always look down on me to ensure I am being my best self and never lose sight of what is important. Keep pushing through and being the strong woman you are. I love you so much.

Love,

Emily