Life

I meant for these pictures to be at the bottom of the post, but haven't the energy to fix and place correctly. I am going to miss this special woman. These were our last moments with her... I can just see her laughing, rolling her eyes, cracking a joke about her appearance in these photos now, and it makes me smile through the tears.

Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that." James 4:13-15

Life. So fragile, often taken for granted, and is truly for just "a little time", "a vapor".

27 years ago today, a precious life began, a baby boy drew his first breath... my Nate entered the world, bald (compared to our babies that is), blue (took him a while to take his first breath), and beautiful. Happy Birthday Baby! After today's events, I cherish every moment with you all the more!

Life. We try to control it. Forget to thank the One who gives it. Do we cherish it?

Earlier today, my grandma, mi Abuela, drew her last breath. My Quita was amazing. Tears run down my face as I recall all the memories... her smile, her laugh, her sense of humor, her jokes, her energy, her spunky nature, her love. I remember her drilling spanish words into me, "Chicla" she would have me repeat before giving me gum. I remember all the dress-up clothes she made for us. She loved to watch us dance, twirl, and called me her "precious". I can still taste her chicken tacos, her soupita, and the little animal cookies she always had stored away for us. I know it was her prayers to the Father that carried me through some challenging times these last couple months. She prayed for us daily. I remember her warm embrace, gentle kisses, and the sparkle in her eyes when she laughed, cracked a joke. She never let the language barrier keep her from telling us how much she loved us. I couldn't have asked for a more wonderful grandma. To me, she was my only grandma and I will miss her more than words could ever express. The night before heading out of S.A., I was exhausted physically and emotionally, but I felt like I needed to see my grandparents one last time. It was late and although I needed rest for the long drive ahead, I could not push aside the heavy prompting to go see them. I know it was the Lord who placed that intense need to see them "one last time". I had no idea it truly would be the last time I would see her. She was happy, talkative, and of course, spunky. Since the visit was last minute, she had no time to put on her make-up or fix her hair and was a little embarrassed to be seen in such a disheveled state. =) She will not have to worry about that now. She is in the presence of the Lord! She is no longer struggling with pain, burdened with earthly worries and trials. She is standing before the Father!

Please say a prayer for my family as we struggle with grief and for wisdom during these difficult hours.