We will miss the Good Moments with Our Friend...

Sunday, October 11, 2009

I know that my Heavenly Father is loving because of the sweet gifts he has given me in my life. I know that life continues on and that the ones we love will be around us supporting us in our lifetime. Sometimes it feels like they are really far away, but if we just remember the good moments in time we had with them, that brings them close to us again. Another one of my favorite people passed away today. I know what I learned today will leave a missing part in my heart until I get to meet my loving Aunt again in Heaven.

I received a call this evening from Doug that Aunt Vera died today. It is amazing how the spirit can whisper to you an action that should be taken. It almost can become something you don’t recognize anymore you just act. That is what occurred today with Vera. Sean wanted to see her and had made plans in his head about going. I had it in my mind that I would take the girls after church today. During Relief Society Sean texted me and mentioned that he was going to drop by the stake center for a quick meeting and then head to Vera’s. I texted back saying the girls and I would meet him there. It was not out of the ordinary to visit her on Sunday. We visited her a lot on Sundays and we loved it. Time with Vera was time well spent.

I have to say that today was a special gift to be with her. Vera passed away about five minutes after we left her today. She had withered down to nothing these past few months. As we were visiting with Vera today, I especially wondered why some people stay on earth in this state for so long when others leave so suddenly and when they are young. During our visit today, I remember looking over at Vera’s roommate as she was sleeping. I had to look at her twice, because she looked so lifeless. As I looked back again at the roommate I thought she looked so worn out and done. It really got me thinking about Vera. I looked at Vera and wanted her to be home to enjoy her life. I wondered how long she would be like this. I felt like she should be able to return home. However, I did not think this would be the last time I saw Vera alive. I kept telling her how we would be back to see her. It was not in my thoughts that she would leave us today.

Vera’s eyes were open and her skin coloring was good. Vera has not been able to communicate for a long time now and we miss hearing her happy voice. She has been on an oxygen machine for a while now and she was very frail. It was hard to hug her in fear that you would hurt her, but the girls loved on her nonstop today. Maybe they knew the end was near.

I remember back almost a 1 ½ years ago when we thought she was going to die. Her family moved her into a nursing home and we just cried our eyes out at the thought of losing her. We saw her the day before she was heading to the home for only a few minutes. It really felt like the end. It was just so surprising to see her in such bad condition. After she was placed in the nursing home she started to get better. She recovered and was so healthy and fun. Vera was very aware and enjoyable for a full year in the nursing home. It has only been the last 6 months that she really has not been herself.

We felt blessed to have that year with her in the nursing home. My family and I got to experience something completely different with Vera there. We played games with her in the home and the girls either sang or played the piano for her. We always loved to visit with her. I have never met anyone so positive and full of gratitude for life as I have with Vera. We missed taking her out to restaurants or taking her shopping. But to have her around that extra year was a beautiful gift.

Vera touched our lives ten times more than we touched hers, but I believe she did enjoy our company and loved us like we belonged to her. Before she moved into the nursing home she would call our home on a regular basis. It was the best to get a message from Vera. She would talk and talk saying the nicest things about us. We loved to listen to her rambling on and on about life and how grateful she was to have us. Sometimes she would call and her hearing aid wouldn’t be working and she would just talk without being able to hear us back. Those moments were wonderful and will always be treasured in my memory.

I can honestly say, I love Vera and the love she gave to my family and to me was the most precious kind of love. I loved going together with my family to spend time with her. But I also loved going to see her by myself. I remember when I first started taking her places I was worried I would not have anything to talk with her about. But her stories of life and love of the gospel were so inspiring to me. I never once didn’t just love my time spent with her. She was always so happy to get out of the house for a while. I would drive up and find her waiting for me on her driveway. I would always tell her to wait inside, but she never did.

Over the last six months I have missed the Vera I knew and loved. I wanted her to be the person I could call and visit with. She was my friend! I know now she is free from the pain and suffering of her body. She is rejoicing with all her relatives and I am positive she is meeting some special people I know up in heaven.

I am not sure my life would have been as full without her in it. Over the past 6 years my family adopted Vera as our own. I am grateful for who Vera Leeper was and what she stood for. If I could only learn to love and be as grateful as she was in her life, I would be doing great.

There are so many memories that the kids, Sean and I have of her. We spent so much time with her. I will deeply miss her presence on this earth. I am just glad I took the time to get to really know her and love her. To see the connection my children had with her is priceless. They felt loved by her and will always remember her as a big part of their lives.

WE LOVE YOU VERA. Enjoy being home where you belong.