This coming Saturday, my niece (and goddaughter), Anne will be getting married. She was one of the flower girls in our wedding nearly twenty years ago. Anne will make a beautiful bride and her soon to be husband, Mike, is getting a wonderful woman to be his wife. She is sweet, funny, talented and very family oriented. She has the tender heart that my dad had. It's the same tender heart that Evan has. In fact, at my dad's visitation, Evan climbed into Anne's lap, and the two of them shed more than a few tears together.
In mid summer of 2010, Anne and her fiance, Mike, traveled to China together. They went to spend 10 months there, teaching English to Chinese children. What a wonderful opportunity for them. But also, what an incredibly long time away from family and friends. I am sure my mom wondered if she'd still "be around" when Anne got back. She was doing fine when they left for China, but at age 86 she had several long time health issues so I know the thought had crossed her mind. Grandma (if I use that word in this post, I mean my mom) loved to read the e-mails that Anne would send from China letting us know of her and Mike's adventures. Holidays were difficult without Anne here and I'm sure they were really hard on Anne. I did ship her a tiny little Christmas tree, solar lights and ornaments to make it feel like Christmas. I had to chuckle that the ornaments said right on the box, "Made in China"! On a couple of the holidays, Anne phoned Grandma. Grandma was so happy to hear her voice!
June 5, 2011 was the date that Anne and Mike were scheduled to return. In looking back through e-mails between my siblings from last year, I know that we all were concerned and praying that Mother would hold on until then. I think we also knew that if Mother had any control over the situation, she would hang on so she and Anne could see each other again. I found an e-mail from my sister, Char, dated 5/26/11 titled "Good Day", saying that she had gone to the nursing home to visit my mom and Mother was dressed and looked great and seemed like her old self again. The day before, she had an appointment in LaCrosse where the Dr thought he'd found the cause of her pain. He had given her a "cocktail" injection in her hip. My mom was so excited that it had eased her pain. She talked to Char about going home to the farm. In one of my replies to Char that day, I told her that I'd love to see Mother get home again and that if she did, I'd throw her a party. Little did we know that in a few short weeks she would be going home...but it would be to her Heavenly Home.
Reading those e-mails now, brings back the memories of hope we had that day. I saw Mother just a few days later and she still was feeling great. I specifically remember her telling me that even if it didn't last, she was very thankful for every pain free day she had. Maybe she had a feeling it wouldn't last. Maybe God was giving her some relief so she could hang on a bit longer. I know I am very grateful she had those pain free days as well.
Anne and Mike made it back to the U.S. on June 5. From what I recall, Anne talked to Grandma by phone on the 7th and the pain was just starting again. On the morning of the 8th, the pain was worse than ever. She had a follow up appointment in LaCrosse that day. They admitted her to the hospital. The whole time she was in the nursing home, I had prayed that if there was going to be bad news, that it wouldn't come until after two things happened....Anne got back from China and my kids got out of school for the year. The last day of school was June 9. On the morning of June 10, we received the news that it was cancer. Sometimes, God answers our prayers down to the very specific details. This was one of those times. June 10th was the date that Anne made it down to see Grandma. God had answered our prayers for Anne and Grandma to see each other. I think after that, Mother started the process of letting go of this life.
I'm sure that family reading this noticed the significance of the date that I received that e-mail from Char. For those of you who didn't, this coming Saturday, when Anne will get married, is May 26th. Last year on that date, after months of unbearable pain, after weeks of being in a nightgown, Mother asked to get dressed, she was pain free and she was her old self, talking and being thankful. I know this Saturday, Anne will be missing Grandma. We all will be. But if we must look back to a year ago, let us look back exactly one year to May 26th, 2011. That was a good day for Grandma. And in my heart I know that this May 26th will be as well. Grandma and Grandpa will be dressed in Heaven's finest. They will have a perfect view of the wedding. And I know they will be proudly telling all their friends and family in Heaven, "That's our beautiful granddaughter!"
Anne and Mike, I know Grandpa and Grandma's greatest wish for you is to be blessed with a love like they had and to have many wonderful years together. May you feel their love with you on Saturday and always.
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