While I attended Loyola Marymount University, I would always go by her house on Sundays after church to eat. She never failed to make Sunday dinner for me, and if I had not came she would call and remind me. I can still vividly remember the last Sunday that Maxine was here with us. I went to her house, and spent some time with her and Nathaniel. She made me some smothered chicken, rice, and cabbage. It's funny because she knew I loved cabbaged and my mom rarely, if ever, cooked it for me.

Aside from the food, there was great conversation. We talked about the Lakers, school in which I had just entered my last year in my bachelor's program, and we simply laughed as we usually do. I can recall before I left that day, I gave her a kiss and I didn't even say I love you. I told her I would see her later, not knowing it wouldn't happen anymore in the physical.

I am thankful that God offered me the opportunity to fellowship one last time with my grandmother. Talking to her just isn't the same, but I can still feel her presence when the family gathers and her signature "phrases" are thrown out with smiles and laughter.

A writer once wrote, “when there is love, any life is too short. Mac-Attack, Mac, as she was affectionately called had a way of making the joys of life contagious.” Her actions showed how much she loved family, no matter what the occasion was she was always available to do what she could. We will miss Maxine greatly and will forever remember and verbalize the good times that we shared with her.