Monday Jan 29, 2007. Got the call early in the middle of the night that Mom wasn't looking too well. Bill didn't think she would make it much longer. Hospice was called in on Thurs and the nurse had come to the house to make Mom as comfortable as possible. Well, Keener got on the plane immediately and Dave wasn't far behind. Paula and the boys got the quickest reservation they could and Teresa and I found a miracle reservation/connection that had us leaving Spokane that day and arriving in Redding by 4:30pm. We were all hustling to get there to sing and pray our Mother into the presence of the Lord. .. but God had other plans. On the freeway, on the way to the airport, I got the call that Mom had passed. Even though we knew it was going to happen and happen fast, it still shocked me to center of my heart. I didn't know it would affect me this strongly. Even though we have so much to be thankful for; Mom passing on in her own bed, no more suffering, no senility, no old age, blah, blah, blah....it still hurts. So, yes, The Lord did help Mom and took her out of this place to a better one... but all we wanted was one more little moment with her, like we had with Aunt Lilla. We wanted to sing around her and pray and be there when she passed. Even though "doctrinally" we know God is sovereign and He knows best... we are still struggling with the "why".. just a little gift from You oh Lord that would help us have closure. Poor little Keener even got in bed with her and cuddled up to her and asked her what she wanted to wear to the funeral home. You know how much Mom like looking good... Anyway, I saw her at the viewing and even though she looked peaceful... it wasn't my Mom, just a shell. It was so shocking and I wish I didn't have that as my last memory. It's funny how much I am thinking about her now and how sweet memories come flooding in at the strangest times. My heart is actually physically hurting. I am so thankful that we all listened and got to see her before she got too bad. I am so blessed and thankful that Trece and Pauli got to pray and dance with her less that a week before she passed. Thank you Lord, for the strength and the inspiration and unity you gave us to find the right words to compose her obituary. and the pictures... wow!! to go and find just the right ones. Even the people in the newspaper office commented on it. And the beautiful poem Karlee wrote to her Nanny from her heart and Dave's poem that was included in her program. And all the wonderful family that came and supported each other and the cousins..WOW! the love was amazing. and then there was all the help from the Pastor and the church family and friends. Mom was loved and she left quite a legacy. Her Celebration service was unlike any I had ever attended..and to think she didn't even want one..:)..We went back into the kitchen and thanked the ladies who prepared the meal. On each linen white table cloth was a bunch of tulle and a beautiful teacup with an arrangement in it. Just the way Mom would have loved. God did get the glory on this one. Me, Di and Keener both want to get back into a church family because of all the love they saw. Over 250 people were there..WOW!
Mom gave, and those seeds she planted came back to us. We are now her legacy and we intend to honor that and do her proud. Only God knows how many lives she touched.. everyone loved her.

I guess the hardest part was seeing all the people she loved and knowing that she would have been so, so, so, very happy to have been in the middle of it. Our little "Hostess with the Mostest"who dreamed of all of us together..and we were... but she wasn't there...at least not physically..

but Mom you were there.. in our hearts .. in the way we carry ourselves... in our table manners... in our love for others...in our hand gestures... our smiles... in our laugh..and in our crazy goofy ways... in the style of "the Dawns'.. you know they dressed to please you. Amber even wore polka dots.. your fave. and Karlee...she looked like a little princess. Those little apples sure didn't fall far from the tree.
Oh, and my, oh my, how handsome were all those grandsons. Mom you would have been so proud of everyone and yet so very sad for Bill. He was the one who looked so forlorned. He was like a lost pup..We all plan to stay in touch and not let him get too far...