What a Week It has Been

What a week it has been. I'm glad I did not know what this week held a few months ago. YHVH provided the grace I needed as I needed it. And his timing was absolutely perfect in so many ways. Nana graduated to her heavenly home just a little over a week ago...it's still hard to believe...and I miss her so much! Yet her homegoing was so peaceful. She knew us when we got there to the nursing home and told us she loved us. She stayed alert and was asking for my dad. Once he got there, she told him "take care" and he couldn't understand the rest of what she was trying to tell him. Her voice was getting so weak, she was hard to understand. What she always told him when we went to leave was "take care of my girls", so we know that was what she was trying to tell him. After that, she began sleeping much of the day.

She was alert enough to know us only two more times and very briefly. The first time, she knew both Momma and I...the second time was very brief when some of the staff were checking her condition. She gave me a very special gift. She wasn't responding to the staff, but when she heard my voice, she quirked her left eyebrow, then opened her eyes to look directly at me. She wasn't able to speak at that point, but she gave me a smile. I knew that she knew me and my voice and that I loved her very much.

Interestingly enough, my Gaga (grandfather) who has Alzheimer's wasn't understanding and accepting that she was dying. Around 4:15pm, it began to hit him. He went out of the room for a little bit crying...then he came back in. He gave her a kiss, told Nana he loved her, then sat down and began crying. It was as if Nana knew that he was accepting the physical loss of her and was going to be okay as she went to Messiah at 4:23pm. The nurse had been in with us for about a half hour and explaining everything that was going on. We had also had a very dear friend, Daria, with us. Daria is like a sister to my mom and an aunt to me. She too has walked this road as she lost her husband right after Sukkot two years ago. Her being with us and all the support she would provide over the next week was a total God send.

That evening, we went down to the internet cafe there in the nursing home and had supper with my Gaga and enjoyed some fellowship...it was a good mental distraction. My friend, Nicole, had also come to be with us and stayed for quite a while.

Then Shabbat was a down day at home as we began to let people know that Nana had passed away and think through arrangements. Then Sunday, we were surrounded by friends. That morning, we met with and made the arrangements with the funeral home. Then Uncle Mark and Aunt Debbie came over and brought lunch. Then we were joined that afternoon by Daria and Joseph (a young man from our congregation). Joseph came bearing supper. Monday, we went up to order the family flowers, check on Gaga, and then came back home for lunch. My friend, Nicole, had called wanting to bring lunch over...and from my favorite restaurant (Chick-fil-A)! She was able to stay and visit until we needed to head back up to Gaga's as my uncle (by blood) was coming in from Georgia. He's my mother's only brother...the rest of my "aunt's" and "uncle's" are of the spiritual family and adopted in. :) Uncle Bobby and his oldest son, Shannon, were coming in for the funeral and came to meet us at the nursing home where Gaga lives. After visiting there a bit, we all came out to our home for supper. Joseph brought in another delicious supper. Eddie came in about 8pm, and our neighbor across the street, Annie, brought over food and fellowshipped for a while.

It was a total answer to prayer as to the timing and that Eddie was able to come and do the service. He and I had spoken about it back a while; however, since he is on the road so much, schedule can sometimes become an issue. YHVH worked it all out perfectly. The funeral home told us to plan on a Tuesday or later funeral by the time they got everything ready. Eddie was flying home and getting in Monday evening from speaking in Tulsa, so he literally flew in and drove straight to our home. He was with us Monday evening and all day Tuesday. It was such a blessing, comfort, and strength to us. And even though Eddie didn't know my grandmother personally, he had encouraged us to talk about her with him Monday evening and Tuesday morning, so when he gave the message Tuesday morning at the funeral, he did a wonderful job of incorporating things about my grandmother...like the time she gave away her Bible to one of the aides in assisted living.

Tuesday morning, we had the funeral there at the graveside. One of the Mennonite families with a lot of children blessed us with some of Nana's favorite hymns. Eddie gave the message, I shared a few of my favorite memories, and Clyde (our previous Mennonite pastor and good friend) gave some closing words of encouragement. After the funeral, we all came back to the house where our congregation had brought in food to feed us all...we had a delicious meal of chicken, scalloped potatoes, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, salad, bread, and brownies. Special thanks to all who brought!

We then enjoyed fellowshipping, talking, showing family pictures, and relaxing. It was so good and healing for us as a family to be surrounded by fellow believers who were seeking to encourage us. I enjoyed playing some Phase 10 with some of the other young ones...then David, Eddie, and I played a round. Poor Eddie got quite well beat, but he had a blast at it! Then Eddie and I played a board game called Paul's Journeys. It was mid to late evening when everyone left.

Wednesday was a quiet day when we were all recovering physically from all the going and doing. Thursday the emotions hit us as we were physically recovered and could not really feel the emotions. I went up and spent some time with Gaga that evening, and it just didn't seem quite right to not have Nana there. Friday, Daria and her grandkids came over and helped us put up relish from the cucumbers our neighbor had let us pick from their garden which was a huge help. Then yesterday was a Shabbat...and Shabbat we did! Then I enjoyed a nice long conversation with my "sister" Laura...it was so nice...we had a great heart to heart girl conversation. :)

Please keep us in prayer as we adjust to a new normal...