Merry Christmas from Heaven

I still hear the songs

I still see the lights

I still feel your love

on cold wintry nights.

I still share your hopes

and all your cares

I'll even remind you

to please say all your prayers.

I just want to tell you

you still make me proud

You stand head and shoulders

above all the crowd.

Keep trying each moment

to stay in His grace

I came here before you

to help set your place.

You don't have to be

perfect all the time

He forgives you the slip

if you continue to climb.

To my family and friends

please be thankful today

I'm still close bedisde you

in a new special way.

I love you all dearly

now don't shed a tear

cause I'm spending my

Christmas with Jesus this year.

~Anonymous

May you all have a wonderfully, blessed Christmas this year.

Enjoy time with your families...they truly are precious!

With love, Martha

Happy Birthday Mom!

Monday, December 15 is my wonderful mom's birthday. She would have been 67. Too young not to be here, but what an amazing 66 years she had! I know the 30 I had with her were the best a kid could ask for. Though it's a tough day with her not here, it's a day to rejoice in the fact that she's singing Christmas carols with the heavenly choir! How I look forward to seeing her again someday!

Well, it's been awhile since I've posted anything here. I still have a final note from Mom, but I've been incredibly swamped with work to even try to post it. I figured right before Christmas would be a good time to do so!

I've been trying to get through all the thank you cards/donations, etc...and have honestly struggled. I had a hard time with dad's too, but this time around has just been so tough. I did some searching, and realized I didn't send in all the donation checks! Oops. I'm soooo sorry about that. I'll get that done this week! I tried to get that part done right away, but it's truly been crazy. That, and it was tough to do so. My students have their "holiday program" this week, so things are a wee bit hectic...but good. The kids have been working so hard; they're going to be adorable! However, am I ever ready for Christmas break!!!

I plan on keeping this blog page up, so we can keep in touch with all of you on how we are all doing. I won't lie, it's been insanely tough. I miss my mom so much I don't know how to continue some days. It's truly a blessing that I have my teaching job this year...it's forced me to get out of bed everyday. David is in Illinois, and doing well. He came home for little Caleb's 3rd birthday...it was SO good to see him again! What cool brothers I have! =) Caleb is still going a mile a minute, and is truly what keeps all of us smiling everyday. Ben and Cortney just returned from a week of skiing in Colorado, and had a wonderful time! David will be coming home for Christmas, for which I'm glad. Last year the holidays were tough...this year? Super tough. It'll be good to have him close.

I had a luncheon for all the caregivers/volunteers that helped us with mom the weekend before Thanksgiving. It was SO great to see all the ladies again...just seems weird not to see them; we were so used to seeing them every day for some time! We had a wonderful time of sharing, catching each other up, etc. What blessings they were to us! Thanksgiving was tough, as we lost another family member to cancer and a very dear family friend, but I truly am grateful for all the help, love, and support that we received through "07-08" as David and I have started calling it! =)

I want to thank each of you for your continued support, prayers, and friendship. We know that is what's keeping us going! Have a blessed holiday season...I'll be posting again next week! God bless each of you!

address correction

Calvary Christian Church is BETWEEN 25th and 36th st. on Cornhusker. It's up on the hill on the left [if coming from 25th st.] Really hard to miss!

Service is at 11:00am.

Thank you for the continued prayers...this is tough.

More service details...

Thanks for all the cards, flowers, and general support you've all shown this past week. You have made us all smile!

We're had several questions about the picnic, so here's more info for you...

The picnic is going to be "potluck style"...the West family will be supplying the tableware, drinks and sandwiches. Please feel free to bring something to share, along with chairs for yourself and your family!

We look forward to seeing you all there! {Those of you who can make it...we know many of you will be in our thoughts as we are in yours!}

Service

Hello dear family and friends. I wanted to update you all on the service details for mom. Today was a long day with lots of decisions to be made. Many mom had helped make herself, but we still had a lot to do. It hit me hard about 4:00 pm today...my mom is gone. Though she is much happier now, the person that I have devoted all my time to the past 15 months, is no longer here. I think Arlene and I both are feeling this...what are we going to do with all our free time. And honestly, if mom wouldn't have been so sick, I would gladly have sacrificed any other free time just to still have her here. This is definitely going to take time.

Due to the number of out of town friends and family, we decided to have a service next week.

A memorial service and celebration of life will be held at 11:00 am Saturday, September 13, 2008 at Calvary Christian Church, 10100 Cedar Island Rd., Bellevue, NE with a picnic at Swanson Park to follow [park is across the street...same road as the fire department, park is off to the left]. Mom really wanted a picnic...a time for family and friends to spend time together, and rejoice in the fact that our dear mother has reached her eternal home!

The home address here is 301 Orchard Drive Bellevue, NE 68005.

Memorials can be made to ALS in the Heartland or to Ravi Zacharias International Ministries {a favorite of mom’s!!}, 4725 Peachtree Corners Circle Suite 250, Norcross, GA 30092.
~~~
Mom had written a final note...I'll try to get that out to you soon. I tried today, but ended up unable to read the computer screen! Tomorrow might be a better day to try again. Keep checking this blog, as it's truly the easiest way for me to communicate with you.

Thanks to you all..

Mom is home....by Dave

My mother went to see her Father in Heaven today - in a truly beautiful, yet heart wrenching way. My sister and I were holding mom's hands, my sister-in-law went to get our brother, and we started singing "Jesus Loves Me". Mom shed her final tie and fell into the open and loving arms of her Savior.

It was beautiful, it is sad, it is a relief, it is a loss. I find myself sitting alone trying to think of ways to verbalize the emotions I am feeling, but so far, I am only able to find a dull ache.

I know mom is in Heaven, of this I do not doubt. But, being who my mother is, I know that the moment she arrived, she began to pray for us back here, and seek ways to serve the way only a heavenly bodied person can.

I sat in her room today, astounded by how many books were just in her room, not to mention all those throughout the house and garage. Thousands upon thousands of titles passed through her hands, each she poured over, each she learned from, each she retained. I have no idea how she accomplished reading so many, and yet still have time to pour her life into all those that came into contact with her.

I must say though - I miss her voice. I miss her smile and laughter, the way her eyes twinkled when she was happy, her strange yet addictive sense of humor. My mom knew how to have a good time. My mom was the most amazing woman I have ever known.

I miss my mom. But I am comforted that I will see her again. All I can do now is live my life remembering the wisdom she imparted to me, the knowledge she taught me, and the messages she shared with me.

Please, join with me through my tears and I praise the Lord for bringing home His loyal and loving servant - one more creation made beautifully perfect, one more child home at last.

Today, the saints rejoice and sing to the Most High. Today, Jesus brought my Mom home.
Our wonderful Mother - may we always remember your wisdom.

At Peace...

It is with a sad, yet grateful heart that I tell you at 2:00 pm today my mom went home to be with Jesus. We miss her terribly, yet are so thankful she is able to sing, talk, run, play her harp, and most importantly, see her Savior face to face!

David and I were sitting on either side of mom, holding her hands...Cortney was standing beside me. I commented that mom wasn't looking so good, and she went to get Ben. David and I started singing "Jesus Loves Me" [with some great harmony!]. I started singing the second verse; "Jesus loves me, He who died...Heaven's gates to open wide [mom took a big breath then]...He will wash away my sin...Let my mommy, enter in." During the chorus, Ben, Cortney, Arlene, and our neighbor Maureen came in the room...and mom was already gone. She went peacefully in her sleep...there was no struggle for breath, no fear...just peace.

We are still making arrangements for mom's service, as we know she touched many, many lives...way more than she even realized. I need to make some calls tomorrow, but will keep you posted. Our thoughts are something next Saturday, September 12, but nothing is final yet.

Thank you for your amazing love, support, and prayers during this tough time.

John 14:1-6
" 'Do not let your hearts be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I got to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you many be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.'

Thomas said to Him, 'Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?'

Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
{NKJV}