My mother passed away 16
weeks and one day ago and my heart literally aches for her. I miss her
with a weight of grief that only those who have experienced true loss
know and understand. I KNOW that my mother is in heaven,
rejoicing with the angels around the throne, praising the Savior. My
mother was a faithful follower of Jesus all the days of her life and I
know her reward is great. That brings me great comfort. My feet are bound to the same straight and narrow path my mom's were so that one day I can
be reunited with her and meet my Jesus face to face. Oh what a day.
Until then, I “press on.” When people ask how I’m doing I smile and say
“I’m doing OK.” But some days I’m not OK. Some days I just want to
go out to her grave and bawl my eyes out. I want her back. I would never have let her go if God had asked my permission, but
He didn’t, and I trust Him. Life goes on and I try hard to focus on the
going forward because I believe that is part of that pressing on that
the Lord requires of all of us. We know that all of us are born to die,
and death is a part of life.
But oh it is a painful part.
There are
good parts of life and I’m about to experience the best of life, or so
those who have done this before me say . . . I’m going to be a grandma
in just a few hours!! Our wonderful daughter in law is just past 40
weeks pregnant and will be induced tonight, so by this time tomorrow
morning our first grandchild (a precious baby boy named after my husband) will be
here and your prayers for an uneventful, perfectly normal delivery and a healthy baby boy will be greatly appreciated. The thought of that sweet little baby fills my heart with true joy. I like to believe that my
little grandson is at this very moment sitting on my mother’s lap in heaven,
and she is telling him all about the wonderful family he is about to
join. Holding him will be bittersweet for me as I desperately wanted her to be here as I become a grandma. My mom wanted so
desperately to get to see him, and when I hold him for the first time my
heart will be full, believing that he has been with my mom since I have.
And if that’s not how heaven works then I’m OK with it. But it makes me
smile thinking of my mom holding her great-grandson in heaven before I
hold him on this earth. Maybe that’s why he’s taking his own sweet time
arriving . . . great-grandma’s lap is a wonderful place to be.
My mom's headstone has been delivered to the monument company, and should be engraved this week or next, and set by the end of this month. We are anxious to get that done. It looks so bare and empty out there. I think maybe once the stone is set it will feel more real? I don't know. Because there are days the thought of my mom being gone doesn't feel real at all. Like it must all be a dream.
Speaking of dreams, I dreamed about my mom last week for the first time. It was a wonderful dream . . . for just a few seconds she was here with me and it was wonderful.
I've fallen off the exercise and healthy eating wagon HARD. I went on vacation last month . . . . a trip to Florida that got cut short by the hurricane and it took me awhile to get refocused. But I'm back to exercising and trying to make better food choices. One day at a time.
Thanks so much for sticking with me here at Down On The Farm. And thank you for praying for my daughter-in-law, Megan, and my grandson, Ira Paul. Blessings to you all!!
Stay tuned for lots of pictures of a very cute baby boy!!!
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T VOTED ALREADY, GO VOTE!!!!!!!
Hi Robbin. I see you are about to have MUCH joy and blessing come into your life. And this will give you new focus on life in particular. It will add healing to your hurting heart. This bundle of joy will add happiness back into your home. You will laugh again! And you will remember your mother with fondness. Her memory will always be with you. And one day, you will see her again.
ReplyDeleteA lot of good things are coming your way. God has blessings to pour out on you. Restoration and renewal, and all the good He wants to do you. JOY is coming to you.
God richly bless you. You are like a rose about to bloom!
So here's the thing... The pain never fully goes away... Ever. Like I've said many times before, my grandma has been gone since 2007, my grandpa since 2008 (they were married) and my other grandpa since 2010. It's hard to believe all those dates. It does get easier, but the pain never fully goes away. The hardest part of it all for me, is the world went on as if they weren't there to begin with. I hated that and still do. Yes, people acknowledge them, but. When my grandpa passed in 2010, at the visitation I actually had a family member come up, tell me how bad my grandpa was and how better off my grandma is without him. Now to tell you about the special bond I had with this grandpa, I was pissed (pardon my language). In fact, I'm still upset about that, obviously and I try very hard to forgive and forget but you don't do that to someone!
ReplyDeleteNow... the first few holidays, especially the big family holidays (in my mind Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter) will be some of the hardest. But just remember the good times you had with them. You'll get through it and OF COURSE love on that new grandbaby! He'll make everything all the more worth wild!
And I"m sorry, I"m long winded today.
I'm with Nicole...the pain never really goes away. It make have seasons of decrease but with no warning will wash back over with a fierceness that takes the breath. But Robbin, we go on because there's nowhere else to go...forward. Yours is a strong faith; what is it like for people with no faith? I shudder to think! It makes me happy to think of the Grandson sitting on G-Grandma's knee and listening to her laughter, advice, wisdom before coming to his new assignment. Yes, I believe. When he comes, sing Jesus loves me to him...watch his face light UP! He knows. He remembers. You're on the prayer list and when we get to the other side of the veil, we'll celebrate!
ReplyDeleteI’m soooo sorry to hear about your mom. Hugs and prayers. Hug that little grand baby and let your new little love distract you from the pain.
ReplyDeleteDear, dear Robbin ~ I want to thank you for visiting my blog and your kind comment. I am so sorry for the loss of your Mom. There is peace and joy in knowing that you will be together again, singing praises to Jesus. She is with Him right now.
ReplyDeleteGrief comes and goes. It is so very awful in the beginning, so raw, almost unbelievable. We will always have the missing of our loved ones in our lives and sometimes just as Sandra said grief will come back & overhelm you something fierce.
But, Jesus is our strength and He is our comforter. It's been 6 years since my dear husband went to be with Jesus and I miss him every single day. Life has changed, big time. But, I take each day as it comes, trusting Jesus to work all things out. He is my strength when I am weak and all I have to do is call out to Him, He hears, He holds me close.
Love, hugs and prayers for you this first Christmas season without your dear Mom.
Congratulations on your new little grandson.
FlowerLady