Hello to all of our loyal Ava followers. She is doing great. She had her stitches removed from her index finger last Thursday. Daddy surprised us by taking off work and meeting us at the doctor’s office. She loves her Daddy.
Ava was very leery of letting the nurse have her finger. So she watched the nurse the entire time. You should have seen the CROCODILE tears.
It broke my heart and I knew it hurt her but she was very still. It did bleed a bit and then stopped. I had gotten her a surprise (Dora necklace) if she agreed to be very still and let the nurse take them out. Ava came through with flying colors. Yet again I was proud of her for being so brave!
Ava’s finger looks like this today. Thank the good Lord she was able to keep it. As you can see her fingernail is still on but we know it will fall off and doctor is not sure it will ever grow back. If I know Ava and how her body works it WILL come back and stronger than before. Praise God!
Our lives changed forever on May 1st, my grandfather passed away. Ava and I for the last 8 months had been caring for my grandfather every morning (Monday – Friday). Our family was bound and determined to carry out grandpa’s wishes of staying in his home as long as possible. A few weeks ago he became very sick and more confused and he ended up in the hospital. We then found out that with all his health issues and continued problems that the doctors thought his time here on earth was drawing to an end. My Mother arranged for Hospice to come and help us with his care. A little after a week from coming home from the hospital I went over as I did every morning and found him in a large pool of blood. I quickly made arrangements for someone to come and get Ava as I knew this was very serious. My mother, her sister and her brother stayed there round the clock caring for my grandfather. So many family and friends came to say their good buys. I have never felt so much love in all my life. I am so proud to be apart of my family. Everyone came together and we all shared good moments and well not so good moments of my grandpa’s life. (If you know grandpa you know what I mean :) One thing I can always say about my grandpa is that he appreciated every single thing I ever did for him. It warmed my heart when the hospice nurse put on his new clear Oxygen tubing and he immediately told her that was my job and no one could do it as good as me! I am honored that I could really get to know my grandpa the last 8 months. He knew all I had been through with Ava and constantly told me how even though I wasn’t technically a “nurse” I could be his nurse any day, because I knew it all!
Grandpa didn’t die that day but continued to fight for another four days. He died Saturday morning in his own bed at home with all of us around him. It was such an incredible experience I will never forget. Love, love, love surrounded him! We held him and knew he was in Heaven and that he was no longer in pain and that he was now totally whole again! My Mother reassured him that he could go and that we would all be okay. He was free to go join my grandma. Thirty seconds later he took his last breath.
I can definitely say Ava gets her strength and stamina from her Great Grandfather James. I will miss him greatly. I was again blessed to be able to sing at his funeral. I sang,
“My Savior First of All”.
When my life work is ended, and I cross the swelling tide,
When the bright and glorious morning I shall see;
I shall know my Redeemer when I reach the other side,
And His smile will be the first to welcome me.
Chorus
I shall know Him, I shall know Him,
And redeemed by His side I shall stand,
I shall know Him, I shall know Him,
By the print of the nails in His hand.
Oh, the soul thrilling rapture when I view His blessèd face,
And the luster of His kindly beaming eye;
How my full heart will praise Him for the mercy, love and grace,
That prepare for me a mansion in the sky.
Oh, the dear ones in glory, how they beckon me to come,
And our parting at the river I recall;
To the sweet vales of Eden they will sing my welcome home;
But I long to meet my Savior first of all.
Through the gates to the city in a robe of spotless white,
He will lead me where no tears will ever fall;
In the glad song of ages I shall mingle with delight;
But I long to meet my Savior first of all.
To hear the song you can go to http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/m/y/mysavior.htm
My sister Amanda and I sang “In The Garden” since it fit perfect with his life.
He was an avid gardener and sold Vegetables out of his garage for 15 years. He even sold to Faith Hill without knowing it. I have to share this story. She was jogging by his vegetable stand early one morning. She came up and asked if she could take some and then come by later to pay him. He told her he didn’t do that. An hour or so later she came back in a limo and asked him if he had ever heard of her. He simply said “No.” We of course we stunned. That is our grandpa. No one could beat him out of money, not even Faith Hill!
Here is Lexis and Emeline near his Great Grandchildren collage at the funeral.
I love you Grandpa!
I took advantage of having all my family at his funeral. I had just purchased a very expensive camera hoping to take off in my photography business. I told them all I wanted to get a family picture. We have a very large family. I have five sisters and one brother. (Mom tells me to tell everyone they are all from the same Mom and Dad :) Love that! So here is my beautiful family. As I said before I am extremely proud to be apart of such a Blessed group. The Diercks Family from left to right Rachel, Mary, Tamra, David, Ron, Donna, Amanda, Tina, and me (Terri).
Here all of us kids are with my Dad’s parents. It had been a good fifteen years or longer since our whole family has taken a family picture. I am thrilled!!
The days that followed grandpa’s death we were given beautiful rainbows. Here is one I captured on camera right behind his house. Though bad times are never fun God sends us His blessed assurance that one day we too will see His face. It is only Good bye for a little while.
Thanks for taking the time to read. Life is such a gift. It must be cherished!
~Terri
