A Connection Gone

Last Wednesday the 27th was the last time we got to speak with Grandma. Vickie's mother passed away in her sleep in the early morning of the 28th. She was 86 years old. Ava is a little too young to quite understand what happened but she knows Grandma is gone, 'not here' as she told me when I picked her up that Friday. She just looked at her recliner and pointed.

When I heard the news, we had known it was only a matter of time, how long can you go without eating or drinking? Well Grandma went 5 weeks without food and 4 days without liquid. She put up a good fight but her body knew what it was doing and let her go in a peaceful way. In a way that Vickie had prayed many nights for.

That evening, we tried to figure out daycare for the girls, I figured Vickie would want some time. We spoke with each other about how Ava might take the news. We didnt know how to explain it without having anything to show her to explain it. So I told Kenny we would just wait until we got to Vickies and she saw that Grandma's chair was empty.

That morning, Vickie showed Ava the chair, told her Grandma had gone to live with Jesus at his house in Heaven. Ava said 'ok' and went to play with Vickie's granddaughters.

There was no 'why?' which Ava is famous for. There was no questioning. Did she really understand? Who knows? But she accepted the answer. She never does this.

But Grandma is with her husband, Bucky, and her 5 brothers, and her son in law. She outlived all these men.

She will be remembered by many, for her faith, her loving personality, her dedication to her family, but we only knew her for the last 6 months. I didnt get to have long conversations with her, I wasn't invited into her home, but I did get to speak to her in the mornings, Ava took care of her. Ava tried to make her eat at the end, helped with her baths, and loved her. Even if Ava doesnt remember her I will try to have remember with memories.

God Rest her Sole. She is in Heaven with Him. All her pain is gone. She is smiling and happy.

This is the poem that the family chose for her card at the funeral.

God Saw You Getting Tired

God saw you getting tired
and a cure was not to be
so he put his arms around you
and whispered,
"Come to Me"

With tearful eyes we watched you
and saw you pass away
and although we love you dearly
we could not make you stay.

A Golden heart stopped beating
hard working hands at rest.
God broke our hearts to prove to us
He only takes the best

I think it suits how she went, peacefully in her sleep, with her family with her, in her daughters home, being taken care of the best they knew how.