This has been a year that has given our family moments of greatest joy as well as deep sadness. It has been a busy year—at times exhausting.
We started 2009 with the early arrival of a new granddaugher, Zoe, on January 25. We drove to St. Louis that Sunday evening through light falling snow, singing our praises to God for the wonderful gift He had just added to our family. (Singing also helped us stay awake.) We arrived around 3 AM and were able to get into the hospital for a brief visit with our daughter and her husband and their new little “bundle of joy”.
We stayed in St. Louis to help out with our grandson and the new baby for three weeks; however, while we were there my phone calls home to my mom left us very concerned. She was having trouble sleeping at nights and was having some problems breathing properly. Mom had received a pacemaker a couple of years before, and at that time it was discovered that a couple of the valves to her heart were leaking badly, and at her age could not be surgically repaired. As the year went on she had good times and some pretty bad times due to fluid retainage which also affected her ability to breath properly, especially when lying down. Often she would wake up in a panic because she couldn’t get her breath and then, I think, was afraid to sleep.
She had a goal though, and that was to be able to go to our son's wedding in May. She made her goal even though by then she needed a walker or wheel chair to get around. Their wedding was a wonderful day for us all, and we not only added a lovely daughter-in-law to our family but also two wonderful step-granddaughters, ages 13 and 10.
Mom did pretty well off and on during the summer but by early fall she was in the hospital a couple of times. The doctor indicated she probably would not be getting better, but she had two goals—one to make it to her 94th birthday on October 12 and the other to Mom and Dad’s 75th Wedding Anniversary on November 29. When her birthday was near, Dad asked her what she wanted for her birthday. She said 94 red roses. Much to her surprise, she ended up with 96 roses collectively from her family. She was able to go home from the hospital on her birthday and she was surrounded in her room by all those beautiful flowers.
Sadly, she was just a little short of her second goal, because she went home to her Heavenly Father on the morning of November 6. We will all miss her this Christmas, but this year she will be spending her First Christmas in Heaven with Jesus. It can’t get any better than that!
My Dad is living with us right now; however, after the first of the year he will be moving to an Assisted Living apartment. At 97 ½ he does amazingly well for his age. He is a little tentative about this new experience so your prayers for him and his adjustment would be most appreciated. We still have lots to do in going through 75 years worth of accumulated possessions at their house….We could use your prayers too!
Blessings and Best Wishes to you all for a Wonderful Christmas and a Good New Year!
Silent Night, Holy Night
6 comments:
Oh Janice, I am so sorry. I've thought about you so many times --and wondered what was going on. I know how hard it has been for you this year --and I'm also sure that the holidays won't be as glorious as they would be if your Mom was there. However, as you said, she is in heaven with Jesus--so for her, it can't get any better.
Hope your Dad adjusts. We are positive that when one of George's parents die, the other one will be close behind. They are extremely close--and all through the years, when you saw one, you also saw the other.
May God's Love be with you and your family during this blessed season.
Hugs and Prayers,
Betsy
I am so so so sorry for your loss, you and your family are all in my thoughts.
Your memories of your Mother will help you get through the difficult times..and of course knowing you have a new grandchild is exciting!
Try and enjoy the Holidays and know your Mother would want you to move forward..times helps..but it will be your wonderful memories of her that will bring little smiles to your face when you least expect it or when you are alone...My Mother passed 10 years ago and I still hear her saying her little sayings and sharing her wonderful sense of humor! Hang in there.
So sorry to hear about your mother... even though we know...to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.
Just wanted to let you know Janice that you and your father and your family will be in my prayers! Praying for a special Christmas blessing for you and your family.
Oh Janice....my heart goes out to you and your family. I know how hard it was at Christmas when both of my grandmothers died in that same year. I'm glad you have the blessings of your grandchildren to help you through. Love to you during the Christmas season.
Moving tribute to your mother. It's always so hard to so through these times and I'll be thinking of you and the family.
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