Good news always sleeps 'til noon
My phone rang at 8:00 this morning as I hastily prepped for my wedding freelance gig. It was Mom, who typically calls on Sunday, but never in the morning. I knew what she was going to say before I accepted the call.
She was crying.
Then I started crying, too.
She told me that she saw her yesterday and that she was peaceful and comfortable. I was glad to hear it, and glad for Mom that she got to be there before Nannie died. The last several times Mom visited her, Nannie never even knew she was there, as she'd been dying slowly for years from Alzheimer's.
On the way home from work I called Mom to check on her. They've written her obituary and made funeral arrangements. I'll bust out one of my black suits and go home Tuesday to be supportive for Mom, and we'll all go to the funeral together Wednesday.
I'm glad I had to work today- staying busy was good. I have had several moments of numb dumb_ness and got a little teary. Mostly I just kept moving, because no matter what was going on in my world, a wedding was gonna happen at 4:00 PM. Now I'm home alone. It's quiet and I'm crying.
I can't express how grateful I am for her influence in the lives of my Mom and me. She made our lives much better than they would've been otherwise. Mom's parents died when she was twelve, and Nannie came home from their funeral with my Mom. So, there she was a divorcée in the early sixties with three boys of her own and a 'stray' girl... and they all grew up to be successful adults. She's always been one of my heroes that way.
I remember playing with her in her kitchen when I was a kid- we pulled all the chairs from under the table and used it as our stable, because we were horses. I remember doing crafty things with her when I'd visit for the weekend. I remember holidays and huge family meals prepped in the same kitchen in which we'd played. She was adventurous and always on the go, making friends everywhere she went.
Now she's really gone.
And now the rest of us get to grieve. I don't really know how to do that part so much, because I've not had to deal with death until now. I just know I loved her, and as glad as I am that she's finally at peace, I'm also sad.
She was crying.
"Nannie died this morning."Yep. I knew that. I asked how she was holding up. And
"I can't even say 'I'm sorry' because I'm not. I'm glad that she's finally at peace."
Then I started crying, too.
She told me that she saw her yesterday and that she was peaceful and comfortable. I was glad to hear it, and glad for Mom that she got to be there before Nannie died. The last several times Mom visited her, Nannie never even knew she was there, as she'd been dying slowly for years from Alzheimer's.
On the way home from work I called Mom to check on her. They've written her obituary and made funeral arrangements. I'll bust out one of my black suits and go home Tuesday to be supportive for Mom, and we'll all go to the funeral together Wednesday.
I'm glad I had to work today- staying busy was good. I have had several moments of numb dumb_ness and got a little teary. Mostly I just kept moving, because no matter what was going on in my world, a wedding was gonna happen at 4:00 PM. Now I'm home alone. It's quiet and I'm crying.
I can't express how grateful I am for her influence in the lives of my Mom and me. She made our lives much better than they would've been otherwise. Mom's parents died when she was twelve, and Nannie came home from their funeral with my Mom. So, there she was a divorcée in the early sixties with three boys of her own and a 'stray' girl... and they all grew up to be successful adults. She's always been one of my heroes that way.
I remember playing with her in her kitchen when I was a kid- we pulled all the chairs from under the table and used it as our stable, because we were horses. I remember doing crafty things with her when I'd visit for the weekend. I remember holidays and huge family meals prepped in the same kitchen in which we'd played. She was adventurous and always on the go, making friends everywhere she went.
Now she's really gone.
And now the rest of us get to grieve. I don't really know how to do that part so much, because I've not had to deal with death until now. I just know I loved her, and as glad as I am that she's finally at peace, I'm also sad.
 | |
| My Great Aunt Margaret and her second husband Dayton, who survives her. *This* is the way I choose to remember both of them, regardless of the fact this was taken over 25 years ago. |
Labels:
family
0 Responses to "Good news always sleeps 'til noon"
Post a Comment