Category Archives: Family Talk

Funeral Service

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 30 April, 2014 1 comments

The emotional roller coaster hit the tippy-top yesterday when we went to the funeral for my mother-in-law. The emotions filled our eyes as we were at the gravesite burying her ashes. The mixed emotion of laying ashes underground is always perplexing to my soul. I understand our souls live on but the concept of burying a loved one in the earth is a weird concept to me.

This was a very emotional beginning of the day for my husband. As we proceeded on to the memorial service at our church, I was beyond grateful for the women who put it all together. Their gracious hands helped make the room look incredible and the food taste delectable. It is a blessing to truly have a church step up and be the body of Christ as we are supposed to be. This was a true testament to our faith and church!

My husband was filled with sadness as we observed the photos and displays all around the room while they prepped the slideshow and music before the service started. It was a reality check to have my husband burry his mother and realize his estranged parents are no longer with us. This past month has brought years of history to surface and questions longing to be answered that no longer will hold an answer. The confusion, anger, hurt and sadness fills his broken soul.

Before the service began, we met an incredible amount of family that we never knew existed let alone lived in our backyard. They are all incredibly nice but what does it all mean? What relationships will form, if any? Are they willing to reach out and be there as family should? Why hadn’t they in the past? The questions fill our minds as the overwhelming meet-and-greet took place. The service itself was well done and emotional. The hard part for us as the new comers, is the fact that her career was the most important thing to her. My husband longed for a piece of that importance. Longed to know her as her co-workers did and longed for her to be his mother for years prior. This longing and desire is no longer able to be met. The hardship of hearing the stories sunk to the pit of our tummies as colleague upon colleague shared stories.

The bad comes with the good. We had three months of really good conversations and getting to know one another on a deeper level, but three months compared to a life time is a blink of an eye. The past 35 years flashed before my husbands eyes posing a lot of pain and heartache that he is left to figure out. This has been a complex puzzle for him and we long to finish it so our kids do not have to travel the same path. Breaking generational sin, hurt and abandonment is our utmost desire.

Although we are incredibly grateful for the three months, it’s been anything but easy. Praying for a difference and healing in my husband is the deepest desire for me as his wife. Knowing I can do absolutely nothing but pray for him is a difficult task but a refreshing task. God has it under control and it’s not my control!

As the days proceed, I hope healing comes and I hope relationships continue. We will see what lies ahead and hope the Lord brings grace upon is as this past three months and more so the past month has been utterly exhausting.

Moment of Truth: I’m learning to grasp the reality of “now” rather than past and future. Holding to what is current and rolling with the punches will help calm the storm we’ve entered and are hoping to be exiting now. As the days progress and my husband deals with the new “normal,” I pray I have the words and wisdom to provide when necessary.

Toddler Two’s

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 27 April, 2014 None comments

Not quite wanting to jump straight in and call it the terrible twos, I decided I would give Cooper the benefit of the doubt as the past two weeks have been pretty ridiculously crazy. Between my mother-in-law passing away, Cooper being hospitalized, mommy and daddy taking off for a couple of days to only be rudely awakened to my arrival home along with 2 additional children all within the same hour. With all the chaos I feel I can’t get too upset with Cooper. My patience this past week has been tested and tested with Cooper’s whining and crying and food tantrums while grasping the ropes of having three kids to care for.

Yesterday was a brutal day. Everything we did he wanted us right by his side to partake in his activities. The screaming and hitting that begins to follow the let down is horrific. This is a side of my child I have never seen before. It all began after we were hospitalized, he was a perfect gem prior and it is almost as if they unleashed the two-year old tantrums for us. Learning how to communicate with a child that cannot reason is extremely difficult. Feelings of inadequacy fill my soul as I begin to feel like a horrible parent with a child that is hitting me for not getting his way. Trying to figure out what lines of discipline are appropriate for his personality and age is the challenging part.

I blame the hospital for this child that now screams and hits me because I sure don’t know what light switched got turned on or off since that wretched night. Previously, I could say his name with authority and he would look at me and instantly stop. Now a days, that means nothing to him. The battle of him learning boundaries and testing limits has been fascinating and difficult for him and I. The simply fact that a child is growing his little brain enough to understand when mommy says no doesn’t mean that he still can’t do it, is actually fascinating. Their little minds and souls are beginning to take place and explore their big and beautiful world while mommy sets limits on their big and beautiful world is now confusing. Taking the time to remember his little brain cannot process like mine, is a good reminder to help want to teach him rather than get upset.

Realizing I can’t implement perfect behavior is hard considering we really were blessed with a well-behaved child to now shaking in my boots trying to figure out if we took the wrong child home from the hospital. This cute little man can quickly wrap me around his little finger to get what he wants, but now……life has changed. Those cute little moments are not so cute anymore. The cute behavior in asking for more treats is only a sugar high that can’t be contained. Those cute little moments of wanting to play with his train table are now taking apart the track and throwing them across the room. Those cute little moments of wanting to snuggle are now anything but a snuggle! Don’t get me wrong, he’s still a doll and beyond adorable! But it’s those little moments that cloud my mind of the good times! I know he is learning, I know this is all normal for his age and development, but what I don’t know is how to not feel like a bad mom while trying to figure out what works for us!

Realizing raising my voice will only complicate the situation or scare him because I am supposed to love him and his little mind cannot separate the two and spanking is not for our household is a battle of learning what works for him. He can’t quite understand timeout but he can understand it a lot more than when I raise my voice. Having done this a couple of times, I feel horrible after knowing it accomplished nothing and ended up making me feel horrible! Ahhh– the battle of learning even more as a parent as every child responds differently.

Something about raising children simply doesn’t get the acknowledgment and respect is so deserves. Every mother out there knows what I am saying. Every man out there is oblivious to what it really takes to raise a child, implement proper behavioral skills, show love and teach respect along with all the household duties that follow. This is beyond a mans imagination and because we do it, they do not have to worry about it because it’s already done. I want to thank every mom out there for their job in raising their children and the immense pressure it takes to want to raise your child the best possible. God ingrained in women how to care and nurture for their family. He ingrained in the men how to be a hard worker and provide for their families. This is a blessing that we’ve been given and in the little moments that seem monumental, remember God gave you everything you need to make it through the next moment of bliss or tantrums.

So, with that, I will set out on my day to take the opportunity that maybe today we can take a positive step in learning our boundaries together and implementing something better today that wasn’t there yesterday.

Moment of Truth: Raising children is character building. Are you raising them to have confidence and respect, or are you teaching them how to walk all over you and get what they want because their attitude is too much sometimes that you quickly give in?

Cake Pops!!!

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 16 April, 2014 None comments

Today we stayed home yet again trying to recover from the mass amount of trauma the last couple weeks. We did take off to visit daddy at work and take him coffee to help lift his spirits. Due to the lack of nutrition my son has received in the past 6 days, I am desperate to give him anything and everything. This morning he took a donut and some eggs and ham for breakfast. This sounds like a lot of food but he eats like a bird and only had a couple bites of egg. I was so happy for him that I conveyed my happiness by rewarding him with a little powdered donut hole which he ate the whole thing. :)

As we were driving to Michael’s work to bless him with a coffee, Cooper spotted Starbucks before we even pulled in and immediately began asking for something. I have bought him many boxed Vanilla Milks in the past several days to help entice him to drink in order to stay hydrated. :) But to my surprise we wanted a cake pop which I gladly gave him. But not only did I give him one, I bought their 2 for $2.50 to save me $0.50. Or, if I’m honest, I wanted a bite as they are incredibly delicious.

He was so excited to receive this cake pop that he devoured it before we even reached daddy. He had the residue on his little lips when he gave daddy his welcoming kiss.

Realizing that he isn’t eating very much and still refusing liquids, I knew I was treating him a lot and that soon enough I would have to break a nasty habit. Avoiding this thought I was very thrilled he ate the whole thing and asked for another. :)

Moment of Truth: I’m delighting in the little things as a mom knowing that what used to be a concern for me is all but a breath of fresh air today!

Part II-Series of Traumatic Events

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 15 April, 2014 1 comments

As we were released from the hospital it wasn’t simply because Cooper was better, it was because he was not nearly as dehydrated and reached a psychosis state that became dangerous for him. His age range can not comprehend what is happening around him, but he can comprehend enough that tells him he is scared and wants to go buh-bye.

His hallucinations were beyond terrifying for me. I am his mother and there was NOTHING I could do to calm my child down. This was a horrible feeling and a “bad mom” feeling as well. Knowing I wasn’t a bad mom, you feel that way in the moment because your job as his mommy is to rescue him from the unknown. As time progressed in the hospital we only saw these hallucinations become more frequent and lasting longer. It was definitely scary for us as we were utterly helpless.

On our drive home he was completely quite and exhausted. He refused sleep even than. This part confused me as I knew he had been awake for 36 hours now; why wont he sleep? The combination of dehydration and lack of sleep only made this worse. Hoping once we reached home he would start to feel safe once again.

I laid him to sleep only for him to wake back up 2 hours later with another episode. My wishes that these were over were everything but true. At that moment I was beyond desperate and extremely tired myself, the only thing I knew to calm his little soul was to place him in the car and drive. After driving around aimlessly for an hour and a half I finally came home. The many stops while on our drive was anywhere and everywhere to continue to force liquids down his little mouth. He hated it so much that actually keeping him strapped in his car seat was helpful for me. It was beyond sad to have to “pin him down” to get fluids in him, but it was way better than living in the hospital another day.

Having to give him 10 syringes an hour took up the entire hour. As soon as I reached #10 I was so excited only to see the hour started all over again. Being home had its pluses but definitely was consumed with ONLY tackling him down to fill his little mouth with fluid. It was so horrible! He wanted to play so badly but had no energy to do so that he would get upset. It was so sad as a parent to watch this all unfold. Hoping for a good night sleep we had everything but that.

He proceeded to wake up every hour and a half and Michael had just come down with the terrible cold I had that caused Cooper’s hospitalization. It was a wretched night all over again and full of terrors. Finally, the morning approached and we were back to the syringe once again. He still wont drink fluids and I was confident we were not returning to the hospital due to dehydration. So, our day was consumed all over again.

Here we are day three home from the hospital and things are finally a little brighter. He slept through the night and decided to eat a donut hole and cake pops but still refuses liquid unless I syringe it. Not sure what this is all about but he lets me syringe him fluid but still refuses to sip on his own. It’s tiring. It’s time consuming. It has worn my patience immensely thin and it’s not his fault. My exhaustion has finally set in even after a decent night sleep last night that I found myself getting so irritated with Cooper this morning as he only wanted to be held.

It is IMPOSSIBLE to dress and shower when this takes place. Reminding myself that we are home, he’s eating a little even though it’s not healthy and he is allowing me to force fluids; I need not complain. After losing my patience while trying to blow dry my hair, I realized I am not delighting in what I had been yearning for; to be home and have a healthy little boy. Though he isn’t entirely healthy yet, he is on the upswing.

Moment of Truth: Reminding myself not to get caught up in the little things but to be grateful for the little things. AND I am entirely blessed that I have the bestest friend and sister to supply us with a couple dinners not leaving me to worry about such things.

A Series of Traumatic Events

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 14 April, 2014 None comments

I sit here stoic and beyond tired. I don’t even know which day of the week it is and when everything really began. My body has reached its limit. I’ve tried to make it through the day with yet another night of no sleep; praying for a calm in the large storm we have been encapsulated by.

Three days ago we went into Randall’s Children’s Hospital here in Portland, OR. My son was supposedly sick with pneumonia and an ear infection and had a fever for 4 days. Mind you, he is 21 months old and a fever that long is dangerous.

Walking around the house realizing I couldn’t master any tasks as the wee-little one only wanted to be held and rest his head upon my chest. My husband took the day off due to his mom passing and was trying to occupy his mind while doing yard work. Realizing the inconsistencies in my little man and the little fluid and food he had drank made me wonder if his diagnosis was accurate. Calling his pediatrician the advice nurse immediately sent us to the ER at the Children’s hospital. She asked if he was coughing while I explained that was him simply breathing; he had very labored breathing. This concern was so high off the charts that she didn’t want us to waste any time but to head directly there. Tears flowing from my eyes as I look at my sad, tired, helpless baby, I expressed great concern to my husband.

As we traveled to the hospital, his eyes struggled to stay open and not because he was trying not to sleep but simply because his sickness was taking him over. We reach the ER and all of a sudden 7 hours passed by and I’m wondering what just happened. It was so quick, yet so painfully long. The questions posing of what is happening, why is wouldn’t perk up, what’s wrong with his heart, why is his breathing so labored, does he have pneumonia or an ear infection? The questions swarmed around my husband and I as if we had just landed the worlds largest bee hive being stung in thousands of places.

The doctor brought to our attention that we would be staying over night and probably be here for a few days. The anxiety welled up inside my being filling every inch of my body. I see my son go through rounds of coughing that would lead him to stop breathing for what felt like minutes at a time. His eyes would water, face swell and the redness would turn to bright it almost turned blue. The fear was colored all over my face. Looking helpless at my husband we yearned for his next breath. He couldn’t inhale; he would begin the exhale of another coughing round only leading him to not inhale once again. Same routine, red face, watering eyes, and a helpless look that pour from his eyes begging for us to take it away. It was as if he could speak so clearly through his eyes leaving me feeling utterly helpless and broken.

The doctors hated that his breathing wasn’t picking up and searched for more answers than dehydration. Strangling his little mummy wrapped body the nurse fetched for a vain to place the IV and a board to tape to his arm to so he wouldn’t be able to rip it out. Now with the use of only one hand this poor child became more agitated. They pricked the same arm for 4 tubes of blood. They ordered an EKG and more blood work, vacuuming out his nose for more culture testing’s; the trauma simply wouldn’t end.

Finally they stopped the fluids as his progression only kept getting worse. The concern now was the fluid filling up around his heart and in his lungs. What does a mom and dad do when you see your helpless babe worthless and lifeless? Being a parent you long to make things better, change the circumstances, bring hope, comfort and security. All was lost. We were unable to provide this even though the deepest parts of our soul longed to run away from the hospital, detaching every tube and wire connected to his body keeping him held hostage.

The night progressed and only got worse. A mother’s nightmare kept proceeding to never wake me up but to only find myself further in the pit. We lay him to rest on our chests while bouncing him was the only thing he wanted. He clenched tightly to us wrapping his legs around as if he never wanted to be let go. The continuation of pricking and prodding never came to a stop. His tired body was beyond traumatized that sleep could not set in. He awoke an hour later to only begin his hallucinations. The scariest things I’ve ever experienced. It was an out of body experience. We would thrash around, falling, banging his head and chin upon the prison crib, writhing in pain with blood curdling screams. His eyes were open but he wasn’t conscious. It was as if he could not see or hear you. His eyes were lifeless. This event was the first of the night with many more to follow. It was beyond scary, nothing we could do, we couldn’t leave the room, unplug the cords, or simply let him know it was going to be okay.

He fell asleep for 30 minutes to be woken up by monitors beeping loudly. His oxygen had sunk, nurses and doctors all rush to his aid while we watch them attach oxygen tubes to his little face. Yet another wire for this poor baby. Unable to tell us why this has happened the concern only deepens. Within the hours the second bought of hallucinations came only to worsen immensely. I began a slight panic attack in the midst of not being able to calm him down, his IV ripped from his hands, blood tossed to and fro. My face covered with pools of blood. It looked like a murder scene. Paging the nurse, they came to finally allow all the wires to rest for a few minutes while I took him up and down the hall wearing a small child’s mask to keep from spreading whatever it was he had.

Attempting to eat a couple goldfish and drink a couple sips

At this point I begged them not to put the IV back in until morning and they obliged. Sending Michael home at three in the morning knowing I needed one of us to be sane as my sanity had already left hours prior. Looking at beautiful downtown Portland with all the lights, Cooper became a little more content, no wires, no IV, no oxygen and just his mommy to hold him dear. He drank a couple sips of apple juice and ate a couple of goldfish. This was a milestone. I let him sit there with me for two hours to simply get an ounce down of fluid and a little food to nourish his body. By 5:10 in the morning, I laid him by my side to rest. We slept until 7:25.

Michael called at 8 to check in. He brought coffee, clothes, toothbrush and the bare necessities. By 9 am another hallucination took place. My anger deepened as it only got worse. My son longing to leave this prison and not understanding why we were leaving him there and not protecting him was all unknown in his little mind. The unexplained feelings a parents battles when you know the hospital is the safest place for him, yet the continuation of traumatic events is a lose-lose situation.

Yet again begging for release we were able to walk him outside because his outbursts were so horrific nothing would calm him down and he began to endanger himself. We walked outside, his thoroughly exhausted body was helpless. Yearning to dump fluids in him knowing this was our only escape; he kept refusing. Finally, we approached the 6th floor yet again, a new doctor arrives explaining all this tests came back clear, his heart looks to be okay. Everything must be related to a severe viral infection, pneumonia and sever dehydration. We hoped this diagnosis was 100% accurate as leaving was a whole new realm of scary. We wanted out of this traumatic place, but we also wanted to leave knowing he would be okay.

Finally being released at 3pm, we head home with our exhausted, traumatized child. The questions filled my soul: “will he be okay, can I keep him hydrated, will his oxygen remain stable…?” These were all real questions with only time to tell.

This experience was so horrific that my only prayer was begging the Lord to allow him to live. I would never wish a parent to ever experience what we went through. I never thought I would pray “just keep him alive, please keep him alive!” for my child. The desperation that seeps in is a whirlwind of emotions.

Part II tomorrow on what the days preceding look like….

Moment of Truth: Reality his our family very hard this week. Losing my mother-in-law and coming close to losing my child. The horrific chain of events was beyond what we could ever imagine. Praying and continuing to pray that we can have a calm in the middle of the storm. Please Lord, let there be an end in sight.

(Read more about The Never-Ending-Roller-Coaster of life)

21 Month Old Trauma

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 13 April, 2014 None comments

The trauma of being in a hospital for a 21 month old is not only horrific for him, but also his parents. We appreciate the hospital care but have come to a point of extreme frustration as they take forever to tend to a child who literally hasn’t slept in 48 hours apart from a two hour nap. (Apart from the oxygen scare) The delirium has set in late last night and all he wanted was to be taken home…. Helpless parents beyond sad and worn down, don’t know how to stop the fits of delirium as he becomes a different person and can’t even look at you. It’s as if he’s in a different world. How to help? You can’t.
I’ve had three hours of sleep myself and am exhausted. Pleading with the Lord that our son will be okay and not get worse once taken home and that all the testing’s will come back clear. Its a very scary position as a parent not knowing if you are acting too soon or not soon enough.

More details later…

Please Walk Softly

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 12 April, 2014 None comments

Hello everyone it’s Michael again. I read this while at the hospice care facility and I want to write it out for all the readers of this post because it’s so powerful that you will want to read it over and over again like I did:

Please

Walk softly…

Speak softly…

For here is holy ground.

Your sisters, your brothers.

Your fathers, your mothers.

Your daughters, your sons,

Come here to heal.

Though some call it dying…..

Their families, their friends, and

Those who are blessed to serve here

They too, come here to heal

Though some call it crying …..

All are welcome here.

And those who seek comfort

And those who seek to comfort

Those who seek peace

And those who seek to make peace

Those who seek understanding

And those who seek to offer understanding

Many have left this world

And left their bodies here.

Many have felt pain and anguish

And left their sorrow here.

Many have felt fear…

Many have felt love…

Many have felt bereft and abandoned…

Many have felt held, seen and understood.

All these and more are here.

If you listen quietly

If you listen long enough

You will hear the silence that is here.

The silence that follows your every out-breath.

Before your next in-breath:

The silence which was before you began to breathe

And the silence which will be after your breathing ceases.

This is the silence between your thoughts,

And the silence that speaks through your eyes.

It is the silence of your loving touch.

And the silence of your falling tears.

It is the silence which holds us all, always:

The silence from which we come.

And the silence to which we return.

This silence is quite loud here.

You cannot miss it,

If you will but listen.

Many listen to silence here.

So please,

Walk softly….

Speak softly….

For here is holy ground…

From: John D, Rose

What Mr. Rose wrote makes a person speechless….

Raw Emotions

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 11 April, 2014 1 comments

Many of you know my mother-in-law passed away this last Monday evening. My husband has had quite the journey with her the past three months and decided to be a guest speaker for me while she share the feelings and emotions through losing a loved one. Not only losing a loved one, but someone who was young and a mother, wife, sister, grandma and someone who had years left to live.

My husband is taking this journey with us and sharing the last two weeks of what he has gone through. Please welcome my dear husband Michael!

I am sitting here with the craziest of emotions. Up then down, down then up. I cried and cried and cried yesterday, thinking that my mother was on the cusp of dying within a few hours. I drove home from work to pick Tiffany and Cooper up to head to the pain management care facility for hospice, dreading what we would encounter; a lifeless person without saying goodbye. Lucky for us, she was still with us and without all the pain she had been enduring for days. She was completely sedated and convulsing as we weren’t sure if she was going to make it through another night, let alone hear what we had to say. I finally went into the room and sat down and just sobbed for minutes, telling her I was so sorry for what she is going through, telling her that it’s okay to let go and that there is something better for her outside of her earthy body. I also had a chance to speak with her without any filter and through raw emotion on what thirty year five years of my life meant to me and how she has been a part of it and how she shaped me into who I am today. Although she didn’t know it, she had shaped me in many ways even throughout the past 27 years we hadn’t spoke. I know there has been a couple years of bad history between her and I when she reconnected with me, but through all the pain, I wanted to let her know that I forgave her and that I loved her very much and appreciated the life that she provided me.

Her poor body has been taken over by cancer. She looks ENTIRELY different now than before cancer took over. This shows you how deadly it truly is. :(

What I have today is simply because she gave me life. As of more recent, I have come to a point in understanding what love truly means. I guess I never showed it nor truly spoke love to my mother when we reconnected 5 years ago because as of that night while she laid helpless in the hospital bed with machines connected all over her poor body, she whispered in my ear “I thought you said I am a terrible person.” One of the only things she said to me while her body was shutting down. What a shockwave to think that’s the way she believes I feel about her. Sure I have had my anger outbursts with her, sent abrasive emails and had terrible phone calls. Yes, all out of hurt and anger for so many things that have happened to me over the years. My selfish being got the best of me to the point that I couldn’t see anything further than my hurt and my pain that I have endured. I never chose to see that she had made peace with everything in her life and that there was nothing else she could do after all these years. I finally came to the realization a few weeks ago after an email response she sent me explaining and apologizing for her role in what had happened to me; that she was truly sorry. I heard those words she whispered to me yesterday and realized that she still thought I had this chip on my shoulder towards her and what has transpired, yet I felt quite the opposite about her and the past. It’s done…. She has gone through enough in her life and has earned the respect of everyone she now encounters. She deserves the peace and happiness that we all seek in life, the unfortunate thing for me, is that it took her dying to realize what that meant and why each one of us are a blessing and can do so much for one another. It’s a breath of fresh air, it’s that feeling you have towards your loved ones and it’s your life itself. She needs to know my love for her and respect for her apart from the mistakes we ALL make in life. We need to step back for a moment and reflect on times like these and simply be thankful for one another because that’s all we have; one another. In a quick blink of an eye, you may never have that opportunity again, live your life to the fullest, loving and caring for the relationships that surround you.

If anything, her death has and will continue to change my life and change me for the good. If I don’t let this happen, I am simply taking her name in vein. We must step up and do something with the relationships that surround us for them to mean anything. Don’t waste your life.

Tomorrow I will be sharing a poem that struck me to the core while at hospice watching my mother helpless in bed. A poem that meant so much to me and taught me how to slow down. Soak in the moment that we have without all the questions and “what ifs.” Please join me again tomorrow as I continue to share a little bit about what I am learning through the death of my second parent. It’s a journey alright, and one I am willing to share!

The Loss of a Loved One

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 10 April, 2014 None comments

My mother-in-law passed away this past Monday at 5:05 pm at the ripe age of 60. The phone call I dreaded for months that was about to hit, finally hit and hit hard. The reality that you simply can’t prepare to lose someone is a cold, slap in the face. I wasn’t too sure what to expect and how it all would unfold and unfortunately, I became the bearer of bad news. I was the one responsible to tell my husband and I was the one responsible on deciding when it would be best to deliver this news.

Being the keeper of this knowledge for almost 2 hours before he got home was extremely painful. I kept a smile on my face as much as possible for my sweet little son that has no clue what’s going on except a lot of crying from mommy and daddy the past five days….and now this! He is incredible but unfortunately he knows something is wrong but can’t express it; sweet child.

At the hospital trying to entertain my son…

My husband was late from work, walked in the door and I lost it. I apologized over and over for the bad news I was bringing but explained that I didn’t know how else to release it. I was positive a phone call wasn’t going to be good, finding out at work wasn’t a good idea and lastly, I didn’t want him driving after finding out either. The emotions welled up inside him and tears began to flow. My sweet husband had just lost his second parent at the ripe age of 35.

My poor husband!!!

How does one manage these feelings, how do you compartmentalize the sweet sorrow and release of her passing away? Bringing him back to foster care and being a young boy weeping for his mommy when he found out his daddy had passed away is right where he is today. 27 years later weeping and mourning the loss of his father and now his mother. The painful tears steam down his face.

Today he expressed to me the pain he is feeling and the continual reminder of feeling utterly numb just as he did sitting on the top bunk bed while in foster care when his daddy died. The tearful moments that fill his soul randomly and without warning break my heart. Knowing I am helpless and can not take away the pain is excruciatingly hard. These are moments of utter helplessness. Being present and loving on him only goes so far; this is years of pain and lack of relationship that has come to a head. He will never get another moment of time spent with her until he reaches heaven. The reality of this is very sobering. His hard shell has such a tender inside. He has had to learn how to get through life without ANY guidance bringing about that tough outer shell, but when you reach the middle, and rarely people do, he is a tender soul full of gooey emotion. :)

Day two has been difficult and more of a reality than day one. Yesterday we spent the entire day with Marlin, her husband. We were by his side grieving together. It was good for all of us but somehow the days keep ticking by and reality to deal with the pain sets in. How to begin the healing process is entirely different from her husband, sisters, and friends. Everyone in their own way has to deal with the loss her life. But my husband has to deal with the loss her for a second time. The first time he lost her was 27 years ago when placed in foster care, the pain and emotion that stems from that is insurmountable. Then three months ago being brought back into her life to only loose her just over three months later is a painful experience as well. What he had these last three months was incredible but it got torn from him in an instant begging for numerous questions to be answered that never will.

Here we are today and I am trying to hold on to the last moments we shared together as a family knowing a new life is beginning. What that looks like is entirely unknown. There is a whole family out there that we have never known or been apart of. How will this look, will relationships continue? Only time can lead us and guide us in the steps we currently walk. I beg the Lord for healing for my husband; peaceful healing. I also ask for a life that he can pinpoint back to this very moment knowing it changed his life forever and for the good.

Moment of Truth: Our God is powerful and I ask for His will to be done in our lives. I know it is painful, but through the ashes brings beauty. We often can’t learn and grow without trials of this life. I pray for my husband’s soul to be tender towards the Lord and not harness anger and bitterness. Lord, bring an incredible life for my husband to walk knowing where he came from! ~Amen

Never Ending Roller Coaster

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 8 April, 2014 None comments

Just when you think life may have slowed down just for a day, you become utterly wrong. “Why try and make life slow down,” I think to myself. This has been the longest, quickest two years of my marriage. I never knew what I signed up for when life took hold of our family. It’s the continual surprises that tend to wear me down and unfortunately, they are not all good surprises.

As you all know, my mother-in-law who is sick and terminally ill has led this life of a roller coaster with her health and emotions the past three weeks. I don’t think she fully understands it as the days keep ticking away, but her loved ones definitely feel the twist and pull, up and down, side to side, jerk of emotions from good to bad, better to worse and so on and so forth!

Thanks to sourcewire.com

After the storm of last week, I have been yearning for a break in “rain” come today. That happened for the first 3 hours and once I contacted my mother-in-laws husband, I was informed pretty quickly that this roller coaster turned a corner that once again yanked our heads from one side to the next. Hearing the words that her lungs are filling with fluid and her blood pressure is all over the place was definitely discouraging. We have neared the end and simply do not know how to prepare for this particular “slap in the face.” A cold drink of water continues to awake our sleepy eyes.

It seems that this roller coaster of life is never ending and I can vividly see the ground from up above, upside down and one crank to the next keeping us on our toes as much as possible. I finally reached my peak last week, I couldn’t keep it in any longer, my body decided to allow a nasty cold in, keeping me awake at night and coughing through the day. I haven’t been sick in months, yet when my body seems to be so worn, I still fight through them but this cold, this one hit me hard. The emotional battle of trying to be strong for my husband while he loses his mother has been everything but strong for me. I’ve tried but after last week, I hit a wall and have been an emotional basket case since.

I long to help support my husband, but how do you simply give the proper words when there is no changing the past nor the present. The past haunts my husband from childhood to his 35 year old body dreading the phone call of this wretched outcome. 27 years wasted? I don’t think so! I believe from the depths of my soul that everything happens for a reason. It is not always joyful, but God DOES use everything for the good of those who love Him. Through tragedy and pain, my husbands 27 years of non-relation with his mother, was everything but a waste. I believe this wholeheartedly even though it may not make sense right now. The little knowledge we’ve been given has been beneficial. Healing is taking place in some facet or another. My husband is allowing himself to grieve not only losing his mother, but losing her a second time.

The first time, he lost her was when he was put in foster care at age 8. 27 years later, he’s now losing her to cancer. The horrible feeling of losing a parent alone is beyond description, yet this is his second parent. He lost his dad at age 8. I know we all travel this life with a story and we can use our story for glory or for pain.

The roller coaster that simply will NOT end, I pray will be used for God’s glory!

Moment of Truth: My husband is learning more than he can see at this moment in time. This tragedy has mended relationships, opened the door for healing and brought about as much positive influence one can have in a time such as this. I am proud of my husband, he is a tough guy yet so tender on the inside. Crack that shell and you have a pile of mush longing for peace and joy. I pray for that exact thing to be laid upon my husband at this very moment. I love you Michael John!