BLESSINGS!!

Shirley Buoy

July 17, 1937 - December 23, 2008

We Love you and Miss You!

Hello family and friends,

First of all, I want to thank everyone soooo very much for your phone calls, cards, emails and prayers. Dad and I have been overwhelmed by all of your love and support. It's so hard to believe it's almost been 2 months since Mom went to be with the Lord. As I was reading back thru this blog and Mom's Journey, I'm so grateful to my cousin Sandy for inspiring me to do the blog. Thank you Sandy for your great idea! These memories, the pictures, and everyone's comments will always be with us and treasured.

I want to take sometime to share with all of you some very special blessings that God gave me and Dad during those last hours with Mom...

I had 2 prayer requests -

1) that I would be with Mom when she took her last breath, and

2) that I would have a chance to ask for her forgiveness for ways that I had hurt her in the past, whether directly or indirectly.

God graciously blessed me with both.

I stayed with Mom those last 2 days in the hospital and she was sleeping the entire time. The doctor had her on morphine to keep her comfortable but it made her sleep. I had just returned to her room from getting coffee and was talking to her (the nurses said she could hear me but just could not respond). Well, this time she did. I took her hand and said "Mom" and she opened her eyes and said "what"? It freaked me out at first but I thought, well here's my chance. I told her I was so sorry for things I had said and done in the past that hurt her and wanted to ask for her forgiveness. She said "Oh honey, I forgive you and I love you" and a tear rolled down her cheek and then she fell back asleep. That was the only time she woke up. Wow, I was in shock at first but realized that it was a gift God gave me and an answered prayer. Shortly after that she took her last breath and I was there with her. I asked the nurses if they would leave us and I crawled in bed with her and put the quilt over us that the hospital gave us (they have volunteers that make quilts and donate them to families who lose a loved one) and held her until Dad arrived. It was such a precious moment for me because Mom and I had never snuggled - but now we have.

Dad also had an answered prayer. The next day when Dad and I were talking, he asked me if I remembered about what time it was that Mom passed. I told him I thought it was about 9:30 p.m. All of a sudden his eyes welled up with tears and he said when he was at home last night, he looked at the clock at 9:30 p.m. and prayed that God would take Mom home. Her actual time of death was 9:40 p.m. Talk about miracles and answered prayers!

Dad seems to be doing well, all things considered. 51 years is a long time to be with someone and then to lose that person ... well, I can't imagine. We both miss Mom terribly, but knowing that we will be with her again some day is very comforting. God has been so good to us. He has blessed us with wonderful friends and family and you all continue to overwhelm us with your love, support and prayers.

Again, thank you all so very much for going thru this journey with us and may God richly bless each and every one of you.


All my love,

Stacey

Hello family and friends

Most of you by now have received the beautiful letter that Courtney, mom's granddaughter, created about her passing. Mom donated her body to science in hopes that the research done on her body would save the lives of others with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, therefore we did not have a funeral or burial service. Many of you were able to visit mom while she was still here, which made her so happy and she was very grateful for that. She only lived in Portland for 4 years, so we may have a small gathering for local friends. I will certainly let everyone know once this is decided upon.

Please check back on this blog in a few days. I have so much more to say but do not have the time to write it all now. I would love to share some blessings and miracles God gave us with mom's passing, among other things.

Thank you all so very much for your love, prayers, encouragement, support, etc. thru mom's journey, and also now, as we continue OUR journey without her. I would also like to extend my condolences to all of YOU who lost mom as a friend, sister, aunt, etc. Our family is not the only ones grieving her loss and I know she touched lots of lives and was loved by many.

Many Blessings to all as we move forward in this New Year!!

With Love,
Stacey