This last year has been a rough one for us. Tom's mom was diagnosed with cancer at the beginning of the year and went through some pretty tough treatments, surgeries, and rehab. We spent much of spring and summer driving back and forth to Toronto to visit her.
Things were looking positive - her hair had grown back, she was learning to walk again - when in July she got the news that the cancer had returned and there was nothing the doctors could do. The rest of the year quickly became about spending as much of the short time we had left with her - playing cards, watching movies, looking through photo albums, just being there.
During the first weeks of December it was obvious that the pain was getting worse, and three days before Christmas she passed away. The holidays were so very difficult - instead of parties and laughing, there was funeral planning and long stretches of silence.
The funeral was held this past Saturday. The church was absolutely packed - so many people considered her a friend. To paraphrase the eulogy, she may not have been curing diseases or saving endangered animals, but there is no one who knew her who can say that the world wasn't a better place for having her in it.
So, I know my posting has been sporadic this year, but I hope you'll forgive me. Tom & I are checking out some new opportunities, and we're looking forward to taking on some bigger projects - like finally getting that master bath done once and for all. We really took our time with the kitchen, to the point where it stopped being fun. And we don't want to ever lose the joy we get from DIY. I hope you stick around to see what changes we make to this little house of ours.
Happy New Year to my friends (yes, I consider you all my friends), and here's to making some outstanding memories in 2014.
I"m so sorry for your loss. We had almost the same situation as my father passed away just 2 days before Christmas. It is such a difficult time to lose a loved one as the mood is in complete contrast with the mood of Christmas. I found it hard to keep the Christmas planning and the funeral planning together in my brain and to switch between them. From the looks of it your mother-in-law was younger than my father which was one consolation that he had lived a good long life. I hope you can take comfort in your memories you had with her. hugs.
ReplyDeleteOh Grace, I'm so sorry for the loss of your father. That must be so difficult. Mickey was fairly young - 66 - but loss at any time is hard.
ReplyDeleteI am very lucky that she and I got closer this past year and I have wonderful memories of our time together.
I'll be thinking of you.