Yesterday was a day, family. My beautiful, amazing, wonderful, God-fearing, God-woman, Proverbs 31 epitomizing, dynamic, special, loving, and treasure of a mother in love (MIL) transitioned into her eternal resting place. What a beautiful thought that is. And how absolutely heartbreaking is the joy and sorrow it brings.
We celebrated every birthday, anniversary, Mother’s Day, holiday that she was with us. It was another miracle. It was another step forward. Then, she started to have missteps. Blood transfusions, platelet transfusions, overnight stays, week stays. Still she prayed and encouraged. She made us smile. She made my children smile. She gave me Godly wisdom. And we loved her.
The missteps became more frequent though her strength and rallying cry never dallied. Her spirit never broke. She maintained her faith and loved God with a great passion even through her pain.
Yesterday, when it became apparent that this may indeed be the day that God would call her home, I tried to prepare myself. While my husband and father in law rushed to the hospital accidentally taking the vehicle that held our carseats so that I could not follow, I coped the way I tend to do–by cleaning or baking. This time I did both. Baking toffee-topped caramel filled brownies after sweeping the floors and tidying up the room of my mother “just in case”. Then, I sat down and waited.
Sure enough, I received the news that she had transitioned and I felt a mixture of sorrow and joy. The sorrow for the days that I wouldn’t see her again. The missing lilt of her laugh, the wisdom she gave when asked. Then, the joy. The joy of no more pain and sorrow. The joy of reunions–sister, parents, friends, family.
-Winter
