Remembering Nov 26, 2008

The day before Thankgiving 2008.
So this is how I remember it...and never want to forget it. Hopice had been called in after Dad's decision to go off dialysis after 10 years. I feel being able to make this choice was a good thing. It enabled family and friends to come in and tell Dad they loved him. He was the oldest of 10...so all his brothers and sisters came in. There was a constant flow of people into the house during this time.
It had been 7 days and Dad was so ready to go. He wondered why the Lord had not taken him yet.
On that last morning mom and I lay talking in bed for a little while after we woke up. It was just after 7 and we decided to get up and check on everyone. As we walked into the bedroom Dad was sitting on the edge of the bed with Marvin and Steve watching over him. He ask for a sugar cookie and ate it. His shoulders were dropping down like a heavy weight. When asked if he were ready to lay down he nodded his head.
He had been hot and I ran to get a chill pillow to lay under his back. As we laid him down Mom and I were on one side, Steve and Marvin were on the other side. It took all of us to lay him down.
I think he only took 2 or 3 breathes after that. It was actually a perfect moment. With wife, son, daughter, and first grandchild being present with him as he left this home. He went so peacefully with us at his side. Mom felt he was waiting for us to get up from bed so he could go.
I remember Mom saying he's not breathing, and I knew in her heart she wanted to help him. I remember Marvin letting out one sob, I remember Steve being at Grandpa's feet, and I remember praying aloud, "Thank You Jesus for coming to get him...this is what we were praying for." And then I started singing "What a day that will be when Jesus I see, when I look upon His face the one who saved me by his grace....when he takes me by the hand and leads me to the promised land, what a day, glorious day that will be" Later, as we made funeral arrangements I learned that was the song Dad requested for his funeral. I didn't know that when it came from my heart in song....I am not a natural singer and really do not remember words to songs...this came from above.
As the four of us sat by Dad's bedside Dohe, Dad's little dog, jumped up on the bed and he looked up at the ceiling and he smiled (Dad taught him how to do that) We all saw that and it was amazing. What did Dohe see above us?
My first call was to Stan and then to others and each time I would tell them that my dad saw the face of Jesus at 7:30 this morning.
And that song "What a day that will be..." came from me all day. I was rejoicing that my dad was no longer in pain. He was ready...He was sure....He knew where he was going.....As he told each one of us that he would be holding the gate open for us when we got to heaven.
In the moment Dad stopped breathing in this body I felt he was recieved above, met at the gate by those he loved.
When Cindy got there she ask me how I could be so happy. It was because I had never had more faith than I had at that moment in my life. I believed that my dad was in heaven, he was made whole, he was not tied to an old tired sick body anymore.
From that moment I believed....
because My Father had told me so.

Thanks to Family

This Thanksgiving day is special because it is my dad's first anniversary in his Heavenly home. It has been one year and I remember the quick and great response of our family. Even in your sorrow you pulled together and did whatever you could to help and honor my mom, which is just what Dad would

have wanted.

We are so blessed with family that love and care for each other.

I am So Thankful for my family.

Happy Thanksgiving Love Sheryl

Our Florida Trip 2009

From the beginning our trip to Florida we felt blessed. Stan agreed to drive Triece, my mom and I to Florida on October 17, 2009

We felt that 2 more were with us on this trip...Dad and Jeremy, Triece's son who passed when he was 15. They would have been so pleased that we were taking this trip. They were with us in spirit, I am sure of that. Everytime we turned around there was a wonder, a perfect experience, or a sign. We were blessed.

We stayed in a suite right on the gulf with a great view of the beach and sunsets. It could not have been better. We were all comfortable there.

We arrived at Sunset Beach Suites just before the sunset. We actually watched it from the balcony. ****It was beautiful, as it was for every night we were there. I felt we were blessed.

Next day we went to Honeymoon Beach and Mom picked a bench to sit on while we looked for shells. *****Later when I got the photos back I noticed the bench she was sitting on had Dad's birthday carved into it.

Stan, Triece and I found the most wonderful shells on that beach. It was amazing to me...starfish, pin cushion, tulip shells, conchs..**** I felt we were being blessed with such a variety of shells.

One morning Triece and I got up to watch the sunrise from the beach. *****A seagull came to us and stayed with us for an hour and a half. It was an amazing experience. He would chase all the other birds away and come back. We did not have food. (Seagulls are Jeremys sign) He just wanted us to wait.....for the dolpins. *****5 dolphins came and played in the water in front of us. It was amazing...Triece and I followed the dolphins down the beach for half an hour. Amazing experience.

As we were walking back to our suite Triece said "Well,**** zip a dee do dah" She didn't realize that was a sign from my dad...he would sing that to Cindy.

We went to Siesta Key. Very nice beach. Triece and I waded out to a sandbar. While we were out there we could see something in the water below the surface...****It was a Shark...as big as us. It swam along the shore line and then when it got to us it turned and came directly to us...3 feet away. We prayed...prayed...prayed and it turned and went on it's way. Amazing experience. We were blessed...it wasn't hungry.
While we were at Siesta Key there was a large number of seagulls that came and circled Triece...round and round they went.*****Seagulls are a sign for Jeremy. It felt like a blessing. I stood there amazed at the sight.

We went to Fort Meyers and as we walked along the shore a live starfish floated on the wave to my feet. ****I felt blessed.Triece and I decided to enjoy this trip from above and we went parasailing. 1200 feet up. It was fantastic. What an experience!

Blessed to have someone to oh and ah with in this moment.

As.we waited for the sunset at Venice it started to sprinkle. It sprinkled enough that Mom put on her rain bonnet. ***Blessed with a Beautiful sunset and a string ray that jumped out of the water....on the way home I realized if I had turned around there would have been a rainbow behind Mom.*****Rainbows are Kayla's sign for my dad.

As we were traveling home I thought of that and then it started to sprinkle. There were trees blocking the view but I knew there would be a rainbow. I even got out my camera and waited for a part in the trees*****Sure enough, there it was..the Rainbow....later as I looked at the photos I even saw gold at the end of the rainbow.....McDonalds golden arches:)

Our last evening we went to Clearwater for the Sunset Festival. Crafts on the pier and musicians playing. As we got to the end of the pier there was a man playing a guitar. ****He was playing "Will the circle be unbroken" the 3 of us knew once again this was a special moment just for us. We stood in quiet emotional rememberance for Dad and Jeremy. Their spirits were with us.

We went back to our suite and Triece, Mom and I toasted to a wonderful trip. **** As we sat on the balcony and talked about our amazing experiences suddenly there was the brightest falling star I have ever seen.

Falling straight down in front of us. Another blessing from above.

When we were heading home we crossed over Tampa Bay bridge and I turned to tell Mom and Triece that when we were in Orlando with Cindy, Tadd and KK. Kayla and I had seen an eagle on one of the poles beside the road....Just as I said that we saw it....*****Oh my gosh..... "Well, there is an eagle flying right there!"

After seeing the rainbow Mom was talking to Marvin on the phone and telling him all that we had seen. She stumbled over her words when she was talking about the dolphins and it came out elephants.

We said that we had seen it all on this trip...What more could we even ask for? And Triece, remembering Mom's words, said we could ask to see an elephant. That would really be a sign from above. Silly Triece.

The next morning we were deciding what to have for breakfast. We drove for a while and I was watching for a Panera sign. Finally we came to an exit that had one...but it was 4 miles away....We never go that far out of our way but this time we did....that is unusual. We finished breakfast and a joke was even made about an elephant before we left. We were going back to the interstate when Stan said "There's an elephant!!" *****Unbelieveable....it was the perfect elephant!!! It was a M.T.Sowers elephant. It was made out of scrap metal and welded together. 15 feet tall and 6 tons of elephant. Yes....this was truly a sign .....

Our Trip WAS blessed from above !!! There were 2 happy souls watching over us..... Dad and Jeremy

Smiles from Heaven

From the time that Mom and Triece became friends through me, Mom has said she would love to take Triece to Florida to the beach. I always felt like that was a nice dream...something that would never happen.

Well. dreams do come true. Today, October 17, 2009, we are on our way to Florida!!

There had to be miracles for this to happen:
#1-Stan agreed to drive us there!!!!
#2 Triece's parents that live in Arkansas did not need her help.
#3 None of us are sick (H1N1 flu and other flu's going around)

I know Dad would be so pleased that Mom is going on vacation.
Smiles from Heaven

I know Dad would be so pleased that Triece gets to see the Florida he talked to her about.

Smiles from Heaven

I know that Dad would be pleased that as we travel Mom is sharing their stories.

Smiles from Heaven

So on this trip.....

in this van....

Stan

Sheryl

Eveyln

and Triece

And joining us......
in spirit..

Marv

and Jeremy.....Triece's son

Two smiles from Heaven

We went by Tall Tree Lake, a love of Dad's

and the flag was a love of Jeremy's.

Sometimes I still see Him

How can it be that sometimes I still see my dad...or rather a part of him?

The week of "Dad's Decision" family came and spent time at the house with us. One of those people was Bridget with her son, Jackson. He was only a month old. But somehow, for some reason, I think there must have been a connection made with my dad and Jackson. The first one to notice it was Wayne...Jacksons Great Grandpa and my dad's brother. Sometime after my dad passed Wayne said there a certain look that Jackson made that made him see Marv. Then others started seeing it too.

My brother was at Wayne and Rosie's when Jackson was 8 months old. Marvin made a loud laugh and Jackson gave him the Marv Look.....a steely eyed stern look. He just kept looking at Marvin with that look....Dad's look. It is unmistakable when you see it.

There are other times when Jackson grins and I see my dad's grin.

Then there was today... Wayne and Rosie were having a cookout and I took Dohe over there with me. Jackson was in his stroller and I put Dohe up close to him. Jackson reached for Dohe's face with both hands. He laughed and just held Dohe. Then he leaned in and softly hugged Dohe. I could almost hear Jackson sigh. It felt like he knew this dog....just like my dad knew this dog.
I wonder how long we will be able to see this connection? It is something that makes you stop and say, " Did you see that? That looked like Marv! "








Jackson and Marv

great, great nephew

Inch by Inch

After Dad had his leg removed below the knee he was in a nusing home for 3 months. He did everything he could to get stronger so he could go back home.

After losing his leg I went to a ladies house to complete a painting I was doing for her. As I worked on the painting we talked about teaching children at church. I was interested in all she had to say. We connected. She said that she had wrote a some songs for children and she started singing this song for me....

Inch by inch, like a little inch worm, gettin where I need to get

Inch by inch, like a little inch worm, gettin where I need to get

Sometimes I want to take a great big step.

But Jesus says, Wait, no not yet.

Cause sometimes inchin is in his plan

And I can be happy where I am.

Inch by inch like a little inch worm, gettin where I need to get.

Inch by inch, like a little inch worm I'm gettin where I need to go.

Well, as soon as she sang sometimes I want to take a great big step...but Jesus says...Wait no not yet...I started crying because I felt like this was a song for my dad. This was to be his theme...inch by inch...one step at a time. I felt like I had met this lady just so that I could hear this song. She touched over lives with one little song that made a big difference. I printed this song for my dad and it was near his doorway where he could read it daily.

Until the end that was my Dad's theme song. At first it was inch by inch for healing. Then it was inch by inch for getting out of the nursing home. (He got to be home for 3 months.) Then it was our theme song for getting closer to heaven. I sang it to him often. I sang it to him our last night together. He would watch me as I sang it, sometimes with a smile, sometimes with a tear. I think he saw me as his little girl when I sang it. What a wonderful memory.

The day I went back to work at the flower shop after Dad's passing I recieved a sign. As I put a red bow in a flower arrangement I saw a little inch worm inching along the bow. In December!!! God does send signs--all is well, Dad is good, He made it there. A real live inch worm was there for me to see and be amazed by God's love for me!

"Sowers" and Rainbows

Kayla had a connection to her great grandpa, "Sowers", since she was born. She knew instinctively when someone would need comfort and cuddle with them. We would bring her every Wednesday to have lunch with "Sowers" and Great Grandma. He gave her the first graham cracker she ate. So he was her "Graham-Pa" When she was able to talk Kayla called him "Sowers"

When she got a front tooth knocked out when she was 3. "Sowers" put black tape over his front tooth so they would look alike.

When she learned to walk he would take her by the hand. Later when he had trouble walking she would take him by the hand and say, "I'll help you"

She watched out for her "Sowers" She loved her "Sowers"

The day Sowers passed Kayla was watching for a sign from God that Sowers was there. We told her sometimes you don't get a sign. But God knew she needed this. And to our surprise in minutes after asking Kayla recieved her sign. A rainbow in the sky. That is what she had ask God for. Not only was there one, there were 2 rainbows in the sky. Her "Sowers" was there.

Kayla asked us, "Can Sowers make rainbows now?" We said "N0, but he can ask God to." And thank God he made a rainbow for Kayla just when she needed a sign from Sowers.

Kayla has been very happy to see many rainbows this year. She knows "Sowers" is watching over her. Kayla's Rainbow on day that "Sowers" passed

November 26, 2008