Seven days, 168 hours

It's so hard to believe that this time last week I had just left Theron's side for the last time.  We left to go have dinner at Justin and Sarah's house as we did many times before, came back about an hour and a half later and he was gone from our lives in a fleeting moment. Probably left us as we were driving back home just before we got back to check on him. He had gone to the bathroom and had sat on the commode and just went to sleep. Peacefully, with his head proped in his hand leaning against the wall. You'd have never known he was gone from us.

 Moma and daddy had gotten there just seconds before we did and daddy was coming out telling me to go in and try to talk to him because he thought he was gone. I rushed in and grabbed his neck. He was gone. I grabbed a towel and wrapped around him and held him for nearly an hour until they made me let him go to take him away from us. That was our time there in the dark with only the light from the full moon and the security lights outside. I needed it. Moma brought the kids in and I grabbed their hands and let them touch his still warm neck and head. That calmed them completely and from then on they were fine. A peace came over them.

We had his funeral on Wednesday. I was able to let everyone hear the voice recording I was sneaky enough to get while he was at my house one day. After he told his story of the black cat and the hat, we played "Grandpa, tell me bout the good ol days" by the Judd's. He also had Old Rugged Cross by Alan Jackson and Go Rest High by Vince Gill. I wrote several things about him and a story about me and him. It was a very good funeral and there were many people in attendance. I was so proud. I sat with uncle Glynn. I wanted to be close to him because it made me feel close to Theron. His casket was absolutely beautiful, made from wood from an old barn built by the Amish. The inside had and old barn and farm scene. It was Perfect for him.

The weather could not have been more beautiful. He kept saying he didn't care how he got out of that bed, he just wanted to get out. He wanted to be outside and the day he got outside it was gorgeous. After his funeral we decided it was the perfect time to plant the potatoes. 9 rows went in the ground that day. He would be proud of that. I believe he had a hand in that weather. Nothin but sun with a touch of wind. Perfection. 

One of the toughest things about this week has been me wanting to pick up the phone and call him to tell him something or go to his house and tell him we got the potatoes planted or how it's been raining or about the weather or just see how he's doing  :(.   The kids miss him a lot. We will get through this. He's still with us just not here.

This Journey We Call Life

I just left Theron and grannie's about two hours ago and as I'm laying here in a king sized bed, one the same size as theirs, I can't help but wonder as I look over at my sleeping husband, did Theron use to lay in the bed at nite and wonder what it was gonna be like when he was old? Did he think about how he would die, what would be the cause for him leaving this life as we know it? Did he ever wonder what would be the ending to his journey?

I have thought about these things before but not like I have lately. I wonder how old might I be when I die (I mean, I don't wanna know by any means! Just curious) or maybe, just maybe I'll be blessed enough to see all my kids grow up and have families......that's my dream. :) I wouldn't/couldn't ask for more. 

When I sit by his bedside (which is quite often these days) I wonder what is going through his mind while he is sleeping (which he does a lot of these days). Is he dreaming of days gone by? Does he see angels? Does he see death? Last week he told us that a woman visited him in the middle of the nite 320 a.m. to be exact and she had black hair, black eyes and was wearing a black dress. She tried to get him to go with her and he told her to leave. I told him he can ONLY go with the ones wearing white. 

Death is a hard thing. Watching it. Understanding it. I guess the only thing that can make it easier is having FAITH in what happens AFTER it.........

The Betty Wash Hole

We'll, I must say that this weekend turned out to be one of the best weekends EVER!!! It all started with a decent nites rest. Helped mum get Grannie and Theron up and at 'me and then got myself up and at 'em and headed to Tifton for lunch at Cracker Barrel with mum, dad and all of mine. :) I can't say when that has happened last!

Whilst we we were there, talk of Betty wash hole (Betty, not Betty's) came up between my daddy and Jake and that caught my attention. How had Jake heard of this place but I had not? I jumped on this when I found it was in the woods by our house and I had never been. Right then, I decided since it had gone from snowing to 73 in four days that we were going on an adventure when we got home! The kids were excited! 

I learned another little piece of the past and that's one of my favorite things. Let's not call it history because I DO. NOT. LIKE. HISTORY! Just the past..... As in " the olden days "

Here we are on our way to the Betty (Betty, not Betty's) Wash Hole? How many of y'all are wondering just what that is?  Hold your horses! You'll find out soon enough!

Little did I know that we were getting our very own tour guide to take us to the Betty wash hole. Rivers is calling for the guide to let him know we are ready. He has been here many times and spent many days here with his brothers and sisters swimming and fishing.   :)

I finally snuck a picture of this one. He does not cooperate!

The Betty wash hole is on the land that used to belong to the Shepards. This was their house.

YAY!!!  The tour guide has arrived!

Pretty berries along the way to the Betty wash hole.

Through the pasture.......I'm getting left behind whilst documenting this little journey.

Now we are getting to the forest/woods/thicket/stuff that is gonna get caught in my hair and yank the snot out of it!?)$&@&$-!?

Oh my! Dinosaur bones!!!!!!!!!

Now comes the dangerous part! We must climb a fence! 

Another piece of the past....an army helmet....I never knew wars were fought in this part!?

I know,I know, it's not an army helmet but my kids thought it was cool. We can pretend can't we!?

And here it is! The Betty Wash Hole!!!!! Betty used to come here and wash her clothes. Way back before they had washing machines. Way back when my grandpa and his brothers and sister were kids and when my daddy and his brothers and sisters were kids. Betty came to her wash hole and washed her clothes.  The kids, on the other hand, came to fish and swim in the wash hole. 

My daddy said it had been forty years at least since he had been back in these woods where he spent a lot of his younger years. It was neat to watch him as he walked around and looked about. You could tell he was going wayyyyyy back in the day in his mind.

Here's Ben at Betty Wash Hole wishing he had a fishing pole just knowing he could round up a fish or two outta those shallow but somewhat deeper waters.

Here's daddy telling Jake the exact spot he found the old Coca-Cola sign that Jake still has to this day. 

We will definitely be visiting this spot again. I do believe Justin, his mini-me and SIL need to visit Betty Wash Hole. It's a gem!

This was a very pretty tree trunk that caught my eye. I bet it was a wee oakling when my grandpa and his siblings tromped through these woods.

The best tour guide ever.  Taking it in. Actually he was waiting on Ben and me. My hair kept getting stuck in EVERYTHING that I walked by and Ben wouldn't leave my side for anything! Daddy said the trek seemed a lot further when he was a wee sprout way back when.

As we came back out we came upon two other gems.  One was an old GMC truck of the 50-52 era.

I can't believe of all of my 32 years of living out in this neck of the woods I NEVER knew this was here!!!

And an ORANGE Ford Maverick!!! Freakin' AWESOME!!!!! SIL's favorite color.

Anyway, this was our Sunday adventure to Betty Wash Hole. We loved it! We don't go venturing out through the woods too often (at least I don't because spiders live out there!!!!!!) but maybe we can get in a few more before it gets warm and the spiders hatch out!