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Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Glad I Was There

Last Friday morning I woke to a strange text from my friend that she sent at 2am.  At 8:30am her daughter called to tell me her grandma most likely wouldn't make it through the day.  I made child care arrangements and immediately starting gathering their things together, expecting to spend several hours at the hospital, with friends that I consider family.

I got the kids dropped off, stopped to get flowers, drove through construction, finally found St. Joe's hospital and drove to the 6th floor in the ramp that was also under construction.

I found my way to the lobby only to have my flowers taken away.  Not allowed to have any flowers on the that floor.  If I wasn't nervous before, I sure was now.  I was shaking and holding back tears telling myself I am here for them….

Unfortunately, she passed away about a half hour before I got there.  It was painful just to see my friends in pain.  But I was glad I was there.

The wake was last night.  I texted yesterday morning that I would drop a meal off for them sometime in the afternoon.  I did just that.  Carefully setting my note on the dessert on the counter and maneuvering food around in the fridge to make room for my spaghetti bake.  While I was doing this one of the kids asked, "What's that beeping?"  I had no idea and didn't think twice.  40 minutes later I got a call asking if I had been there to drop off a meal.  I had tripped their alarm!  He had to come home from the wake to talk to the police because I had already left.  Oh, I felt horrible!  But, I was glad I was there.

This morning was very hectic.  Brecken had school in WBL.  Then we came home for me to quickly get ready, pick up my grandma and then drop the kids off at a friend's house on WB Lake.  Then we flew across town to St. Paul the entire way I had clenched fists on the steering wheel because I did not want to walk in to the funeral late.  I was going to the church a different way than I ever had before so I looked up the obit on my phone and began typing the address into my GPS….and got pulled over.
On my way to a funeral with my little 83 and half year old grandma in the car.

The Officer was very kind, after checking my insurance (temporary card - we switched when we moved) and my clipped license (I wrote the wrong address on the form at the DMV so I'm waiting for a new, new license).  He let me off without so much as a warning and was able to tell me where to make the right hand turn up ahead.  We made it in time, barely.

It was a beautiful service.  Absolutely perfect.  So so glad I was there.