On the one year anniversary of the hail storm that left the pock marked complexion of my Hero’s poor car, another severe storm system rolled through our area and left destruction in its path. Some of the suburbs in Oklahoma City were destroyed by fires, and four tornadoes touched down in our area. One mile wide twister leveled a town called Mena, which is about an hour south of where we live.
In our area the sirens were blaring and we (of course like idiots) were on the front porch with our noses to the sky in awe of wind and buckets of rain. Within minutes the storm had passed and the sky turned a brilliant orange! Then my Hero sighed and said “Oh, it’s the sunset!” I ran for the camera.
Knowing that somewhere there was sadness, this is the joy. It was breathtaking. And seconds after that we learned of the loss of an entire town…
I got to be home for St. Patrick's Day this year! I count that a blessing because St. Patrick's Day is a lot like Thanksgiving at my dad's house! Each year he cooks a huge Corned Beef or two, a few heads of Cabbage and bakes his famous Soda Bread! My whole family gets together and listens to Irish Folk Music and settles in for some of the best eats in town! No one dares show up without the necessary amount of green on. This year he and my step mom made a trip to Ireland to see where his father had been born and raised. They wanted to get the real experience of the country, so they stayed in Bed and Breakfasts. Dad said that his 6 foot 3 inch frame didn't fit into some of the rooms! After about three weeks of it, he couldn't take it anymore and the last few nights they stayed in a hotel. He told me that the roads were so narrow that sometimes they had to back up to let the on coming traffic pass! And the hedges on the sides of the roads often had rock walls right behind them. He said that his rental car was all scratched up from the branches hitting the sides of the car! On the menu in most restaurants was fish. Dad said that his fish and chips was pretty different since the skin and bones had not been removed. They showed us the beautiful pictures that they had taken and dad said that Ireland draws you there. He can't wait to get back there! It must be as magic as they say! I just know that for me it was wonderful to be home for the holiday this year!!
There are three of us girls in my department at work. Each of us had a loved one who was either terminally ill or in a nursing home dealing with old age.
At the beginning of March as most of you know, I lost my hero, my Grandpa. I rushed to Utah to be with my family and speak at the funeral (as I promised him that I would). I cannot express how tough this trip was for me.
The week that I returned to Arkansas, my office mate and friend lost her Granny. She was incredibly close to her. They were joking with each other a few nights before and knowing that the end was near was difficult for my friend to bear. Last Thursday she was just heartbroken.
Just four days after my friend lost her Granny, on Monday, our beloved co-worker and friend to everyone, Marilyn, passed away from cancer. Marilyn was my boss’s best friend. We knew that she was sick and she accepted her fate better than all of us could. Even knowing that time was short, we still had a hard time accepting.
Then, at lunch time today, my boss’s mother, who is sick with cancer lost her fight too! The bittersweet comments, they’re out of their pain and no longer suffering, they are with other loved ones and with God now….still hurts.
I’m numb. Loss and hurt is all around me. Every time I turn around, I feel like I’m buying a sympathy card or sending flowers or consoling a devastated friend. I wonder if this is what a disaster feels like…
Last summer, we learned that driving to Ogden during rush hour was a two and half hour stint filled with road rage and impatience. As we crawled along with other motorists, we were in awe of the new Front Runner passing all of the cars and envious that we didn't utilize it's services.
We were again faced with the rush hour commute last week as we made dinner plans in Ogden. The stop and go traffic was something that I did not want to endure again. I thought how wonderful it would be to take Trax to down town and then Front Runner to Ogden. The stop in Ogden is just down the street from where my sister in law works so it would be kinda fun to just try it out.
We started off on Trax from Sandy at about 4pm. People on the train were making snide comments about me taking pictures...they must have thought that I was a real tourist.
When we got to the down town station to change trains, I was really impressed with the cool satchels protruding out of the rocks here and there. I thought that it was pretty neat that Trax, Front Runner, Amtrac and Greyhound were all in the same place!
It wouldn't be the city without it's share of colorful people. There is always someone! The above man yelled at me for taking his picture! He screamed that he knew I worked for the State and I had no right to take his picture. I assured him in the thickest southern accent that I could muster up that I didn't work for the State, but I do work for the media!
We got on the Front Runner at the same time that we were supposed to be in Ogden. It had taken an hour to get from Sandy to Downtown. We were confident that it would only be about half an hour away from dinner because of how fast we saw it moving last year.
Well, we were wrong! It was 5 o'clock and I-15 was speeding right along! The train moseyed along the tracks like a Sunday Drive! Cars were flying toward Ogden much faster than the train courtesy of Legacy Highway! I wonder how in the world the transit is making any money at all. A man on the train told us that a monthly pass is about $175.00 for about a two hour ride to his work on 33rd South! We figured that price and a longer commute just doesn't seem to be worth it.
With nothing but dinner to do, we didn't mind this trip and it was actually pretty fun. We met some nice (except for screamy photo-phobic guy) people and I got some really fun pictures! Now we know that if we ever move to Utah that the trains should not be used for anything but leisure. We finally arrived in Ogden an hour late and thank goodness we decided to leave Ogden at 9pm because we caught the last Trax train back to Sandy without even knowing it!
I just want to thank all of you for your support about my “Decision” post. The conversation with my Grandma helped me to relax and take a breath before I jumped on an airplane. Together we decided to wait to see how my Grandpa was the following day.
Much to my dismay, my phone rang early the next morning. My sister was calling to let me know that Grandpa had past away Saturday morning.
I wouldn’t have made it there in time.
By staying, I’ve had time in the comfort of my own home to grieve and cry and reminisce. I do believe that things work out the way that they do for a reason. Accepting and learning from those reasons are all part of the big test.
So, I’m off to Utah with most of the hurt dealt with in privacy so I may be strong for my Grandma and the rest of my family.
I’m so grateful for my friends! Thank you so much for being here for me! Your kind words have been just what I needed!
For the last 24 hours I’ve been killing myself with the decision of whether to fly home to see my Grandpa before he passes away or if I should stay in Arkansas until he does pass.
Going sooner than later would be for totally selfish reasons, allowing me to say goodbye to him. Feeding my own selfishness, because (Grandma assures me) he wouldn’t know if I were there or not. To wait would mean that I have more time to spend helping out in any way that I can, as well as the time off from work to attend the services.
I’ve tried to help Heavenly Father’s schedule since mine happens to be booked solid with the Princess’s end of school tests, a dance performance at the Jr. High School pageant, and a mandatory parent meeting with the dance coach for next year’s dance team selection. I’ve tried to compromise, but I know that He knows what’s best and that I can deal with it. Nonetheless, all of this has made the decision making so difficult.
This man is one of my unsung heroes. He’s my mom’s dad, born and raised in Brooklyn, New York and one tough cookie. Noteworthy these days, he and Grandma have been married for 65 years. They made their life and home in Utah after his honorable discharge from the military in the 1940s. This must have been a hard decision since he and his mother had such a close bond.
I can’t imagine being far from home without the modern technology of the internet, long distance minutes on my cell phone, easy direct flights (getting more costly as the economy suffers) and UPS.Yes, the decision to stay in Utah during the 40s must have been a great sacrifice. He also liked the family lifestyle and the fly fishing.
The loss of his daughter (my mom) also marked the loss of his eye sight thirteen years ago and the loss of his independence as a result.
At the end of the day, my Hero called the airline to see if they have a bereavement discount for flights. He bought three tickets that can be booked, cancelled and rebooked anytime. With the trip purchased and a two hour phone conversation with Grandma, I’ve resolved to waiting until the inevitable comes to pass.
My husband is the best man in the world! He has a sarcastic sense of humor, so life with him is rarely dull. He does little things to make me happy and my life easier. He’s the most patient person that I’ve ever met and his skilled wit is comprehensive. His favorite word is “Conundrum” and was thrilled when it was used by the commentators during a NASCAR race. NASCAR is an every Sunday event, and his driver is in the 24 car.
Vern
Because he can, he has an alter ego who drives others to discomfort. Vern is a serious girl magnet, loves "Shake & Bake" and delivering flowers or cakes to unsuspecting victims. Plus, this is the whole reason why I went out with him in the first place!
...and so she danced.
The Princess is at constant force between good and evil. Starting High School has been both exhilarating and melancholy. A cross between a daytime soap opera and a comedy sitcom, she conquers and coins drama with sarcastic wit and innocent intelligence. Not only is she clever, but she is also armed with a strong confidence, arrogant style, dedicated camaraderie and a gifted performer. She makes me proud to be her mother!
Below is a slide show from the town of Mena:
