An Update...in Many Parts...the last part..

This is the part I didn't want to ever have to write......... it's the part I've been stalling on, but I guess I just have to do it...

The day after Zane's graduate we got in the car and headed down to LA.  Aaron would be coming down on Monday.  About halfway down, Gene called and said that Mom had fallen asleep Saturday afternoon and wouldn't' wake up unless they woke her.  It would be soon.....  We made the decision to have Lydia FaceTime mom...  I talked to Aaron and told him not to worry about coming down.  I think he was relieved.  He got to see her for Mother's day and she was in such good health then.  He wanted to remember her that way.   I asked if he wanted me to tell her anything and he said to tell her that he loved her.

We got in and I gave her Aaron's message.  Lydia called and was able to see mom.  I read a letter that she wrote to mom.  I know mom could hear us but I just down't think she had to energy to answer.  Zane prayed for her and he and James went home.  They would come back first thing in the morning. I stayed behind and slept next to mom's bed.  It was just good to know that she was home.  I know that it made daddy happy to have Gene and I there and to know that mom was in her own house.

Mary and I would have to get up every 4 hours to give her a few doses of medication to help her breathing.  At 4 am I told her that I was putting a pill under her tongue and for her not to bite me.....well, she didn't listen and she bit me!!!  I think that was her way of telling me that she could hear me....  I couldn't go back to sleep so I got on my iPad and played a few games.  I'd look up and talk to her every now and then.  I told her how much I loved her.  I told her that I didn't want her to leave, but that I knew that the cancer was eating away her bones and that she was in a lot of pain.  I told her that I didn't want her to suffer and then when she was ready to go, then she needed to go.  I would miss her terribly, but I didn't want to hold her back from her eternal reward and that Jesus was waiting for her.  Around 7:15 Monday morning on May 28th, I watched as my mom took her last breath.  I looked up from my iPad and she took a breath.. I looked down and then a minute later looked up again and she was gone.  She was with Jesus.... She was whole and she was healed...  I can't say that she was running in Heaven, but I know she was rejoicing...

I called for Gene and Mary and they confirmed that Mom was gone.  Gene went to wake Daddy and I texted James.  We called Aaron and Lydia and gave them the news.  We then waited while they came to get mom's body....  My mom was my momma for 48 years 363 days....... I miss you momma...

An Update in MANY Parts, Part 10

Zane graduated!!!!  We drove up to TN and arrived just in time for the Family Picnic.  I've missed my boy, I hadn't seen him in 15 days!!!

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.  The first is a Servant Leader award that Zane got for his class.  I am so proud of him. The next are of their Senior Trip. (once again, thanks to all the moms that kept me in the loop while I was in another state) And then Graduation!!!

 

An Update in MANY parts Part 9

Mom wasn't doing good.  Daddy and I were sitting with her in her room, when a lady walked in and started talking hospice...end of life, the last chapter...no.... 2 weeks left......NO!! I didn't want to hear this. Mom was getting so strong. She was doing well.... what was I going to tell my kids??  What was I going to do without her??  What was Daddy going to do without her??

I called James and he came right over...I am so glad he was just 5 minutes away.  I called Gene and told him.  Then, we called Aaron and told him. Then we called Zane, he was on his senior trip.  I am once again, so grateful for our FCA family.  One of the guys just stayed with Zane while everyone was eating and loved on him and ministered to him.  Then we called Lydia's counselor and she got her on the phone.  We had to make a decision, do we go get her and risk not being here when she passed!!  Zane was graduating in just a few days!!!!

Mom would be upset if I missed his graduation.  I knew that I had to go.. but I hated leaving her.  She was going to be going home the day we left for TN, Gene and Mary would be arriving that day.  We would stay for graduation and then drive back Sunday. That would give us a few days with mom.  I didn't want to leave her....

An Update in MANY parts Part 8

James returned Friday and got to work clearing the vine growth on our trees.   The dogs were settled in and doing good.  Gracie was kept in the air-conditioned workshop until we felt she wouldn't bolt.  I think she enjoyed the AC..LOL

 We got word that my mom's oldest sister was sick and it wasn't looking good.  Mom was sad.  I've never seen her depressed before, but she was having a hard time with Aunt Ginger being sick.  It happened suddenly.  My Aunt passed away on May 21st, 2018.  My mom was alone when she found out, but my Aunt Sheri walked in right as she read the text from my cousin.  Mom was devastated. She became ill the next day and was transported to the hospital.  The following are pictures of my Aunt Ginger.  The first when she was about 15 or 16 and the second just this year with my Uncle Allen.

Any Update in MANY parts...Part 7

Well, I backed up  my bags and left the day after Aaron moved out.  The plan was to close on the 10th and James and Aaron would drive down that day.  Mom was getting stronger and they said that she would be able to leave on Mother's day if she could get in and out of the car.  She wanted to see our house and go to Olive Garden.  It was a craving that she had since before her fall.

I arrived and went straight to visit mom.  She was doing good, but tired.  The next day I went with her car and she was able to get in and out with assistance.  Two days later she got in the car with Daddy just watching over her.  She even told him not to touch her..She wanted to do it on her own!!!LOL

Friday James closed on the house in TN early in the morning and drove the Truck loaded with most of our stuff down to Louisiana.  I  closed on the house in the early afternoon here in LA.  I arranged to have the mattress delivered right after while cleaning and waiting on Aaron with the animals and James with the truck.  The house has a wet bar and anticipating James' arrival I transformed it into a coffee bar.  The is the initial set up.  It's much better now!

 Aaron arrived with the animals. I've never seen two dogs and a cat so happy to get out of a car!  Aaron only stopped for gas and never took them out.  He said he wasn't taking a giant bear and a demon dog out of the car.  His friend followed  behind in Aaron's car so they wouldn't have to drive the suburban back. Although I don't think it would have made it back. Both of the guys showered and then left to get food.   James arrived a bit later parked the moving truck in the drive and we went to get pizza at our favorite pizza place.  I was tired and decided that kept wasn't going to happen this week, but we walked in and they were advertising crustless pizza.  Jesus loves me...LOL

 The next day, a group of guys from Crossroads Leadership College arrived to unload our truck.  They did it all in 3 hours!!  It was such a blessing to have our home church chip in and help.  It made the unloading bearable.

Sunday mom came over and was able to see our house.  She was happy to see it.  The whole time I was looking at houses she was upset that she was unable to look with me, so I would show her pictures and tell her the good and bad  things about each house.  She chose this one because it had satsumas and kumquat trees.  Those were her favorite.  I think it's why I chose this house too.  We went out to eat and she was so happy to be out!!  

James and Aaron went back to Tennessee Monday and I was left alone to set up the house.  James just had 4 days left of school, but he needed to be there.  Zane was busy with finals and getting ready to go on his Senior trip.  I am so grateful for our FCA family who took Zane in during this crazy time in our lives.  They never hesitated to help us during this time.  

An update in several parts... Part 6

Well, our family has had quite the adventure.


 May 7th we were planning for me to move down to LA to close on the house.  Aaron came home on the 6th and told us that he was staying in Nashville until August.  He had an apartment and needed help moving his things out.  That was the hardest day of my life...so far.....

Sunday we got a truck, packed his things in it and moved him out/in.  He was rooming with 2 other people, so his rent was affordable. He took my grand dog and moved out. His room was empty.  I was hoping not to see any empty rooms in this house.  My heart was breaking.  I was leaving the next day, saying goodbye to our home of 14 years, saying goodbye to our farm and leaving my firstborn behind.

An Update in Several parts Part 5

WEST SIDE STORY!!!

This was this years spring musical.  I love that FCA encourages all students to get involved in the Arts.  So many of the football players were in this play.  Zane played Doc and would fill in as one of the gang members.  During one of the fight scenes he and another football player took their rolls a little too seriously and Zane got a bloody nose....but he wasn't that innocent.  We were laughing that makeup wouldn't be needed to make it look like they were all bruised...LOL

An Update in Several Parts Part 4

April also included Zane's Senior Blessing and Banquet/Prom.  I LOVE THIS about FCA... at the end of each senior's year, there are 3 times that they are given a blessing.  The first is the Banquet/Prom. We, as parents get to give our kids a blessing and then Mr and Mrs Harris speak a blessing over our kids. The second is when student in a lower grades speak blessings over the student and the third is during their senior trip when they speak blessings over each other.

What I love about this class is that most of the seniors went together.  They had dates, but for the most part they went with other seniors and as a big group.

Another favorite, is the first dance is for the Senior and Parent.

So, here are a few pictures:

I am also going to include the Senior chapel. This is the underclassman blessing (and a teacher).  It was so good to hear how much your child has impacted the lives of those around him. 

This was a sweet story.  Last year, this girl was touring the school with her parents when Zane walked out of the classroom and began talking to her and her parents. He talked about how much he loved FCA and how much she would love it.  After the tour she went home and wrote Zane a thank you note for making her feel so welcomed and included.  She cried while telling this story and so did I.

An Update in Several Parts... Part 3

April was a VERY busy month for us.  We were packing, and getting the house ready for the move.  I have to say, this move was stressful.  I wanted so bad to be in Louisiana with Mom, but I had to be in TN to make sure everything was moving smoothly.  After almost 5 months of just letters and phone calls,  James and I were finally able to SEE our girl!!  Doesn't she look AMAZING!!!

 We had a great visit. For the first visit, it was just the parents and we had to stay on Campus.  But it was great seeing her and hugging her.

 While we were there they told us that Lydia had won first place in the State Fine Arts competition in art for her drawing for the Assemblies of God.  SHE WAS GOING TO NATIONALS!!!

She was also on two drama teams.  One human video and one kid's skit, both of those teams are also going to nationals.  She is also taking anther girls place on the percussion team so she will be competing in 4 categories.  She is thriving at this school and we now know that this was the best place for her to be

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An Update in Several Parts Part 2

Zane, and the rest of the Senior boys, decided this year that they were all going to play soccer.  Zane, playing soccer.... I have gone 20 years avoiding the soccer mom title and they guy waits until his Senior year to play soccer.....  They made it to the playoffs and almost clinched a title.  It was fun watching him play.

February 14th, The Dr and I were about to head back down to LA for a job interview when Daddy called.  Mom had fallen and they were bringing her to the hospital.  We arrived 10 hours later and went straight to the hospital.  Again, her calcium levels were high.  I stayed in LA for 3 weeks with mom at the hospital until they moved her to a Physical Therapy Center.  She would be there  3 weeks While I was in Louisiana we got an offer on our farm!!  It was a great offer and we accepted. The best part was that we could stay at the farm until May11th.. Now the hunt to find a house in Louisiana was on.  I drove home the next day to celebrate losing a teenager.  Aaron turned 20!!!  I don't quite know how I  feel about that, but there is nothing I can do about it.

I drove back down the next week to look for a house and to help spring mom from the PT rehab place.  The day she was to leave, we were told that she would have to start dialysis... her kidneys had suffered terrible due to the fluids given to her to get her calcium levels down.  We were also told by her cancer doctor that her cancer had progressed and that she needed a new treatment.  She was transferred to the hospital and started her new treatments.

While in LA I began to look at houses..  I found a house after 4 days of looking.  It was perfect.  In town (can you say FIBER!!! no more satellite internet!!) a very large backyard for the dogs and FRUIT TREES!!!  Oranges, lemons, fig and pear!!!  It had all the bedrooms that we needed and a sewing room for me!  We made an offer an it was accepted!!  They even accepted our May 11th closing!  I headed back home because Zane was going to Chicago for Week Without Walls.   He had a blast.  We left the day after he arrived and headed back down to LA so that he could visit with Crossroads Leadership College.  James and Zane got to see the house that I picked out and it was met with approval.

Mom was still in the hospital but moved to a Assisted Living Facility. She was having a harder time regaining her strength but they seemed hopeful that she would get stronger.

An update in Several Parts Part 1

Before we left to go to Louisiana for Christmas, my mom had begun to feel bad.  She was disoriented and sleeping a lot. She went to the Dr and the admitted her to the hospital.  We drove down hoping she would be home for Christmas.   Her calcium level were high and they were working on lowering them.  By the time we arrived, she was doing much better, but she still wasn't able to come home for Christmas.

We had a good time here considering the circumstances.   We drove around and looked at neighborhoods.  We knew that it would be the last time that we had to drive down for Christmas and we were looking forward to not having to drive down again.  Mom was able to go home on New Years Eve.  We drove back up the day before, but I promised to be back on the 8th after our anniversary.

January...Back in November James and I made the decision to enroll Lydia in a private boarding school that could help her with some issues that she was dealing with.  We had tried to help her ourselves but we realized that she needed help from professionals who could really focus on her behavior.  

We were told by both schools that she attended in TN that they couldn't (didn't want to) focus so much on just her.  She was allowed to do things that they knew were harmful for her.  Her behavior was getting to the dangerous point and we needed a place that could focus on her and address the issues immediately. The other schools would sometimes wait DAYS before addressing the issue..by then it was too late.

We were thrilled with the school and it is a program that we are familiar with, but it was hard telling her and then packing her things and driving her to the school.  She cried, we cried and it was pretty much a hard emotional day.  But we all knew that it was for the best.

Our 29th Anniversary!!!  Y'all, The Dr and I have been married for 29 years!!  I still feel like we are newlyweds, but the ages of our kids tell me different.  I am still in denial about my age...LOL

I drove down to LA on the 8th and spent a week with my parents, mom was doing so much and refused to let me do any of the things that I had gone down to do.  It was a great visit!!