Why is it this time of year when a loved one falls ill it seems so much more difficult? This past May one of my dear aunts was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer. They had found the cancer in one lung and in her liver. I was so saddened by the news of my aunt's cancer and I don't ever remember a time in my life of every feeling completely helpless! I wanted so DESPERATELY to make a journey "back home" to VA to see my aunt. I couldn't imagine something happening to her and me never seeing her again! I was racking my brain trying to figure out how to afford to make the trip back to VA from HI and make sure I was home in HI just in case my husband was able to come home for R &R from Iraq (since that wasn't a definite at the time). Of course they began a serious series of chemo 3 times a week for 3 weeks off 2 weeks and start again. Fortunately after all her chemo from June until Sep. the cancer shrunk in her liver and lung and eventually was gone! Prayers of MANY had been answered. Of course many in our family had really began to reflect on how precious our loved ones are to us.
My cousin decided for Christmas for her mom (my aunt) she would make a book for her, written by all those who have been touched by my aunt through the years. What a wonderful idea! Sadly around Thanksgiving my aunt confided in my mom that she wasn't feeling so well again and thought that the cancer was back. A couple weeks later my mom tells me there's something I need to know and proceeded to tell me that my aunt thought the cancer was back. Since Thanksgiving and talking to my family on the phone I'd already started to become "homesick". It had been nearly a year since I'd seen my family. Less than 2 weeks ago our families fears were confirmed, the cancer is back, this time larger and in both lungs and her liver.
I'm not sure why I feel the need to blog about this other than my heart is so heavy. I miss my family, I am scared for my aunt, I worry about my cousins and the rest of my family. My Aunt is just a beautiful, beautiful person and has meant so much to so many and I know when she is called home to be with our Heavenly Father it will be a great loss for our entire family and many others.
Maybe I just want to let everyone know to please make sure you tell those that you love how much you love them. Life is precious and we can't take it for granted. I know that my aunt will LOVE her book and cherish it, as will many of our family members in the years to come. Sometimes the most precious gifts are those that come from the heart and the hand. With that being said here are my heart felt memories.... And I would ask that you just pray for my family and especially for my aunt for whatever the future may hold. Pray for peace for all of us and that my aunt not suffer.
A Lifetime of Memories
Dear Aunt G,
Memories? I have so many memories of you through the years; I don’t even know where to start. I guess I will start by saying I always loved coming to your house from the time I can remember until today. Going to your house is like “going home”. I always know there’s a place for me, or anyone else for that matter. When I was a little girl I loved to come spend the night at your house. I loved just spending time with you, even if we didn’t do anything “special”. Some fond memories are swimming at “The Acres”, going to play BINGO at the VFW, and cleaning house like crazy on Wed. nights (I think that’s right) before V L was coming to clean the next day, and you always cooked me some sort of potatoes cause you knew how much I love them! It’s kind of funny how a lot of my memories of you involve food. One of my favorite “food memories” is the family get togethers on Sundays, just because it was family time! You, Mom, & Uncle D helped instill something very special in our life and that’s to treasure our family. Through the years we’ve eaten many Thanksgiving and Easter meals both in ________ & ________, and lets not forget the Forth of July!
Many of my memories of you make me laugh!
I think I was about 14 or 15 this one time. I remember it as it was yesterday. It was Sunday evening and we were watching TV in the “den” (Bobby’s old room), I think we were watching America’s Funnies home videos. You were on one end of the couch, Mom on the other, V sprawled out in the middle of the floor and me in the chair. You decided you wanted a snack and off to the kitchen you went and came back with a block of cheese & a knife. We all shared a couple slices of cheese, and then you handed over the cheese to V and me. I was in HEAVEN Aunt G! Mom never gave us a block of cheese and a knife just to eat (now she would give us a couple slices here or there)! V ate a couple more slices and there I was, I kept cutting & eating. I don’t know how much cheese I’d eaten, but it was quite a bit, when suddenly you say, “Veronica, you aren’t gonna shit for days”!
Then there was the mule… what was her name, Genni? A trip to visit K at college, and listening to Dwight Yoakam all the way there and back. You were quite entertaining singing along with him as we drove along those roads. Oh, when we got home I didn’t think I’d ever want to hear Dwight Yoakam sing again. Now, when I hear him on the radio I just get a smile and think of you and wonder if you still love to hear him sing.
How about playing games, when we’d go to the VFW and play BINGO I always thought you were funny. You would get so darn excited. But I gotta tell ya that didn’t hold a candle to when we started having parties at V’s house in ______ and we’d play games. OH my goodness you would get so flustered and excited. But, I think I will remember as long as I live playing gestures and you laughing so hard you pee’d your pants!
But my fondest memories will forever be the kind and loving person that you are. You have always been the one who would do whatever you could for anyone. Growing up my momma always talked about the special things you did for her and for others. Taking care of Grandma Bonnie when she was sick, being there for Granddaddy when she died and how you and Uncle D took Uncle J into your home to raise when you were so young and had young children of your own. Watching D for Mom, and how you took care of D and me (an infant) when Mom nearly bled to death after having V and me. And I remember when Mom and Dad separated you always helped out with us kids. And when Uncle J passed away you were there again, taking care of everyone. That ice storm around Easter one year when we had no power and we all stayed at your house. And through the years your love and care has been a huge part of who the C family (the big picture) is! You have done so much for so many and not just people in our family.
Remember our trips to Nags Head, NC with Granddaddy & Nathalie to go fishing. Remember the one time we all went shopping. Oh I LOVED that Christmas shop we went to. I had never seen so much Christmas in one place as in that little shop in NC and I don’t think I have since then. It was such a beautiful place. Remember we were walking through there and just marveling at all the decorations? And then, there it was a tree full of doves! With this glorious, big, white dove at the top of the tree. Mom fell in love with it IMMEDIATELY and then she looked at the price tag and put the dove away. Moving on to the next section of the store you get V and I away from Mom and slip some money into our hands along with your car keys with the instructions to “go buy that bird and take it to the car and come straight back”. V and I go get the dove, take it to the register where they wrapped it with care and we rushed off to the car. We spent a lot of time going to different stores that day. Then of course we have to bring all the packages in to see what everyone had “found” that day. Oh how surprised Mom was when she opened that package with that Dove in it. “Oh G, you shouldn’t have!” But, she loved that dove and secretly so did I. How many other special gifts you’ve given to countless others with your thoughtfulness and love.
The day Mom passed that dove on to me was a very special day. That dove reminds me of all the love that wraps around me regardless of where I am. Each year when it’s time to decorate the tree I get out the box that holds one of my most precious life treasures, open it and carefully unwrap that dove and fold open his wings. I think of you, I think of my mom and I rejoice that I have been blessed to have you in my life. And forever that dove will sit atop my tree as a reminder of the special people in my life. Aunt G, thank you for a lifetime of memories and love!
I love you forever and always!
Veronica
