Missing Month (Part One)

While the month of June 2011 will always paint very vivid pictures in my mind, you'll notice it's missing from this blog. What's not missing from the month, however, is a roller coaster of emotions. A coaster so full of ups and downs that I'm hesitant to jump on the ride again and travel down memory lane to write this post. Every topic in this month deserves its own post, so it really doesn't feel right to create a "flashback summary." But in an attempt to catch up, that's what it will have to be...

The month kicked off with a trip to my sweet home Alabama to visit family and friends. This was a much anticipated visit, as we had not been since Christmas. In addition, my grandfather's 90th birthday occurred while we were home and my parent's pool was open for business! While in Alabama, Judah really enjoyed...

Eating summer foods

Relaxing in the pool with old pals

Hangin' with his buddy, Braylen

Meeting new pals

Looking up to his cousin, Jordan

Playing with new friend, Knox

And another new friend, Kenleigh

He loved the "doggie" statue keeping watch over my parents' pool

And experiencing a "splash pad" for the first time...and all things water, really.

I should also mention that this was Judah's first time in a swimming pool and he was a pro! He loved going underwater!

It was incredibly special that Judah and I were able to celebrate my Granddaddy Joe's 90th birthday with him. He had two birthday parties on the actual day of his birthday, and we attended both! I gave in and let Judah have cake and ice cream (your great-grandfather only turns 90 once :-) and let's just say he had difficulty going to sleep that night!

Balloons tied to his stroller!

Happy Birthday, Granddaddy Joe!

Two days after my grandfather's actual birthday, we were to have a family party and continue celebrating...a Hawaiian luau as a matter of fact. By Friday night, everything was in place for the party the next day. Even Jeff flew down from North Carolina to celebrate with us for the weekend.

No one was prepared for what took place the following morning. My grandfather called us at 8:30am explaining that he was worried about my Mammaw (his wife of 63 years) who was having a terrible headache and could not get out of bed. He knew Jeff flew in the previous night and was seeking medical advice and asking him to come over to see her. We were all actually taking a nap at the time of the call because we had gotten back to my parents' house from the airport around 2am the night before thanks to a delayed flight and lost luggage. And wouldn't you know that Judah awoke at 5am the following morning?! Anyways, as much as I wanted to stay in bed and nap when Jeff received the phone call from my grandfather, something told me to go with him. When I arrived at my grandmother's house, I could tell she was not well at all and that she was declining quickly. While 911 was called, I just kept holding her hand and telling her that I loved her. I am confident that in the first moments after we arrived at her house that she knew it was me holding her hand. I will not share all the details because they are personal and painful, but my Mammaw was having a massive stroke before my eyes. I knew she was slipping away and there was nothing we could do about it. She was taken away from her home via ambulance, then airlifted to a hospital in Birmingham. She took her last breath at 4pm that day in a hospital bed, and I am blessed to say that I was right by her side when she went to be with Jesus. As I grieve the loss of an amazing grandmother, caregiver, and friend to me, I am rejoicing and thanking our Lord that Judah and I were able to spend two precious weeks with her before her death, and that I (and Jeff and Judah) happened to be in Alabama when she went to heaven. I do not think this was coincidence. I will miss her so, but know that she is in a better place and thankful that she no longer suffers.

I love you, Mammaw, and can't wait to see you again one precious day!

Taken Christmas 2010