Yesterday, I received some sad news. But first, I have to give you some background information.
Three summers ago, I worked as as a teacher at my church’s summer preschool program. I was assigned the 13-18 month class. I have five or six little ones to care for.
During our three months together, one of my little girls’ father lost his battle with lung cancer. He left behind four children and a wife who was very much in love with him. It was an incredibly sad time.
I went back to my regular job that August, but the mom and I greeted each other fondly whenever our paths crossed. Her second eldest child was on the school swim team with Rooster the next two years, so I got to renew my friendship with her youngest, who had been my charge that summer. We laughed as we recalled her daughter’s neon green poop diapers that gave me the gaggies that summer. It was weeks before I figured out that mom was feeding her Apple Jacks for breakfast each morning.
Wednesday night, the mom passed away in her sleep; a heart attack is suspected as the culprit.
Chicky shared the news with me yesterday when she got home from school. She had run into some of the girls from church…friends of the children. The family is active in our church. Chicky knew that I had been personally involved with them that summer.
Needless to say, I was shocked.
These poor children are now parentless. The oldest is in 9th grade, and the youngest (my former pupil) had her preschool graduation last night…sans Mom.
I spoke to one of their close family friends. Her stepdaughter had been my helper that summer, so I felt comfortable calling. She said that everyone has been walking around numb. All that she knew was that the funeral will be on Monday.
My heart is so sad for the tragedy that has fallen on this family time and time again. Several years ago, they lost a baby…the one between the third and fourth children. Little Miss had arrived a year later, turning grief into joy. Then, to lose a father…and now a mom who laughed easily, jumped in her PJ’s as soon as she could each day (sometimes as early as 3pm), and lived as easy a life as she could despite having her hands full with four active children.
Please pray for them. Pray specifically that wise decisions will be made as to the care of the children. I pray that they would somehow trust that this is part of God’s perfect plan for each of their lives. Nothing happens without His allowing it, as awful as that sometimes seems.
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