75 today
Jack's mom, Shirley, would have been 75 today.Boy was she full of life. She battled cancer for years and when Maddie was just 11 months old she passed away. {June of 2003} She fought hard and never gave up, assuming that she would beat it.
{This is at the airport, before our trip to Africa!}While I met her a few times when Jack and I were just 'friends' in the early/mid 90s, my relationship with her began in June of 1999. In Hawaii. How's that for a great place to begin a relationship.
Jack flew to Indonesia to help pack me up and bring me back to America after I spent 3 years there, and when Shirley heard this she came up with a plan. On your way back home, let's all meet in Hawaii. And so she began the research and the plans and before long we had ourselves a week vacation in Hawaii. What an incredible trip it was.
Jack and I spent my 30th birthday in Tokyo ... and then crossed over the International Date Line and landed in Hawaii on my 30th birthday ... and if you know anything about me, you know I like to celebrate my birthday. So began the week-long tradition of celebrating. Why stop at one day when you can have a week?
After being out of the country for a few years, I was dying for Western food. And let me tell you - we ate. Amazing breakfast buffets. Outback Steakhouse at night. McDonald's thrown in there just because, well, you know I love THAT place. That trip deserves a whole post unto itself so I'll just say we saw the sites, saw the beauty of the island and what a great re-entry back into America. Spoiled.
So I really only knew Shirley for four years. That seems really hard to believe. Seems like I knew her a lifetime. I guess it feels that way because she welcomed me into her family with open arms. I never once felt like a daughter-in-law. Never once. Always a daughter. {And Jack's dad continues to make me feel like a daughter ... not an in-law.}
{Wedding day - March 25, 2000}
{Maddie's birth; July 2002}Shirley loved the Lord. She was a prayer warrior. She had faith that could move a mountain. She was tenacious. She defined the term hard-worker. She had this amazing ability to welcome people, including them, talking with them, asking them questions, making them feel right at home. And could she play the piano? Oh MY. She was amazing. I remember her last Christmas with us, she sat down and played ... unbelievably beautiful. I am confident that she is playing in Heaven, even now, leading the angels in beautiful music to her Jesus. I'm not kidding. She was THAT good.
So today I miss her. I'm so glad Jack's dad called last night and left a message saying that today she would have been 75. I'm not so good at remembering those things. Well, I actually always remember them, but usually a day too late. So after hearing his message I've thought a lot about her today.
Makes me sad to think that she didn't get to meet Jackson. And it makes me sad to think that she only knew Maddie until she was 11 months old. And it makes me sad to know that she doesn't get to see how her son is such an AMAZING daddy to her grandchildren. She would have been so proud of him. And it makes me sad to think that Becky doesn't get to have her mom in her life. Every daughter needs their mom.
So tonight as I write this post I see the piano she bought us as a special gift to us, because of her love of the piano and music ... and it makes me think of the legacy she left. She has her two children who love the Lord. Two children who love music. Two children who work hard. Two children who love and live life to the fullest. Two children who love to laugh. And two grand-children who are enthusiastic and are well on their way to loving Jesus with all their hearts. And she has one daughter.in.law who is thankful for who she was - because who she was had and continues to have a profound impact on the amazing man I married.
{Memorial Day, 2003 - her last good day.}So we miss Mom Clark today. We continue to tell Maddie and Jackson about their Grandma Clark. They would have loved her, as all of us that knew her did.
She left a legacy of love and faith in Jesus Christ.
You are loved. You are missed.