Life's Latest Journeys

Well, Here I am.
It's been a long time, I know.
This past month has been mountains and valleys.
 And I wish I were speaking in the physical sense, that we went on a trip out west to see the mountains I love. But we didn't.
Instead we've walked through valleys and been upheld by the Lord's strong arms.
Well a month ago I went with a group of kids from my church to PA for summer camp. It was a spiritually uplifting week, a spiritual mountain top of preaching and decisions for Christ.
But I was also a valley, because I dearly missed the man I left at home.
After returning from camp I had a few days before my family was coming down for the 4th of July. They came and we had a great time of fellowship, picnics, mini burgers (He! He!), mosquito bites, and other summer blisses. Mom and Dad left on Sunday but Erin and Si stayed with us for what we thought would be the rest of the week. A lot was planned. The important thing was: we got to Bojangles! No... anyway.  
From Sunday night to Monday afternoon we went from the mountain top to the valley- fast.
My mother in law was diagnosed with cancer about 2 months ago. She had just finished some radiation and undergone all the lovely side effects of such. She couldn't eat and was in incredible pain.
Our goal was to visit her on that Saturday when we brought Erin and Si home. But my Husband got the call that no one ever wants to get.
His mom was in the hospital and initially they wanted to do chemo despite the fact she was too weak. But plans changed and they were sending her home with hospice. It was the hardest phone call of my husbands life, knowing his mom was going to die.
We still planned on going Friday but when she came home Wednesday, Matt's sister called and told us we should probably leave sooner because His mom didn't know how much longer she would be able to talk. Matt called me immediately and told me to pack, we were leaving as soon as he got home.
The Valley seemed to get a little deeper.
We all left around 1:30 and made it around 7. I left him with his mom and took the kids home. Praise the Lord we made it before she couldn't speak. Thursday she began to drastically decline and by Friday she couldn't talk. Around Midnight Friday night she slipped into what we called a coma, she was unresponsive for the whole weekend. And early Monday morning she went to be with the Lord.
She was ready, and by the end of that weekend we were ready. Her suffering was over. So many tears were shed, so many songs played and sang for her, so many prayers said, so many visitors came not only for her but for us. Never have I looked death so closely in the face, and never have I known the peace that God gives during death so closely. The funeral went well and many were there. I am so thankful for the almost 2 years I had her as a Mother - in- Love. I am so thankful for her testimony to me and all the others she came in contact with. We will miss her dearly but wouldn't wish her back for anything.
She Gets to be with Jesus.
And He walks us through and out of this Valley.

In Loving Memory of Mom Parks.