One year ago -- Part 1

July 4 is coming up, and it is bittersweet. So many things happened one year ago around this time.

Near the end of June, my dear sister was advancing in her pregnancy, and she had some pain in her abdomen that was severe enough to warrant a day-long stay at the hospital. She was given instructions to "take it easy", which is practically impossible with two toddlers around. My mom was not able to go up and help. Here at home, David's parents had just moved to town and had been in their apartment for a little more than a week (rather than living in our house as they had done for the previous 3 weeks), and we were starting to settle into our new "normal". David agreed that it would be a good idea for me to go spend a week with Mel & Patrick and the kids, and hopefully help a bit.

I had such a nice week in TN; Mel was feeling a lot better by the time I arrived, the pain was more under control, and we were able to do fun things like go to a big playground and the local water park. It was a busy week, but it was a FUN kind of busy. I enjoyed kisses & hugs, baths & bedtimes stories, and time with my sister. I even enjoyed changing my nephew's diapers! On my way back home I got the phone call about David's sister.

I was driving to my parents' house, a convenient stop-over between Mel's house and mine. David's brother called my cell phone and told me that his sister was in the hospital. She had been diagnosed with cancer in her lung and elsewhere, Stage IV, and was told that it was terminal. Due to her low body-weight and general fatigue, treatment would not be possible. Hospice care would be arranged as early as possible; her condition was growing worse by the hour. We had found out she had gone to the hospital a couple of days before and was not feeling well at all, but we had absolutely no idea it was that serious.

I had the presence of mind to pull off the road while Lynn told about Diane. I remember exactly which parking lot I was in, and the last time I drove by it, I was flooded with the memory of that conversation and the one that followed--I had to call my husband and and tell him that his sister was dying. I believe it was Friday, July 3.

Thankfully, it was only 30 more minutes before I got to my parents' home. They hugged me while I cried, encouraged me, and prayed with me. We knew it would be a difficult journey, and I felt ill-equipped to handle it, but I committed myself anew to relying on God's strength. The morning of July 4, I headed home.