Thursday, October 14, 2004
GOODBYE TO A YEAR OF TRIUMPH....1980
Life returned to normal. Those are magical words. Have you ever thought your life lacked excitement and adventure? Those days are far behind me. A life-and-death adventure holds all the excitement I care for……and to come home to a good life that you identify with is pure heaven.
My mother insisted on paying our utility bills while we were gone and kept Jake at her house (who was actually John’s dog)……Becky looked after mom and helped her grocery-shop, do laundry and all the things I normally did for her….George Jr. called routinely to check on us and John did the same. So many people took it on themselves to ease the burden of being away so we could devote our time to healing and physical therapy….it would be impossible to list them all. Friends ran up gigantic phone bills to talk with us every day and then call others at home to relay news. Prayer was continually offered in our behalf.
No one comes through these times alone and due to prayer, God’s mercy, loving friends and family…..each played a major roll in bringing us back. They literally “prayed” us back home. I shall always remember the love and kindness shown to us on every level throughout those 100-days.
One unusual gift arrived in our mail at Fitzsimmons during our stay there. I don’t remember when but I do remember what. John sent Warren a package and inside was a medal he won in a race. A note along with the medal said….. “I ran the race for you and you should have the medal because you are a winner. I’m glad mom is with you because she’s real good at helping someone with a handicap….after all, she raised me.” It was one of Warren’s prized possessions.
Warren was able to cope with everything except driving. He enjoyed driving and loved his car. Big news, huh?…..I think most guys can deal with almost anything except losing their privilege to drive. I started to take him someplace and while we were still in the driveway, he said…. “I sure wish I could drive…that’s the only thing I’m going to miss with this.” I shut the ignition off, got out of the driver’s seat and opened his door….he looked at me perplexed and I said… “get out…you’re going to drive!!” He hesitated as he searched my face for an explanation…I continued…. “get out” with an authoritative motion of my hand. He grabbed his crutches and bailed out….got in the driver’s seat and away we went. His smile of satisfaction was all I ever needed. Warren had his car back!!
Thanksgiving came that year on top of an early winter snow storm. Because of that, aunt Beulah was unable to come up from Arkansas and the boys didn’t make it home. I fixed a traditional dinner and mom, Becky, Hank and the children made a full table for us to share the bounty with. The boys both called but neither could come. I wouldn’t have wanted them to with the roads frozen over. Sometimes it is better not to come……
December 4th was my first anniversary with the Highway Patrol and I made coffee cakes for both crews to celebrate. On the Saturday following, we decorated the house for Christmas and started working on cards and gifts. I preferred making things for gifts to be more personal. Evenings and week-ends were spent stitching. Church activities pick up in December and Warren and I both sang in the choir so the annual cantata was always the highlight for us during that time.
Christmas day arrived and later in the morning we got a call from uncle Alfred’s doctor in Mountain Home. He passed away at 9:00am that morning. Although we had been to see him several times after coming home from Fitz we weren’t able to go see him while we were dealing with Warren’s medical crisis. He was well up in his 80’s and he just got to the point that he didn’t think life was worth it anymore. The doctor put a big guilt trip on me and I carried it for quite a while. From his point of view, uncle Alfred was a neglected senior, and he was personally glad he was gone and in a better place. In that, we agreed. I knew uncle Alfred was in a better place.
And so, on Christmas day, one family member went to heaven and we hosted aunt Beulah, John, George Jr., Becky and family and mom for dinner and gifts. It was bitter-sweet but still, a nice day to leave this life and be in the company of the Savior. The following days were busy planning uncle Alfred’s funeral, seeing George Jr. off and going back to Arkansas for the funeral.
Dale arrived the day before the funeral but had to go back to the St. Louis area to work, so he left that evening. Uncle Emil and aunt Mardelle, their son Raymond, mom, John, Warren and I were there for the funeral the next day and it was short and fitting. Uncle Alfred was a quiet man and a simple man. He didn’t want a lot of fussing but did want his funeral to be in the Jehovah Witness church. We made sure his request was granted and he was laid to rest on the 29th of December. Alfred Marins Andersen was born March 12,1892 and died December 25,1980. He was 88-years old at his time of death.
The last notation I made in my 1980 journal follows:
Thank you God for helping us through this year. As I look back over the months I can only praise you for your mercy, love and strength. For all the wonderful people we met this year I thank you..…for one moment in time….. our lives touched theirs…. and we will never be the same. We tenderly leave 1980 to memory and these pages…….as we look ahead to the new year, it is without fear…..for we know You have already written the pages……..
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
My mother insisted on paying our utility bills while we were gone and kept Jake at her house (who was actually John’s dog)……Becky looked after mom and helped her grocery-shop, do laundry and all the things I normally did for her….George Jr. called routinely to check on us and John did the same. So many people took it on themselves to ease the burden of being away so we could devote our time to healing and physical therapy….it would be impossible to list them all. Friends ran up gigantic phone bills to talk with us every day and then call others at home to relay news. Prayer was continually offered in our behalf.
No one comes through these times alone and due to prayer, God’s mercy, loving friends and family…..each played a major roll in bringing us back. They literally “prayed” us back home. I shall always remember the love and kindness shown to us on every level throughout those 100-days.
One unusual gift arrived in our mail at Fitzsimmons during our stay there. I don’t remember when but I do remember what. John sent Warren a package and inside was a medal he won in a race. A note along with the medal said….. “I ran the race for you and you should have the medal because you are a winner. I’m glad mom is with you because she’s real good at helping someone with a handicap….after all, she raised me.” It was one of Warren’s prized possessions.
Warren was able to cope with everything except driving. He enjoyed driving and loved his car. Big news, huh?…..I think most guys can deal with almost anything except losing their privilege to drive. I started to take him someplace and while we were still in the driveway, he said…. “I sure wish I could drive…that’s the only thing I’m going to miss with this.” I shut the ignition off, got out of the driver’s seat and opened his door….he looked at me perplexed and I said… “get out…you’re going to drive!!” He hesitated as he searched my face for an explanation…I continued…. “get out” with an authoritative motion of my hand. He grabbed his crutches and bailed out….got in the driver’s seat and away we went. His smile of satisfaction was all I ever needed. Warren had his car back!!
Thanksgiving came that year on top of an early winter snow storm. Because of that, aunt Beulah was unable to come up from Arkansas and the boys didn’t make it home. I fixed a traditional dinner and mom, Becky, Hank and the children made a full table for us to share the bounty with. The boys both called but neither could come. I wouldn’t have wanted them to with the roads frozen over. Sometimes it is better not to come……
December 4th was my first anniversary with the Highway Patrol and I made coffee cakes for both crews to celebrate. On the Saturday following, we decorated the house for Christmas and started working on cards and gifts. I preferred making things for gifts to be more personal. Evenings and week-ends were spent stitching. Church activities pick up in December and Warren and I both sang in the choir so the annual cantata was always the highlight for us during that time.
Christmas day arrived and later in the morning we got a call from uncle Alfred’s doctor in Mountain Home. He passed away at 9:00am that morning. Although we had been to see him several times after coming home from Fitz we weren’t able to go see him while we were dealing with Warren’s medical crisis. He was well up in his 80’s and he just got to the point that he didn’t think life was worth it anymore. The doctor put a big guilt trip on me and I carried it for quite a while. From his point of view, uncle Alfred was a neglected senior, and he was personally glad he was gone and in a better place. In that, we agreed. I knew uncle Alfred was in a better place.
And so, on Christmas day, one family member went to heaven and we hosted aunt Beulah, John, George Jr., Becky and family and mom for dinner and gifts. It was bitter-sweet but still, a nice day to leave this life and be in the company of the Savior. The following days were busy planning uncle Alfred’s funeral, seeing George Jr. off and going back to Arkansas for the funeral.
Dale arrived the day before the funeral but had to go back to the St. Louis area to work, so he left that evening. Uncle Emil and aunt Mardelle, their son Raymond, mom, John, Warren and I were there for the funeral the next day and it was short and fitting. Uncle Alfred was a quiet man and a simple man. He didn’t want a lot of fussing but did want his funeral to be in the Jehovah Witness church. We made sure his request was granted and he was laid to rest on the 29th of December. Alfred Marins Andersen was born March 12,1892 and died December 25,1980. He was 88-years old at his time of death.
The last notation I made in my 1980 journal follows:
Thank you God for helping us through this year. As I look back over the months I can only praise you for your mercy, love and strength. For all the wonderful people we met this year I thank you..…for one moment in time….. our lives touched theirs…. and we will never be the same. We tenderly leave 1980 to memory and these pages…….as we look ahead to the new year, it is without fear…..for we know You have already written the pages……..
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
