Ma’s passing took everyone by surprise. Even the gals in the nursing home were not ready. When we arrived to the nursing home to pick out things for the funeral one of the nurses that helped look after Ma spoke with us for quite some time. She told us this little story that happened Friday April 18th before Ma’s passing on Sunday, April 20th. Ma gave the nurse a quilt Friday evening that Ma had just finished embroidering for a life long dear friend. The nurse who worked there always took ma’s finished blocks and put them together to finish the quilting process for Ma. We are all so thankful Ma was able to continue her work all the way to the end. And we told Ma’s friend that as soon as the quilt is finished we will make sure it gets to them. They wanted us to keep Ma’s last piece of work but we insist that they have it as that’s what Ma would want.

Rita and Dan (Bobby’s sister and her husband) arrived Thursday and she was a bit broken up when she told us this little story. Sometimes Rita and Dan have quite a delay getting their cell phone messages due to their carrier. So when Rita went to retrieve her messages upon their arrival there was a brand new message from Ma that Rita just received as they arrived in Arkansas. Rita said how joyful Ma’s voice sounded and it was like bringing Ma back one last time. Rita couldn’t tell the story without tears streaming down her cheeks and Dan had to fill in some as Rita had such a difficult time talking about getting a message from her mother after she had passed away.

Bobby and Rita were the two siblings that were going through Ma’s things (Dan and I were there to help when needed) and we loaded as much as our rental car could handle. Bobby was using Ma’s wheelchair for transporting things from her room out to our car when one of the residents commented that someone was getting to go home. Bobby smiled and said yes, my mother went to Heaven. They were sorry for commenting but indeed she did go Home Sweet Home.

When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder and Beulah Land were a couple of the songs we chose for the funeral service. But when Bobby and I were on our way back to Texas Saturday evening, he had his Ipod plugged into the dash so that we could listen to his tunes. When the song “Will The Circle Be Unbroken” came on, we were both simultaneously caught up in emotion and said, “this is the song we dedicate to Ma”. We had to play it over and we both listened with tears and our hearts were truly touched. Below is the version that was on Bobby’s Ipod and what a perfect version for Bobby and me to dedicate as our song for Ma.

I was standin’ by my window

On a cold and cloudy day

When I saw that hearse come rollin’

And it took my mother away

Will the circle be unbroken

By and by-y, Lord by and by

There’s a better home awaitin’

In the sky Lord, in the sky

Lord, I told that undertaker

Undertaker please drive slow

For that lady that your takin’

Lord, I hate to see her go

Will the circle be unbroken

By and by-y, Lord by and by

There’s a better home awaitin’

In the sky Lord, in the sky

I will follow close behind her

Try to hold up and be brave

But I could not hide my sorrow

When they laid her in her grave

Will the circle be unbroken

By and by-y, Lord by and by

There’s a better home awaiting

In the sky Lord, in the sky

I snapped this picture of Bobby watching as his Mommy was being lowered. Bobby was the first and only one to go over and take a hand full of clay and drizzle it over her as one last final goodbye to his Mommy.

Ma was such a kind, loving, companionate woman who was always doing something for someone. Even in her last years in the nursing home when she couldn’t walk for many years and at the end became the double amputee. She was a bright woman all the way to the end and even though her body failed she had her bright mind and used her hands to embroider. When she learned of anyone having a difficult time, she was the first to call the pastor to see what could be done to help the one in need.

Bobby is so thankful his mother didn’t have to suffer. We got the call Sunday night April 20th that Ma was not responding and was rushed to the Hospital (less than a mile from the nursing home). They inserted the tube and she was breathing with the help of machines and they told Bobby that his Mother was in grave condition. Bobby came into the bedroom and woke me relaying to me Ma’s condition. Then another call came from the Hospital saying that Ma’s heart had stopped and that they were performing CPR. The very next call was to let Bobby know that they had pronounced her dead. All of these calls took place in less than 30 minutes, it happened so fast.

In life, sometimes we want to at least have a forewarning to let us know so that we can prepare and to have that one last visit, that one last I Love You, that one last moment with our loved one but this time we didn’t get the chance. But as we remember her, we’re all left with wonderful loving memories. We’re left with her sweet voice ringing in our ears, we’re left with those beautiful last words as she always ended her conversations with each of us with I Love You. I’m also thankful our conversations with her were 3 or more times a week and I still remember our last conversation just a few days before her passing. We all feel blessed that she had such a wonderful full life (all 81 years) to the very end.

With that one last look at Ma’s physical body, she looked at peace and her face seemed to hold a smile that reflected her love. As we touched her that one last time and held her for a moment we knew she was no longer here rather in a far better place. We look forward to seeing you on the other side our Dear Loving Ma AKA Mommy as Bobby liked to call her.

Speaking of Mommy, I just want to write in here that whenever Bobby’s Mom would call him, he would answer in an upbeat voice saying “Hi Mommy”. I always thought that was the sweetest thing and he truly loved his Mommy so much.

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I’m sorry for such a long post but I wanted to share what was on my heart and there is so much more that I could say but this is it for now. I’m also sorry I haven’t made it back to thank each of you for your thoughts and prayers. We truly felt them and we know Ma is celebrating her Homecoming. Thank You So Much.

Bobby and I have been trying to make a few plans for the big family reunion this summer with Ma (Bobby’s mom) but her time here on earth came to an abrupt end late last night.

Words are coming very hard for me so I’m just stopping by to post that we’re busy making funeral arrangements and getting ready to leave tomorrow.

Ma was such a wonderful wife, mother and friend and a wonderful Christian woman with a heart full of love. We miss her already.

This pic was taken in November while visiting ma.

Ma had such a bad day yesterday. She was very, very sick and I’ll just leave it at that. Bobby was there right beside her caressing her head and holding her. He was telling me again how good his mommy was to him when he was a young boy and how she did the same for him. He was so thankful that he could give just a part of that back to her.

She was finally able to get some rest and when she woke at 10:00 PM she thought it was morning. He’s been staying right there by her bedside even while she sleeps and he was so happy he was still there when she woke last evening. Bobby said she was finally back to her old self and feeling so much better. She was able to carry on conversations and he could tell she was completely free of the meds.

Bobby’s sister Rita from Alaska will be flying in tomorrow to be with ma and his other sister Cindy from Missouri will be coming in as well.

Bobby will be home tomorrow and I’m ever so ready to be back in his arms.

Had a nice visit with Bobby last night on the phone. Bobby told me that he’s concerned with ma’s progress as she’s unable to feed herself nor has she been able to complete her train of thought and she would just abruptly stop mid sentence. However the nurse told him that this was common especially with all the meds that she’s on right now. He’s been such a great son pampering his momma by feeding her and being right there by her side.

I’ve been busy trying to get my site up to date transferring all my old blog’s from my old web site over here. It’s a lot of work but this is the site I plan to call home and it’s worth all the effort.

It’s another beautiful afternoon as I sit here watching the pretty snowfall. We’ve had the pretty flakes around here 3 days in a row and I have sure enjoyed the pretty white ground cover this winter. If it were up to me, the ground would be pretty white all winter long.

I don’t have much planned while Bobby’s gone but I do have tomorrow set aside for a little pampering to have a pedicure and my nails don before Bobby gets home Saturday. It sure is not the same when he’s gone and I’m looking so forward to his return Saturday evening.

Ma came through her surgery just fine, she is in good spirits and as Bobby says “She’s sassy as ever”. Aw, I’m so happy he was able to be with her and he made it there before she came out of surgery. She’s doing well and she’s so happy to have her baby boy with her.

I must have done something right as I reserved a pick-up truck as it was the cheapest rental on a days notice. When he got in to the rental car place, they had no pick-ups left and he got a Hummer instead. From what I can tell, he LOVES the ride and has not complained in the least about all the gas he’s going to have to put in it.

I also found a bed and breakfast for him. It’s very close to the hospital where ma is and he keeps saying “honey, you would just love this place”. He told me this morning he got the “PINK” room. The owner joked with him saying “normally a man doesn’t select this room” He said “well then it’s a good thing I’m color blind because I don’t mind it one bit”. And if you remember from posts past, my guy is not afraid of wearing pink either, he’s quite confident in his manly shoes. But the main reason he picked that room is because it was bigger and had a larger desk in it. My man’s biggest “need” when staying anywhere is to have “roadrunner” and a desk for his computer. But when I asked if it had pretty fu, fu he said I would “LOVE” it. Now I want to go there next time we see ma. And he concludes with “Honey we should run a “Bed and Breakfast”.

Bobby just called to say he’s on his last stretch and will be with his mom in a few hours. Ma’s surgery started at 11:30 this morning and Bobby should be there by the time she wakes from surgery.

Both Bobby and I must be running on fumes today as we got one hour of sleep last night. We were up past 2:00 AM and we were bouncing out of bed by 3:30. Alright it was 2:09 when we hit the sheets but I could not go right to sleep, too much on my mind. I am using the excuse all day that I only got one hour of sleep, so watch out if I goof up.

The airport is just down the road a piece from where we live (approx 15 or less min.) and Bobby wanted to make sure I got home safe after dropping him off at the airport. When he called the house there was no answer so he reached me on my cell phone. When he asked if I was in bed, I replied “I’m at the grocery store”. He wanted to know if I was going to get any rest, it doesn’t look like it. My body does not feel deprived of sleep and I know I’ll be up ‘til nightfall.

I had my friend Jennifer over for a visit this morning and we had a great time. She got me all fixed up with some cool stuff on my computer and I can’t wait to get those tools in motion!

We just learned Bobby’s mother will be losing her other leg tomorrow. She was so upset and in tears when she called Bobby tonight and asked if he could come. He got a flight out and will be leaving at 4:30 AM. Please say a prayer for ma if you think about it. What a wonderful son Bobby is to drop everything to be with her during this upsetting time. His sister Rita and her husband Dan from Alaska will join ma Saturday.

Ma’s been having some trouble with her toe and we learned gangrene set in. We knew she was in trouble and she was taken to the ER today. When she called me at noon before her trip to the ER, she was expecting to lose that toe. But when she called Bobby tonight, it was so sad to learn she would be losing her whole leg. We’re praying all goes well with her surgery.