My Aunt Kay passed away this week after a long illness. I'd known her since I was eight. She was my step dad's sister, his last living sibling. She used to take me to church with her and have me spend the night at her house often when I was between ages 12 to14. She was a great cook, baker, funny, vivacious, and spiritual woman with a wonderful heart, a terrific redhead who I would like to remember the way she was before she got so sick. I hadn't seen her in years because she lived in Georgia and I couldn't get back there.

She used to spend so much time with me on the phone praying with me when I was a kid. She had beautiful eyes and a face that just lit up with her smile.

Several hours before I got the call she was in the process of dying, a cardinal was hanging out in this tree outside my window by my computer.

I was pretty depressed when I got the call but I know my sadness is partly because I'll just miss her so much. She was in pain for so long and now she is free.

Baking up a storm, I'm sure!

Not long after I got off the phone with my mom who told me Aunt Kay was in the process of passing away, the cardinal flew away.