A time to live and a time to die

What a week it has been. My DIL drove down last week in that horrible snow storm that covered the nation down to Louisiana. Her dad, who has been in a nursing home for a few years, had a heart attack, they revived him twice only to leave him brain dead. Why would they resuscitate him twice when he has a DNR on his charts. By the time Cj and her sister made it home to Louisiana, they had to make the decision to unplug their dad. I can't even imagine how difficult a decision this was for her.

A lot of her family members were giving her a lot of grief about that decision. She weighed out what the doctors said, listened to her three siblings, her uncle and aunt and made what was the best decision for their dad. Thankfully, he passed within ten minutes. Still it is dramatic to be the one in charge of such a fateful and final decision. She longs not to be the strong one, but I tell her there is a reason for her strength. Better her than one of her siblings? I think she knows I am right.

On Tuesday, I drive to Louisiana for her dad's funeral. My sister drives from her town and meets us there. The one thing I remember when our mother died was the kindness of people that came to her grave side services. No one really new our mother because she had just moved to my town from Florida. We did not run her obit in the paper before because of the time constraints. That weekend two young boys were killed in a car wreck. I had my flower shop and we worked on all of their funeral flowers all day.

My best friend did my mother's flowers and later that day I left to go and attend my mother's funeral and then drive to Louisiana for her graveside service. While there weren't many folks there the ones that came made a difference. I returned home just in time to deliver the flowers for the two boys services. There was no time to grieve. That is just how it was. I never took any time off. I was glad that I had work to distract my thoughts, but it was hard not to let my emotions run away with those sad thoughts.

I cried for a full year. Everyday...I went to sleep crying, woke up crying and cried a whole river of tears. I cried at work, I cried when I had to make deliveries to the same hospital that she died in, I cried on every holiday. I never knew loosing my mother would hurt so much. Nothing in life prepares you for this. Nothing at all.

My DIL and her sister stayed with us the last two days before heading back to Colorado. Even though I was still sick, I know she appreciated my attendance at the funeral as well as my sister's. I can never keep a gift so I gave her all of the gifts I had been collecting for her and our son. I think that cheered her up. We went to the flower shop where I work and we bought a few more gifts. They headed back to Colorado on Thursday and made it in record time. I know she was missing her family.

That has been my week so far. I am still coughing and hacking up all this stuff in my head. I worked Friday and will go in today to finish up Valentine's orders. Then work tomorrow. Did I tell you that I am not a fan of Valentine's Day? Thank goodness it just comes once a year. I call it torture your local florist day. LOL! I will survive, but I will be stiff and sore from all of the standing.

I wish you kindness and much love.
I can't believe I am going to say this, but...Happy Valentine's Day.