June 15, 2005 was a Wednesday ... a Wednesday that began with me stopping by the little apartment that my mom had moved into when she moved from Tennessee to Kansas City six weeks earlier. I was dropping off some food and some roses for Mom, and I was quiet as I placed the food in her fridge and the flowers in a vase on her kitchen table. I went into her bedroom and smiled at her tiny sleeping body in the bed that seemed so huge around her. She was snoring ... Mom was always a snorer ... as I kissed her gently on her forehead and lingered for a few moments soaking in the beauty of her 85-year-old face. I slipped out to head to work for the day after I left a note on the table next to the flowers. I remember thinking about Mom and the joy she had brought to me and my children during the six weeks she had lived near us several times throughout the day as I worked. I had lived away from Mom for more than 15 years, and I was cherishing every moment I was able to spend with her only five minutes from my house. And I know that my children made memories with their Granny during that time that will stay in their hearts forever. It was a sweet and precious time for us ... a sweet and precious time indeed.
That same evening, my Mom went home ... not to Tennessee ... Mom went home to be with her Lord. I had talked with her only a half-hour before my son Brad and I entered her apartment and discovered she was gone. I remember one of the paramedics taking my hand and telling me that Mom went peacefully ... the plate with the apple she was eating when I spoke with her on my way home from work still perched in her lap and Wheel of Fortune was showing on the TV. He said, "Your mom closed her eyes in sleep, maam, and woke up in glory." I'll never forget that gentleman's words ... never ever.
Those of you who've been reading my blog for a while probably recall times when I've written about my son Matt's penchant for nicknaming people, dogs, cars ... he nicknames just about anything really. Poor little C.J. ... his favorite nickname for my granddaughter is "Milky" ... I can only hope that she will give her daddy a fit for that when she's older. Matt had a nickname for Mom that stuck with her for many years ... he called her Galoop. I have no idea where he came up with that moniker for his Granny, but I do know that it always made her smile whenever Matt would say, "Hey, Galoop!" I got very weepy at work today thinking about Mom and Matt, and how much she loved him. Mom and Matt ... seven years ago today, Mom left her home in Kansas and headed to her new home in heaven ... two weeks from today, Matt will leave his home in Kansas and head for his new home in Canada. Mom would have been so proud of Matt, and she would have been tickled pink to see that C.J. looks so much like her daddy.
I miss you, Galoop ... I miss you in a big, big way.
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