Crazy how time flies. It was just a year ago today that I was sitting on our bed, 6 months pregnant doing my homework, Cory was cooking something in the kitchen and there was a knock on the door. Bradley ran in and said hey An-nrea and then proceeded to run in to every room to see what he could get into. Then Shawn came in looking a little stiff and red faced with Cory right behind him. We had been home for almost two whole days from our trip to Cortez to visit my parents and celebrate my dads retirement. I smiled up at him and said hey whats up? Then he said, I got a call from home and Mom passed away. Its kind of hard to describe what it feels like when you hear something like that. It doesn't seem real. I do however have a lot of things to be grateful for.
When my dad decided to retire some wonderful ladies he worked with wanted to throw a party for him and so they asked my parents when would be a good time that would fit into all our schedules to have it. I really didn't have a good time because of school and finals was about a month away so I needed to keep up with all that I had been learning but I said anytime they picked if I had some warning I could probably make work. So they told us later the date they picked and it just so happened that it was on a weekend when on Thursday my group was presenting and then on Friday the other groups were presenting and we weren't required to go to class on the day we weren't presenting. I was excited because that meant that we could leave Thursday right after I got out of school and everything would work out great! Well the Monday of that week at that class our teacher started talking about some people wanting to change the presentation order because of course everyone in class wanted the three day weekend. I got nervous because it would change all our plans if I had to present on Friday instead. And I started thinking that if it was going to be so hard we might just stay home and not go. After class I talked to my teacher and told him the plans that were made and how it was because of the original schedule and he said he would try to help me out. On Tuesday there was a big discussion and some students were a little upset and even in my group we had some disagreements because another one of our members' wife had just been scheduled for a C-section on Thursday. Well the teacher kept his word to me and helped out my group member who was having the baby, so Cory and I left as planned.
I am really grateful that a way was made for me to go home that weekend because it was like I said earlier just a few days later that my mom died. We could have easily not have gone. And it was also strange that every spouse was also able to go. Just another blessing we see now looking back. While we were there was when my mom let it slip to someone that she was having surgery on Monday. She had been having problems with her knee for a couple years and was always in pain. Lindzi talked to Jack and she was able to stay and help out for a while after the surgery. It was a blessing for her to be there to help my mom and then my dad and make it so he wasn't alone. Jack was also a huge help with all the financial, insurance crazy paper work stuff.
It was and is still hard. I can see a lot of good that has come from it though. She isn't in pain any more, my dad has found a special lady that he is extremely happy with and a 16 year old step-son to play with and teach all the things he knows!
I know that I will get to see my mom again and I get to feel Gods love through the comfort he sends me whenever I might start to feel sad. I want to publicly thank everyone who has helped me this past year through this and with little Emma, answering all my questions and giving me advice. I have the best family and friends, love you all!!