Treasures in Heaven

Two years ago today, Gram had her last heart attack. The one that she couldn’t over come. For the next three days we wondered if she would make it to Christmas Day. We surrounded her as she opened gifts the eve of Christmas Eve, just in case. She did make it to Christmas, but was unable to join us upstairs for the wild excitement of five kids on Christmas morning.

The next three months, she would not regain her independence or much strength, and our life had to adjust for me to provide nearly all her daily care while my MIL and Hosparus tended to her health needs.

There’s not a day I don’t think of her, but today, as it approaches our second Christmas without her, (how is that even possible?!) I have two thoughts I’d like to share...

1. Schedule a photo session with a professional or set the self timer, but create your version of a timeless treasure with your parent, grandparent, loved one....we are not promised tomorrow, so capture a memory with them today. This treasure was taken by a dear photographer friend (thank you Angela) in 2014. I am daily thankful we took this picture even though Gram thought it was funny at the time. It captures the love we shared beautifully.

2. Covid. I’m thankful Gram is in heaven and not here for the isolation that is this post-Covid world, but many loved ones are here. There are elderly parents and grandparents who are spending days, weeks or even months without the encompassing love their family provides. I am certainly not suggesting I know more than any medical expert, but I know about spending last Christmases with someone I love. I know the end of her life was near no matter what we did or did not do. I know some of you have elderly loved ones you are missing and they are missing you. If you can, if there’s any possible way, find a way to spend Christmas together, even if it looks different, or if it’s completely unconventional...I know in some situations it just not a possibility, but for some it is. Don’t let fear take away your last Christmas memories.

Three months later a vicious stomach bug swept through the house hitting Mason and Gram first, then me, Sophia and finally my mom. We all recovered in a few days but not Gram. It took the last winds from her sail and she left this world for the next. It was her time. Nothing more. I do not have regrets that our kids were around her daily until the end even knowing how it ended, but I know there would be regret if we had attempted to isolate her from them.

You have to do you, but if you are on the fence or you know time is drawing to an end, hug your loved ones, for heavens sake. Psalm 139:16 says, God saw our unformed substance in our mother’s womb and the number of our days before one of them came to be. Praying God’s discernment, wisdom and guidance as you determine the best course of action for spending time with those you love the most.

Merry Christmas!

Love, Jules