Hello, everyone. I do not know where to begin to thank all of you for your prayers, thoughts, messages, calls and visits throughout the past 10 months. Our family has been overwhelmed with kindness and support, and it has given us the strength to keep going on the worst of days. "Thank you" seems so inadequate, but please know it comes from deep within our hearts.
Mom's funeral was last Wednesday, and it was a beautiful service, quite fitting for mom. The church was packed; the Russellville Mennonite Church Choir sang, and the tributes from Sue, mom's dear friend, and Rhonda, my cousin, as well as the eulogy delivered by Brent, were just perfect. The graveside service was lovely, too. The choir sang again as family and friends gathered to say good-bye to our precious mother, a most remarkable woman.
Afterward, the church hosted a luncheon. I have never seen such a spread -- there's nothing like small town, church food to bring some comfort! Mom and dad's church has been unbelievably helpful and supportive throughout this time. I don't know what we would have done without them. Thank you, Russellville Christian Church, for so lovingly embracing our family.
Yesterday, Mother's Day, was tough for us. I was in Russellville, and dad, Lisa, Todd, Riley, Tanner and I attended church. Dad, Lisa and I later went to the cemetery to honor mom. It just all seems so unreal. . . .
And so our journey ends.
I return to work today. Lisa and family head back to California, and dad begins life without the chaos of the past week, and, of course, without mom. We are not the same.
Thank you for sharing this journey with us. This site has had nearly 15,000 visits, and you have bolstered us with more than 700 messages of support and encouragement. You have followed the highs and lows of this journey, and I hope maybe you have gained something along the way. You have touched our family, and we thank you. I know mom will be watching diligently over all of us. Love, Beth.
