An angel in our midst...

My heart aches tonight.

I sit in a hotel room, hundreds of miles away from my home, and I can’t help but finally let reality sink in.

On a family vacation that we have spent months looking forward to, I have just received word that my dear friend H has gone to be with the Lord.

I ache in so many ways…

I ache because she is no longer here to shine her smile at the world…

I ache because I can’t quite picture how tomorrow will look when I wake up and she’s not in it…

I ache because I can’t imagine the pain that her precious family is feeling right now…

I ache because many of you never had the chance to know my dear friend…

Many of you never had the chance to know her love that made you feel like you were the most important person in the world…

Many of you never had the opportunity to hear her bring stories to life for countless children…

Many of you never knew her long silky hair that flowed with each step she took…

Many of you never knew the fighter that she was and her determination to overcome sickness and be a testimony of God’s goodness.

Many of you never knew my friend H… and now she is gone.

And yet; as my son so quietly reminded me tonight through tears…

“Mommy, I am sad, but Gramma H is with Jesus now…you’ll get to see her again.”

Oh Ayden, how right you are.

How precious the words from your mouth sound in this moment.

Through my tears I imagine my dear friend marveling at the beauty of Heaven’s birds...

I imagine my precious friend planting millions of pansies outside her castle in the sky. ..

I imagine my faithful Sister covered with children as she brings books to life and teaches little
ones how to love art as much as she does…

I imagine my sweet friend who is now dancing with Jesus as her hair flows in the breeze with one beautiful braid cascading down the side.

Oh Lord, thank you for sending her to us.

We ache to let her go, but we now realize that she was always just an angel on loan to us for such a short time.

And so my dear sweet friend H, Gramma H, Helenya; we thank you for being here with us.

We will miss you more than words can say and, although the pain is immense, we know where you are and we thank the Lord that He allowed us to be loved by an angel in our midst.

You are our angel and you will be with us forever.

I love you.

Cyndie