Dear friends,
No amount of words could describe how we feel about the loss of our beautiful, beautiful Rosie.
She’s gone home. Home where she can be with her mom and dad again, with her wonderful sister Betty Lou who we all loved, and with her youngest son Daniel.
Earlier this week Rosie made the decision to leave her house for the last time, kiss her seven kitties for the last time and go to hospice. They took incredible care of her, trying to make her as comfortable as possible. The cancer had spread throughout her entire body and she was in such pain, but now she isn’t. She was able to spend the last days of her life in comfort, surrounded by the people she loved…her partner Jeff, her son Timmy, and daughter in law Cat. I was there each day she was in hospice, she was so very weak, but she held out her hand and I held it while I visited. I kissed her each time and told her how I loved her. Forming words took effort for her, but she always said “I love you” back. Turns out those were her final words. At three in the morning on Friday, February 10, after a rough night, she told Jeff, Tim and Cat “I love you“ and shortly after that she was gone. I’m sharing this after talking with them, and they wanted me to share it with you, because they know she was like family to you, just as you were to her. One last thing… Often when people know they’re at the end of their life they’ll hold out for one more occasion… Waiting until Christmas to die, or New Year’s… Today, February 10, was her youngest son Daniel‘s birthday. He would have been 35 today. And at 3 o’clock this morning she was reunited with him again.
Life moves forward and she wouldn’t want us dwelling or being sad right now, no matter how hard it seems at this moment to be happy. Rosie was a woman of strong faith, who didn’t just talk the talk, she walked the walk, and she is home now. No more pain, living with the Lord and all those who went before her. I can already see her smiling that beautiful smile looking down at us all. It’s OK to shed a tear, but just like Rosie let’s try to find all the joy we can in each day, and let the negative roll right off our backs. That would be the best way I can think of to remember her.
Chris
"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." ~Phillippians 4: 6-7