A Grateful Heart

The daily posts came to a halt last week because there were just too many other things taking up space in my mind. I was still aware of many many reasons to be grateful, but did not take the time to concentrate on posting them. Those reading the blog may not have missed them, but honestly, I did. I kept thinking about what my grateful heart would post about for the passing day, and each day had something I could have posted. My words weren't coming out very well, and the days were so filled that I decided to omit the posting part of the process. However, I am ready to play catch up.

Our weather has been quite beautiful at times and yet so cold and wet we didn't want to be outside traveling in it and we were very concerned for all who were traveling to come to the viewing and the funeral. So far our travels have been done in safety and we have heard that others have traveled safely. We are grateful for that and pray that it continues to be the same for those traveling home today.

We also worried about the conditions at the cemetery. It is so hard to want to stand out in the snow, the wind, the cold, the freezing rain, the fog, - we have had it all! Our hearts are so grateful that the wind was still, the sun was trying to shine and the temperature was at it's best. It may not have been ideal, but it was wonderful to me.

I did not get any photos of the funeral, but if I receive any in the future I'll post them here. I also plan to post the Life Sketch. We were so pleased with everything - the funeral home, the care and concern from friends, the care givers, the family gathering, the food & meals, the kindness of so many, the services, the love and comfort from above, and the list goes on. Compassion was blooming as if it were the first crocus in a snow laden garden.
THANK YOU all for everything!

We will miss the opportunity to see family daily but we look forward to the next gathering. We will especially miss the opportunity to see Mother/Grandma/Great Grandmother Idris daily - it hurts already - but we look forward to that next gathering as well. We missed Dad/Grandpa/Great Grandpa Keith when he left this mortal world. His departure left us with a bit of an empty feeling too.
I was going to write that now we have a complete empty feeling, but it just isn't quite true. There is surely an empty feeling, but it is not a complete loss. We are so grateful that FAMILIES CAN BE TOGETHER FOREVER through Heavenly Father's plan. Hope and Love fills that empty spot.

There has been a different feeling in their house as we have gathered the last few days. It will mend itself in time and life will carry on. We will learn to adapt to the new conditions and we will continue to love our family.

We have a few projects on our To Do lists and we look forward to those being started and completed - these projects will act as a sort of vessel for precious memories and a visual of our family heritage, and they will help fill those holes in our hearts. My heart is grateful for those things that remain to help us along our way, but is even more grateful for the time we spent together for the past 32 years - and the past 54 1/2 years for Terry.

Among the things we have learned from Terry's wonderful parents is that we can do hard things. We are survivors. All is well - My heart is grateful for that peaceful feeling that fills our heart and soul. And so ... we carry on ... we press forward ... we hold tightly, with both hands, to the iron rod - the word of God - 'twill safely guide us through.

Idris Egbert Hebdon Obituary

There wasn't time to get an obituary in the Royal City newspaper, so I thought I'd share this link as an option.

Kaysers Chapel

We are so thankful for your loving service and prayers on behalf of our family.
We love you!
Have a wonderful day!

We Will Miss Her!

Today was a bitter-sweet day ...

Our beloved mother, Idris Egbert Hebdon, left this mortal world and joined other loved ones above.
We are grateful that she was able to stay in her home as she wished, right up to her last day. We are grateful for her caregivers and for all who loved and blessed her life. We are grateful that her pain and suffering is over, and that peace and happiness are hers to enjoy.

A viewing will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Royal Camp, on Friday from 5pm to 7pm.
A second viewing will be held on Saturday at 10:00am, with the funeral at 11:00am, also at the church.

We bid Adieu to a wonderful lady. We are grateful for the plan of salvation, a plan of happiness, provided for us all, and we hope to be worthy to meet up with our loved ones again. We will miss her. We will love her forever and always!

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I want to share this poem from Idris' collection.

A little road was straying,
Across a little hill.
I asked, "May I go with you, Road?"
It answered, "If you will."

T'was travel stained and shabby
And dust was on its face,
Said I, "How fine to wander free
To every lovely place!

Oh if you're off to mountains,
Or if you're off to sea,
Or if you're bound across the world,
It's all the same to me."

We loitered in the sunlight
We journeyed on together
The sky was like a bluebird's wing
The wind was like a feather.

We passed a ruddy robin
Who called, "how do you do?"
And daisies shook their bonnets back
And begged, "Oh, take us too."

A squirrel briefly joined us,
A brook came hurrying down,
We wandered through a meadow gay
And by a village town.

When dusky twilight met us,
No feet so slow as mine,
"Why, there's a little house," I said,
"With windows all a-shine."

"Perhaps, since night is nearing
I'd rather rest than roam,
"I knew you would," said the little road,
"That's why I brought you home."

(Author is unknown)

Calendars, Planners, and the like!

Planners and calendars help me remember the upcoming things in my life - a necessity for me that I am happy to have.

The Doctor Was In Today

The doctor was in and we got to see her today.

WBC = 2.2(L) normal range is 4.5-11.0
RBC = 3.65(L) normal range is 4.5-5.90
Platelet Count = 41(L) normal range is 150-400
Absolute Neutrophils = 1/1(L) normal is 1.8-7.8
ALT = 84 (H) normal is 17-63
AST = 90(H) normal is 15-41


Terry has had a bit of a cold, but it seems that this cold is trying to go away on it's own, so we are pleased with that. No new meds or shots - we carry on the same.

We have an appointment at SCCA on February 2nd, and today our doctor asked if we were prepared for the possibility of them telling us that he needed another stem cell transplant. We are aware of that possibility and are trying to prepare for whatever they may tell us.

We will continue on with whatever plan they think is best and we will continue to trust their judgement - even when it seems to make us wonder in some ways. Obviously we have had some first hand experience with this disease, but they still know so much more about this disease than we do. Mostly though, we will continue to pray and turn things over to the Lord. No one knows more, nor can do more than He can. We trust Him! He is our strength and He has carried us through life this far. With Him on our side, we cannot lose.

A Monkey Puppet

This Monkey Puppet may seem like a strange thing for My Grateful Heart, but it represents Terry's childhood - it is his from long ago. I am grateful that it was saved for him and that we have it, but I am mostly grateful for the loving family he comes from.
His parents taught him well and I am so grateful for them and his family. I am so thankful that I found him - or he found me - that we found each other.

~~~~~~~

These last two posts for A Grateful Heart were inspired during my several days of working to get my decor put back up after Christmas decor was taken down. I love the Christmas decor, but I also love these special items in my everyday decor.
I think I'm finally getting to the end of setting it all back up. I'm trying to de-junk as I do. That's so hard! I'm planning on de-junking my whole house one room at a time this year.
I think I can!
I think I can!
I think I can!

A Grateful Heart Post

I am so glad that my mother saved the dress I was blessed in.
It brings joy to my heart as I see it daily - displayed in my cabinet.
It is the first of my three white dresses and I cherish it.

I am so grateful for loving parents and for the family I grew up in. I cherish them, the memories we created together, and even those yet to come.

My Heart is Grateful for Ancestors!

"Every Human being who comes to this earth is the product of generations of parents."
(Russell M. Nelson)
I love each of my ancestors and I'm so thankful for the lives they lived - they made it possible for me to be here. I look forward to meeting them someday.