Since Last I Wrote, The World Has Changed

   It is amazing how the world, and my view of it has changed since my last post. What a difference a few days make..

   On May 27, my wife took a drastic turn for the worst. She could not swallow, and therefore could not eat or drink. She was not hurting, but just did not want to do anything but sleep, which she did pretty much non-stop.

   The Hospice nurse had told me the Friday before that she felt like the end might come in two or three weeks, but when she came on Tuesday, she told me Mayre's pace of decline had quickened and , then on her next visit on Thursday, lowered her estimate to two days or maybe even two hours. In other words it was imminent.

   Thursday the 30th had dawned bright and clear. I woke up early and, for some reason, thought I should do some work on an obituary. So I went out on the back porch, in the cool and quiet, and did just that. Dwayne was coming that day, and I looked forward too his visit and company. It was to be a traumatic time for him also. 

   In the afternoon, neighbors began to come in to check, and our pastor came also. The Chaplain for the Hospice group paid a visit, and there were several people around. Mayre's breathing became labored, and she was given some meds to ease the restrictions in her respiration.

   Dwayne arrived around 5pm, not knowing the situation had gone down. We gathered around her bedside as the pastor prayed for her and, talking to her directly, gave her permission to go. We all agreed with this, and she began to settle down.

   Then began a steady decline with the pulse and heart rate and breathing. She was at peace and not struggling.

   The at 7:10 she eased on out, and began her new life in Heaven.

   It was a sad time for us, but a relief also, as she was at peace and could leave the struggles behind. We knew when she was, and were glad for her.

   We took the body to Chattanooga and had a visitation and burial for her on Wednesday the 30th. All the family was there, with the exception of one grandson who was out in San Francisco and just could not do it. Old friends came, and it was a sweet time of remembering her life.

   My special thanks go to our friends, Larry and Linda Williams, who let me stay with them while we arranged the details. Larry was our pastor at Ooltewah, and he led the burial service.

   My kids began to scatter, Dwayne and Karen and Sydney back to Charlotte, Donna, Noel, Archer and Cady Gray back to Conway, AR, and Doug, Dawn, Drew, Caroline, Lucy, Laken and David back to Blacksburg.

   Thursday was my wife's birthday, and, in celebration of this, I left, too. I was going to Blacksburg to be with Doug and family for a few days before braving the empty condo on St. Simons.

   Deciding to make a day of the trip, I took the longer route up Highway 58 before completing the trip on the Interstates up to VA. Thinking to spice up the trip somewhat, I decided to do a couple of Tennessee courthouses, one in Decatur and one in Kingston.

   Those stops were not the diversion I thought. I missed my traveling companion and fellow courthouse seeker. We had taken three years to complete the 159 courthouses in Georgia, and this was definitely not the same. The car was too quiet, and the courthouses not as exciting.

   Not as I sit here in Blacksburg and think back about the week that was, I am grateful for God's presence and direction in all that went on. 

   You all know that there was this storm, Alberto, moving toward and around us. We had rain on Sunday night, all day Monday, a lot on Tuesday and some on Wednesday morning. On the afternoon, he stayed away, and everything went off as planned.

   Thank You, God...

   As I look toward these coming days, I realize that another special day is upcoming. I plan to start going home on Tuesday, stop in Charlotte to spend the night with Dwayne and Karen, then drive on down to the Island on Wednesday. 

   Thursday will (or would have been) our 60th wedding anniversary. That could be a hard day, too.

   You could pray for our family also. They all bear the pain of separation. We have bonded together over this, and in that it has been good.

   God knows the path we will trod, and He has promised to go it with us.

   We know it will be hard at times, but it will have an end. There will be strength to go on even when we do not particularly want to. We will.

   As per usual, a couple of shots:

   

Doug, Donna and Dwayne

and

My Beautiful Wife

Praise for a Life Well Lived and a Tremendous Blessing to Others