I've been absent from the internet for several months, and though I've been home two weeks, I'm only now feeling ready to dig in and get stuff done!
First hurricane Idalia hit us hard. We had to shelter at our church for four days and nights. The power was out and trees were down everywhere, making travel back home impossible at first.
We had six trees down, several blocking our driveway, so once neighbors with chain saws and four wheelers cleared the highway, Mark had to head home and start cutting his way to our trailers in back.
While we were at the church I got some bad news. My eldest daughter fell down some steps and broke both bones just above her ankle. The front bone was sheared and her foot displaced and the rear one was splintered. She had two surgeries to set them and have steel straps screwed to either side to immobilize the bones. She needed help.
I raised funds on Facebook and my son-in-law drove me up there. I spent a week helping organize, keeping the kids busy, fetching for and sitting with Shalisha in her upstairs bedroom. It was a blessing spending time with her and my grandkids while their dad left to work at a dance camp he'd been organizing.
A month earlier, my dad had paid for me to fly to Oregon for his ninetieth birthday, so I got home, re-packed and flew away for another week. There I picked pears with my sister, cleaned, made meals, and helped prepare for the big celebration. I spent time sitting with dad as he reminisced, telling stories of high points in his life. Another very special time.
I flew home, repacked and a day later Mark and I left for Connecticut! We go every year for Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles) and visit our daughters who are strung like pearls up the eastern states. We had a wonderful time. I did a class on Writing a Novel, what it entails and the blessings and challenges. I took a class and made a new Mezuzah for our door. We got to spend time with Kerah, our third born and her family, and Liorah, our fourth born who we rarely get to see.
On the way home we stopped at Shalisha's (my eldest). We always spend a week there with her family, enjoying the antics and creativity of our four grandchildren. By this time I was looking forward to finally going home! While we were there I got a call from my sisters (three way call). My mom (with my youngest sister) was going downhill to the point she was bedridden and my sister works. She needed someone to be with mom during the day.
My middle sister also works, so I knew that someone had to be me! Mixed feelings to say the least! I was glad to go and help, but I was so tired by this time--only one thing to do--pray! Once again I hit Facebook and asked for help. I'm so thankful for all those who have been so helpful when we've had family emergencies, and here we had two in a row!
I bought my ticket to stay five weeks and my middle sister said that would give her time to get her stuff in order to be able to come a month or two afterward, if necessary. Mark drove me to the airport in Atlanta, and I flew to California! (I'm laughing at this point because it was all just so crazy!)
That was my mom's last month on Earth. Bless Adonai, my middle sister came two days before I was to leave, and mom passed three hours after she arrived. All three of her girls were with her, holding her hands, praying and singing hymns over her as she passed on to glory.
Her last words were “Jesus, forgive me.” Her pastor commented, “What else can any of us say when we stand before him?”
Life continues… Home now I've had a couple of weeks to get back on my feet and while I was out, I started book four, The Migration.
Adonai is good. He has made all things good for those who love Him.