Broken Hearts

Wednesday morning, September 28th, only five days ago.  Our home phone rang a little before 6 a.m.  No one calls that early, we were still asleep, the alarm was set to go off just a few minutes later than the ringing telephone.  I sat up on the side of the bed, fumbled for my glasses but couldn't find them, grabbed the phone and could barely make out the blurry 423 area code.  Tennessee, but could be my parents, my brothers, my oldest daughter or my youngest who is now attending college there.

My voice was probably a little sharp from my fear as I said hello.

My daughter, my eldest, screaming "Momma!  Momma!  Greg died!  At least that's what I thought she said but it couldn't be true!  I know I screamed "what did you say", and she said it again through the tears, Oh God....please NO!

Her husband, our son-in-law, father of our three grandchildren, Austin (15), Abbi (14) Liam (6) was gone!  How could that be, he's too young, only 37 years old.

Greg has suffered from chronic Pancreatitis since he  was 9 or 10, a young child. Dealing with this for so many years had been too hard on several major organs, so much damage that in the early morning hours on Wednesday September 28th, he suffered a heart attack in his sleep and never woke up.

The word heartbroken doesn't even come close to the pain, shock, unbelief and grief that our family is experiencing.

His funeral  service was yesterday. We all went through the motions of what was expected from us.

My pain, my loss, my grief doesn't begin to come close to my daughter's or my grandchildren's.

Greg and Shannon are high-school sweethearts. From the time they were 14 they have been a couple, a team.  For 23 years he has been a part of a family.  I can't remember a time when Greg wasn't there.

I'm in Tennessee, taking one step, one day at a time. I'm not sure how long I'll be here.  I'm not sure when I'll be back home in my sewing room, so I truly can't say how long it will be before I start writing regular blog posts again.

In the meantime, will you please just remember our family in your thoughts and prayers.  Especially pray for my daughter and grandchildren.

I'm going to close this post with a few pictures.  The first picture was taken only 2 years ago when I designed and made Greg his very own quilt for his 35th birthday.  For several years prior he would say "Maw, will you make me a quilt of my own so I don't have to share with anyone?"  :)  Thank you God that I didn't wait until it was too late to surprise him with HIS quilt!

Love your family!  Make them things!  Don't put off doing special  projects that you know would make them happy and feel loved.

I appreciate each and every one of you!