The Blessings of Family

Well dear blog readers (If there are any out there) I appologize for leaving you high and dry over the past nearly three months.  This winter has been one for the books at our house.

First of all, in mid-November my mother-in-law Donna had a heart attack and was diagnosed with a failing valve to her heart.  This has some long medical term which I would be sure to mis-spell if I could even remember the name.  In essence, at age 94, she was diagnosed with a condition that was not fixable and so at that point her days were numbered.  She spent two weeks in hospitals and then was finally settled into a nursing home around Thanksgiving time. 

Shortly after that, my mom was found on the floor of her apartment.  She almost died.  She is an 87 year old diabetic and she presented in the ER with congestive heart failure, kidney failure and right lobe pnuemonia.  Some of her doctors were wanting to just write her off...and almost did.  However, my Mom and the Good Lord had other plans.  After nearly two weeks in the hospital she ended up in a nursing home shortly before Christmas. 

Thus began our winter, travelling back and forth between moms.  Then in January I got very ill with the worst case of viral bronchitis (I still say it was pnuemonia) that I have ever had.  I was literally in bed for two weeks and then spent the next five weeks coughing until I thought I was going to break a rib or two.  I am still fighting the cough although it has relented a little bit.

As we moved into March it was apparent that my mother-in-law would not be with us much longer and she passed away on March 7th.  She was a wonderful Christian woman and a wonderful example to me in my life.  I will miss her but I know where she is and that we will meet again.

At her funeral it was amazing to see all the children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and even some of her great-great-grandchildren.  All so wonderfully touched by the life and example of this one Christian woman.  A whole room full of folks who would not have been there had not one Godly young man and one Godly young women fell in love all those years ago. 

It has been said that "you may be the only Bible that some folks ever see" and I think that is very true.  The outpouring of stories at her visitation the night before her funeral was such a comfort.  Many friends and neighbors sharing how much my inlaws had meant to them.  Stories of being good neighbors on the farm and always being ready to lend a helping hand.

They don't make 'em like that so much anymore...but the world would sure be a better place if they did!

From a loving daughter-in-law