My Dash

I get forwarded e-mails all the time just like everyone else, but this one from Lorie was worth sharing here, especially in light of what my family has been through.


I read of a man who stood to speak
at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
from the beginning...to the end.

He noted that first came her date of birth
and spoke the following date with tears,
but he said what mattered most of all
was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time
that she spent alive on earth,
and now only those who loved her,
know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not how much we own,
the cars...the house...the cash;
what matters is how we live and love,
and how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard...
Are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left,
that can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
to consider what's true and real,
and always try to understand
the way other people feel,
and be less quick to anger,
and show appreciation more,
and love the people in our lives
like we've never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect,
and more often wear a smile.
Remembering that this special dash
might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy's being read
with your life's actions to rehash;
would you be proud of the things they say
about how you spent your dash?


I'm glad you're in my dash.

Happy Birthday Lorne!

Today is Lorne's 31st birthday. He is working today so I will bake his birthday cake while he's gone as a surprise. We're both watching our weight so I am hesitant to bake anything, but everyone needs a cake on their birthday!

I love to shop for birthdays. I ordered all of Sawyer's presents online. They started coming in on Friday and Saturday. It was like Christmas around here. We got four different packages on Saturday so Lorne was giving me a hard time. I told him it was because Amazon ships in numerous packages to expedite their shipping. I'm not sure he bought it though.


Sawyer before bathtime Friday playing with Daddy's Nemesis Factor game. He likes it because it lights up.

We had a great weekend. We went to Fishmonger's for seafood on Saturday for Lorne's birthday. His first choice was ribs at Tony Roma's but they have apparently closed down sometime in the past year since we've been there. Maybe they'd still be open if we'd gone more. We went to have seafood as his second choice. It was pretty deserted at the restaurant. We figured everyone must have been barbecuing or out on the lake.

Lorne is building a flower bed in the back yard. We went to Home Depot last Tuesday to order the retaining wall bricks, lumber, and sand. They were delivered on Thursday. Lorne worked on his project on Saturday and Sunday while I stayed inside with Sawyer. It's going to look really nice when he gets it all finished. It is definitely a work in progress.


Lorne working hard on his flower bed.

We went to Jeremy and Denise's house for dinner Saturday night. Jeremy's parents were in town so we were invited over for pork tenderloin, beans, carrots, and fruit. Denise made a delicious Tiramisu for dessert. I ate a piece, but apparently Jeremy was joking when he said it was low fat. I found out later that it wasn't. When we got home I looked it up in my Weight Watchers book and one piece is ten points. Yikes! Needless to say, it has been a long few days without any Flex points since I used them all on Saturday.


Sawyer had fun playing in his empty Pampers box on Saturday. He giggled while I pushed and spun him around the living room.


We played with the box on Sunday too. Why did I spend money on birthday presents? He could just play with our empty boxes.

Sawyer took a bath in the big tub for the first time last night. He started crawling out of his duck tub so I knew that it was time for the transition. I was afraid that he would slip and fall when he was climbing. I still need to buy some of those non-skid bathtub appliques. I found some rubber ducky ones online that I might get. I'm thinking about redecorating the guest bathroom with ducks in the future. I think that would be cute! I'm not sure how our guests would feel about that though.


Sawyer with his baby mohawk.


He always tries to drink out of the cup I use to rinse him...yuck!


He laughs when I rinse the shampoo out of his hair.


Thanks Daddy for taking my picture!

Sawyer's Month in Review

Sawyer has started doing so many new things in the month that we've been back home. I'll try and get everyone caught up. Let's see, I took him off the bottle cold turkey the week that we got back. He always seemed to hate the bottle anyway, so I didn't think that it would be any big deal to go the cold turkey route and I was right. He's still not too crazy about the formula, but he's doing much better with a cup. I'm not sure that I should call them cups; they are more like bottles with straws. They're Nuby Sport Sippers. He also drinks well from the Nuby Gripper Cup which has a spout. The main thing is that he is off the bottle by one year of age which is apparently an important thing to do.

Last week I started slowly adding whole milk to his feedings. He drinks six ounces of formula three times a day and now we're up to half formula and half whole milk. Everything that I read recommends not starting whole milk until twelve months, but he's already eating cheese, cottage cheese, and yogurt, so I didn't anticipate that there would be too many problems. Besides, what's a few weeks? He seems to be doing fine so far. Some of my friends use organic whole milk, but I'm not sure that it makes that big of a difference. That is one of my questions for his next well-check. Now I need to start getting rid of the pacifier I guess. He only takes it before naps and bedtime, but I feel like I should ask Dr. Darrow to see what she says.

Another thing that he started doing the week we got back was pulling himself to a stand. It is always amazing to watch him master a new task because it always looks like he has been doing it his entire life (all eleven months of it). After a few days of pulling to a stand he started cruising. He started pretty gingerly at first, but now he seems to be getting more adventurous. I'm hoping that he will be walking in the near future, or AM I? :)

I think that his Leap Frog Learning Band Walker is helping the process along. Lorne actually rigged two of the wheels to slow them down. He added some screws to the wheel so that they won't spin as quickly. Leave it to the engineer in the family. It kept getting away from Sawyer while he was walking behind it because it doesn't have brakes. He would start walking and then fall to his knees and push it across the floor. Now he is able to practice his walking a little longer before he falls.

He also started climbing the stairs. He learned the art of stair climbing while we were at Larry and Velma's house. There is a step between their utility room and kitchen and he quickly became enthralled with climbing from one room to the next. We knew it would be only a matter of time before he began climbing here at home too. We knew that we had to start babyproofing. We initially went to Home Depot and bought some plastic gates there, but they were so cheaply made that I ended up returning them and ordering the well-made (read: more expensive) steel variety online. We have one at the doorway into the kitchen and one at the doorway into the game room. Lorne installed a wooden one at the base of the stairs, and we'll be adding one to the top of the stairs soon.

Sawyer and I were at Rick and Priscilla's house on May 10th to help with an open house they were hosting for Rick's faculty and staff from the junior high where he works as a principal. I volunteered to make some appetizers and desserts and also to be there to help. Sawyer began to wave AND say bye-bye while we were there. He had been waving for a few weeks, but the talking was all new...his first official word! Yay! All of the guests waved and said bye-bye back like it was no big deal and I was freaking out because I'd never seen him do that before, especially not simultaneously. I was one proud Mama. He is still working on doing it on command though. Most of the time he waves after the person is gone which is gosh darn cute too I must say.

I can't remember the date, but he started saying "Mama" before "Dada" which I have heard is rare. Apparently the daddies usually come first. I don't think he is making the association with the word yet though. He actually started saying Dada yesterday. Lorne accused me of brainwashing our son, but I promise that he did it all on his own! Velma said that is an Old Wives tale that a girl is in our future. I'm leery of those Old Wives most of the time, but in this case I hope they're right!

Sawyer started clapping on Saturday. Larry and Velma were here visiting and we were checking out model train stores on Friday after having lunch with Lorne. Larry got Sawyer out of his car seat at each destination and he would start clapping when Larry opened the door. He spent the rest of the weekend clapping for himself pretty much every time he did anything. Sawyer is still a total ham in case anyone was wondering!

He has been trying to cut his one-year molars since the first of May. I took him to see Dr. Darrow on May 1st because his gums were very swollen and had purple bumps in two places. I looked it up in my book and they are hematomas. It mentioned that they would go away on their own. I figured that was the case but when I called the nurse said that I should bring him in just to be sure because she wasn't sure over the phone what I was describing. It was a periodontal hematoma just like I suspected. Dr. Darrow said that there might be more bleeding than normal when they cut through but other than that all would be normal. He cut the top two which makes ten teeth total, but those bottom two are being stubborn. His gums are so swollen that it hurts me. I just wish they would come through already. He has done pretty well during the process. He has been fussy at times, but still a great baby through it all for the most part.

I guess that catches everyone up on our little man. From now on I will be back to posting on recent events like I had been doing prior to last month. I hope that everyone enjoys their holiday weekend. Happy Memorial Day everyone!


I tried to get a shot of Sawyer clapping.


I can't get enough of this grin! The other day while he was in his high chair I asked him, "How big is Sawyer?" He raised his arms over his head on his own to answer me, "So big!" That was an awesome moment! He understood me!


Sawyer loves to throw his blocks and pretty much anything else he can get his hands on. He throws with both hands even though he is usually only holding one thing at a time.


I took this picture to show how much taller he has gotten. His feet will be reaching the foot rest in no time.


Sawyer in what I call baby jail. He is none too pleased with the addition of the gates. He pulls himself up and attempts to shake them.

Sawyer is Eleven Months Old!

Here are Sawyer's eleven month pictures. I can't decide if I will continue to take these monthly pictures after he's twelve months old. Any thoughts?



Sawyer actually ignored the bear for a second so that I could snap this shot.


I knew the bear was a goner. It was just a matter of time.


He loves to pull himself up onto the cedar chest.

Congratulations Wil '06!

Wil graduated from Texas A&M on Saturday, May 13, at 9:00 a.m. It was an early morning for all who attended. I left Wylie at 5:00 to get there in time. Lorne stayed home with Sawyer since it would have been a very long day for him if we had brought him. We tossed around the idea of getting a hotel for Friday night but decided this would probably work out for the best for Sawyer in the long run. I actually enjoyed my time alone on the drive down. I couldn't believe this was my fifth A&M graduation.

Wil graduated Magna Cum Laude (I believe) with a Bachelor's in Civil Engineering. He was nominated and/or received numerous awards including University and Foundation Honors, the Brown Foundation-Earl Rudder Memorial Outstanding Student Award, and was an Undergraduate Fellow. He wore the yellow honor stole which included three separate patches for his various awards. It was a great day and I was so happy that I was able to be in attendance.

I found myself daydreaming about my own A&M graduation day. It was hard to believe that it had been almost seven years to the day since I graduated. I remember marching onto that same arena floor, sitting in the same seats, walking across the same stage, and meeting my family afterwards in that same corridor. Lorne hugged me once we met and said, "You're all mine now." That is a day that I will not soon forget. We always said Aggie rings before wedding rings and my dream had become a reality. I was a college graduate! It may be the same exact ceremony for thousands of Aggies, but the experience and the memories are as unique as the graduates themselves.

OK, back to Wil... :) We had lunch at Rudy's BBQ after the ceremony. Dawn and Philip left the ceremony early so they met us there. Mom and I got there a little late because I took the scenic route. You would think I could find my way around College Station after living there for four years but I guess not!

Wil is interning in Dallas over the summer. He was telling me how it will be his first time to live in a real "city." I laughed and agreed. I remember thinking that College Station was a pretty big city, but Court was from Houston and Mel was close to Austin so it was much smaller for them. I figured any place with more than one stop light was a step up for me.

I am hoping that he will call us while he is in town so that we can either meet him for dinner or have him over. He is attending UT in the fall to begin his Masters. We got him maps for his gift. Lorne received a map of Dallas from Aunt Net when he graduated and he still remembers that as a great gift. We thought we'd do the same for Wil. When he saw the box he said, "No one gives actual gifts anymore!" I got to thinking about it and he's right. I know that I'm guilty of giving gift cards or just cash nine times out of ten.


Megan, Wil, Aunt Dodie, and Uncle Billy after the ceremony.


The proud parents! Wil created a delta for the top of his cap since it is the symbol for change.


Wil with Uncle Billy's parents.


Aunt Net, Wil, Tracy, and Uncle Greg.


Mom rode to the ceremony with Aunt Net, Uncle Greg, and Tracy.


Mom and I at Rudy's BBQ. I wanted a picture of Mom and I to send to Dad.


Wil and I after he opened his presents from us.

Jackie's Shower

Jackie's Van Vleck baby shower was held on April 22 at Larry and Velma's house. It was great to get together for a happy occasion for a change. It couldn't have come at a better time. Everyone had a great time and Jackie got some wonderful gifts for baby Kayla.

Kayla's nursery is decorated in butterflies and flowers and I found the perfect invitations and tableware for the shower. We served chicken salad on mini croissants, stuffed peppers, petit fours, mints, fruit with dip, and punch. Velma got the most awesome chicken salad from work and Mom made the peppers. I got the petit fours from Maureen's bakery in Sugar Land. They were amazing! Mom came over Thursday and we made the mints in the shape of bottles, booties, and diaper pins. We had a good time making them, but Mom and Velma were giving me a hard time because I was trying to have even numbers of each. That OCD can kick in when you least expect it! :)

Larry worked all week to get their yard in tip-top shape. He was mowing, weeding, planting, and fertilizing all week. They have the most beautiful flower beds and their shady patio and porch swing are perfect for spending a lazy afternoon.

It wouldn't be a baby shower without games. We played a Hide and Seek game where Lorne and I hid baby-related items around the house before the shower and everyone had to find them. In the next game we played Baby Price is Right. I passed around ten or so baby items and everyone had to guess the price to the closest dollar. Our last game was the Smell the Diaper game that we played at my Wylie shower. I almost burned the house down trying to melt candy in one of the diapers. After that I decided it would be safer to just melt the candy in a dish and transfer it into the diaper. I am SO brilliant!


I had to take a picture of the table!


Jackie with the hostesses. Larry and Velma were so sweet to open their home so that we could have the shower there.


Karen and Norma playing the "Smell the Diaper" game.


I promised Britt that I wouldn't post a picture of her sniffing a diaper...you're welcome. :)


Aunt Dodie, Aunt Net, and Tracy playing the diaper game.


Jackie seemed to really enjoy her shower!

Sawyer's First Easter

Mom's side of the family had Easter at Aunt Dodie and Uncle Billy's house instead of Nanny and Poppo's this year. It was so nice because they have so much more space (and restrooms)! They also have a basketball goal which kept the guys entertained for the entire afternoon. Uncle Billy grilled hamburgers and we had chips and dip, fruit, and bunny cake. We didn't make it to Easter last year so I was really happy to be there. I just wish Lorne could have been there too.

Lorne wasn't able to be there for Sawyer's first Easter and he was really sad. He stayed in Dallas and worked until April 21st. Larry rode back with us when we came home on April 10th after Aunt Tisha's funeral. He, Sawyer, and I drove back down to Van Vleck on the following Friday, April 14th. We went down early so that we could meet at Aunt Tisha's house on April 15th to go through her things. Sawyer and I stayed at Larry and Velma's until Lorne flew down on the 21st. Jackie's shower was on that Saturday. The three of us drove back to Wylie on April 23rd. Needless to say, April was pretty much a blur. Sawyer and I spent more time in Van Vleck than we did in Wylie.


Lorie and Rachael. Rachael brought her wedding photos from February. We all gathered around the table to see them. Lorie is pregnant with their third child and is so excited.


Lorie and Kenneth's kids Kaden and Lucas. They didn't have time to take a picture...there were eggs to hunt!


Tammy gave Sawyer a little chick for Easter.


Dawn is due June 10th and Jackie is due June 15th. They're getting close!


Luckily Nanny's world-famous bunny cake travels well.

Sawyer is Ten Months Old!

No, it's not a typo. I know that Sawyer is actually eleven months old. I am just now posting the ten month pictures thanks to Canon. I will get over my Canon bitterness, just give me a few months! :) This week I am planning to post pictures from Easter, Jackie's baby shower, Wil's graduation, and Sawyer's eleven month pics. My plan is to be back up-to-date after this week and get back to posting on a regular basis.


This is a common expression during bear pictures these days!


I moved him to the couch but I still don't think that he was too impressed.


Finally a smile!

See Ya Next Week

Just a quick note to say that my camera was returned via FedEx yesterday ($100 later), so My Mangled Meanderings will be up and running again next week. Denise and Sophia are coming over today for a playdate so it's cleaning day around here. I'm going to Aggieland tomorrow for my cousin Wil's graduation. Lorne gets to stay home with the little man since the graduation starts at 9:00 a.m.

Happy early Mother's Day to everyone! I am so excited that it's going to be my first "official" Mother's Day. Lorne's going to grill for dinner so that I won't have to cook. That's the best present EVER!

Monday I am determined to get back to blogging WITH PICTURES!

Stay tuned....

Back to Normal?

Hello everyone. I am slowly getting back to blogging again. Our life has been pretty crazy these last three weeks. It's also been tough to blog since I've lost one of my loyal readers (and commenters) in Aunt Tisha. I know the following posts are really long, but I will be back to my usual format as soon as I can. I'm mostly just wanting to document how the month of April has been for our family.

On a side note, DON'T BUY A CANON CAMERA!!!! Ours went on the fritz and wouldn't turn on exactly one month after the one-year warranty expired (of course!) Needless to say, I will be short on pictures for a while. I did retrieve onto a CD the ones from my memory card. As soon as Lorne teaches me how to view them I will have some pictures from Jackie's baby shower and of Sawyer.

I'd like to close with my favorite scripture as a tribute to Aunt Tisha:

"The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make his face to shine upon you,
and be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
and give you peace."

Numbers 6:24-26

I Still Can't Believe You're Gone

I'm trying really hard to get back into some kind of routine around here. I just feel kind of hollow right now. I feel like I'm going about my normal day but it all feels so different. I went to Weight Watchers Wednesday and then out to lunch with Lorne. It felt weird to think that life has been going on as normal since April 7th when Aunt Tisha died. I still can't believe that she's really gone. I know that we all deal with grief differently, but I wish that I could feel better already. I have never lost someone this close to me before. My Papa died when I was just six and my Nana died in 2002, but she and I were never close so I didn't feel like this when she died which is horrible to say but it's true.

Mom called the morning of April 4th as I mentioned in a previous post. She said that Aunt Tisha was asking for Dad and that Uncle Larry said that we needed to get down there to see her. Mom got a call from Paula who is married to Uncle Larry's brother George. I just knew that this was a bad sign. We were told starting in December that AT couldn't have any visitors PERIOD. Even Dad didn't get to come into the house when he went to see her before he left for Wyoming. That has been the toughest part to get over I think. It has been so hard not knowing exactly what the doctors were telling her, and not being able to SEE her and hug her. I would talk to her on the phone but it just wasn't the same. Now I am feeling so much guilt over that, too, because I know that I could have called her, should have called her more. Why oh why didn't I call her more? Now I can never talk to her again. If you love someone let them know every chance you get because you never know when will be the last.

Mom said that she was trying to get Dad on a plane that day and that he would fly into Hobby Airport. I was thinking that I could also catch a Southwest flight and be at Hobby around the same time as Dad. My level-headed husband came to the rescue like he always does. He said that he could get the rest of the week off and that we could all go down as a family. We hit the road around 7:30 that night and got into Van Vleck around 1:00 Wednesday morning. Dad got the last seat on the last flight and got into Houston around 9:00 and he and Mom met Matthew and Jackie at M.D. Anderson. They only got to see AT for a few minutes I think.

Lorne and I rode up to M.D. Anderson with Mom and Dad on Wednesday morning. Sawyer stayed with Lorne's dad. He and Sawyer went to get Velma from work that afternoon. I was not prepared for what I saw when we got there. AT wasn't there. I mean, she was there, but it just wasn't her anymore. I would never get to see the true AT again. That broke my heart. We were in her room for about two minutes when she asked us to leave. As we were walking out she said. "I loved ya'll." That was more than I could take...she LOVED us; past tense. I remember Lorne reaching out for me to hug me once we left the room but I turned away. I don't know why I did that, but I couldn't be consoled in that moment.

Mark drove in that morning from Louisiana and he and Matthew and Jackie met us at the hospital. I can't remember if they went to see her that morning or not. We spent what seemed like hours in a little family room waiting for them to release AT to hospice care. They told UL that there was nothing more that they could do and so he said that he was taking her home. He wanted her final days to be spent at her home. She was taken by ambulance and we all followed.

The rest of the day and the days that followed were like a surreal blur. I could never wrap my brain around what was happening. How could AT be dying? Why was this happening, why now, why her? I had so many questions and so much anger, but it was never addressed, never mentioned. We just spent hours and hours talking about stuff that didn't even matter. We were doing anything to keep our minds off of what was happening only a few doors away.

Uncle Larry told us repeatedly that he was glad that we were there. I kept wishing that I could have been there when she was feeling better. I wish that she hadn't had that stupid infection for all of those months and we could have had more time. Why couldn't we have been given more time?

George, Paula, and her sister Renee were there with us on Wednesday. Renee flew in on Wednesday and was going to be able to stay for a week. She was also a friend of AT's. I know this whole experience was also extremely difficult for her. She was not only a friend but she also helped the hospice nurses. I know that she must have had a really long night Wednesday because the hospice nurses weren't there yet to help.

I went in to see AT every once in a while. She kept telling me that I could go, that everyone in the living room could go home. I told her that I had come down to see her and that I wasn't going anywhere. It was tough to hear her repeating that, but I knew that she probably didn't know what she was saying at that point.

We went back to VV on Wednesday night. It was so great to see Sawyer after such a stressful and exhausting day. Lorne stayed with Sawyer on Thursday. I rode back to Sugar Land with Mom and Dad on Thursday morning. The hospice case manager was there when we got there. She told us that she was giving AT 24-36 hours to live based on her vitals and that was at 9:00 a.m. She died at 8:05 Friday night. She had twenty-four hour hospice care from that point. Sharon was the first nurse and she was really nice. She encouraged me to talk to AT and spend as much time with her as I wanted. I remember one time that I was in with AT and she was especially restless. I asked AT to think of the fields of England and Scotland with the lush greenery and to feel the wind rushing through her hair. I asked her if she remembered and she said she remembered. She rested for almost twenty minutes after that. I just stood there, stroking her hair and her cheeks, feeling like the most helpless person in the world.

Lorne and Sawyer spend the day at Ty and Jamie's house in Sugar Land. They were just a few minutes down the road so they stopped by the house after Sawyer had lunch. We had been debating for the previous few days whether or not it would be okay for her to see Sawyer. We asked the VITAS (hospice) case manager and she said she thought it would be wonderful for AT to see him. Neither Lorne nor I were worried about Sawyer's reaction. He is too young to even remember the encounter at all, and if the nurse said that it would be a positive experience for Aunt Tisha then we were all for it.

We brought him in to see her and something truly magical happened. Her face lit up into a smile as she exclaimed, "There he is! Hi Sawyer!" It was like a miracle. It looked as if she had just awoken from a nap, not like she had only a few hours left with us on Earth. Sawyer stroked her cheek with his chubby baby hands in much the same way that I had been only a few hours before. I was so glad that I got to be there in that moment. Mom mentioned that she wouldn't be going back into her bedroom because that was how she wanted to remember Aunt Tisha. It was a moment that I will forever cherish.

Lorne and Sawyer headed back to Ty and Jamie's house soon after that. Uncle Larry's mother and some close friends were there that afternoon also. One of Uncle Larry's brothers (he has four) and his wife also visited for a while.

I told Mom and Dad that I wanted to stay the night that night. I didn't want to leave. When Nana died I found out from Mark over the phone while I was at Melissa's house in San Antonio. Nana had a closed casket so I never got to "say goodbye" and that is something that I will never forget. I didn't want to miss that chance this time.

Uncle Larry told us on Thursday that she had requested a closed casket, no visitation, a gravesite only service, and that she wanted to be buried next to her father if possible. Uncle Larry spoke with her and prayed with her around 4:30 Thursday morning and then he never went back into her room as far as I can remember. She also stopped asking for him from that point on. It was as if they had both made their peace with what was about to happen. All day Wednesday and even before that he didn't leave her side except for minutes at a time. She would ask for him every time that one of us would sit with her for a few minutes while he took some time for himself. He had a shower Wednesday for the first time in four days. I can only imagine how difficult this entire experience has been for him. I can imagine that he must feel like he has lost a part of himself, part of his very soul.

It was so surreal to be discussing Aunt Tisha's funeral requests. I asked him about what she would wear and if Mom and I needed to go shopping. He said that she wanted to wear something from her closet. I also asked if we needed to buy anything for him and he said the same for himself. He began to speak about pallbearers and asked Dad how the boys would feel about it. He said that he would leave the decision up to them. Paula called the funeral home to let them know that someone would probably be calling in the next few days. She also started to gather items that she had requested be buried with her: an angel, a cross, her bible, her favorite cards and letters from friends and family. She is holding a framed picture of Sawyer. I put in three of his pictures and wrote, "God Bless you GAT, and may you rest in peace" on the back. Uncle Larry asked if I could speak at the funeral. I was so honored that he would ask me. I had secretly been thinking of what I would say if I were asked. I then started to pray for the strength to do that final thing for her. It felt so strange and wrong to be doing these things and thinking this way before she was even gone but in all honesty it gave me something to think about, a task to accomplish at a time when I felt like there was nothing that I could do.

Dad drove back to VV Thursday night to get some clothes for us. He stopped by to let the dogs out and to get my clothes from Larry and Velma's. Dad later told me that when their father was dying the doctors all told them to go home, that there wasn't anything that they could do. He said that Aunt Tisha didn't want to go but that he persuaded her. Papa died thirty minutes after they left. He said that he would stay however long that I wanted to be with her.

Thursday night was more of the same. A new nurse, Marcia, came in around 8:00. I didn't like this nurse as much as Sharon. She mostly sat outside of Aunt Tisha's bedroom and didn't encourage us to come in and sit like Sharon. Looking back I guess that was because the end was approaching. Renee was still helping as much as she could. The rest of us chatted and tried to pass the time.

Friday came and Aunt Avis and her daughter Janis came to visit. Aunt Avis is Dad's only living aunt. She was married to one of Nana's brothers. She and Aunt Tisha had grown close over the years. Aunt Tisha would meet her at First Colony Mall for lunch from time to time. I think that was Friday, but to tell the truth it may have been Thursday. The days kind of jumbled up around that time.

That morning a new nurse named Cynthia came to help. She was very sweet too. Mom and I went to Kroger to buy groceries. We came back and Uncle Larry told us that there hadn't been this much food in their house over the last thirty years! I remember that we kept offering Cynthia something to eat and she kept saying no, but she would finally cave and take some chocolate chip cookies. I even brought her some while she was on her way out.

I went into the room around 6:30 to get Renee for a call from VITAS that she had received. I wish that I hadn't because it was not a sight that I want to remember. Shortly after that Dad had mentioned that he wanted to go in to see her but I subtly suggested that he not go in and I'm glad that I did since she passed away so soon after that.

I never even got the name of the next nurse who came in. She got there around 7:30 and Aunt Tisha passed away at 8:05. I felt really bad for her because she had to stay and do all of the paperwork. She had to wait for the coroner to come and officially pronounce and everything else that goes along with someone dying. I know she does it for a living but she just looked really uncomfortable the entire time.

Mom, Paula, George, and I were sitting in the breakfast nook. Paula said that she was staying at her house that night so she was getting ready to leave. Dad was sitting in the living room with Uncle Larry. I saw Renee come out. I'd been holding my breath, watching that particular door open and close for the past three days, wondering if this time would be THE time. She whispered something to Dad. She put her hand on his shoulder and I just knew. I walked in while she was telling Uncle Larry. I heard her say that they were unable to find a heartbeat. It was such a strange moment of release mixed with pain and sorrow. It was finally over. She would never hurt again.

Soon after that I went in and said a prayer at her bedside. I thanked God for taking her quickly and asked that he watch over our family during this difficult time. I chose an outfit from her closet. I chose the outfit that she wore to Sawyer's baptism party the previous summer. I also remember seeing her wear this particular outfit a few other times too so I knew it was one of her favorites.

Mom, Dad, and I went to Matthew's and Jackie's house so that we could tell them in person. They seemed to know what Dad was going to say even before he said it. We didn't spend too long there so that we could get back to the house.

AT was still there when we got back. The coroner had come and gone and we were waiting for the funeral home representatives to get there. I found it really ironic that they asked that we leave the room when they wheeled her body to the car waiting outside. I will not go into detail here, but death is ugly. There is little to no dignity left at that point. I didn't see why I had to leave the room to watch her blanket-covered body be wheeled out when I was in the room while the nurses were doing everything that they could do to make her comfortable over the past three days. The worst part was over in my opinion.

We stayed at the house again Friday night. I hadn't seen Sawyer in over twenty-four hours and it was pure anguish. I was so torn between wanting to be with him and wanting to be at Aunt Tisha's house. I wish that I'd gone to VV because I think that I slept about two hours that night. Saturday morning Uncle Larry, Dad, George, and Paula went to the funeral home to make arrangements. Mom and I stayed at the house to answer the phone and take care of some loose ends. Looking back I wish that I could have gone to the funeral home so that I could have seen her one last time. I guess that even if I had I would still be wishing for that "one last time."

It was decided that the services would be the next day, Palm Sunday, at 10 a.m. I was worried that there wouldn't be many people in attendance since it was Palm Sunday. I guess that we will never know one way or the other. I couldn't say for sure how many people were there but there were quite a few.

The funeral home e-mailed Uncle Larry the obituary they had written based on the information they had been given that morning. Uncle Larry asked that I proofread it and send it back in time to be published. Mom and I spent about forty-five minutes reading and re-reading the document, making sure that everything was correct. I mailed it back and met Lorne and Sawyer at Ty and Jamie's house.

I crashed once I got there but it was a strange feeling of adrenaline and exhaustion. I couldn't relax for the life of me. I am not much of a relaxed person to begin with, but this was so much worse. We all went to dinner together and I felt like I did when Sawyer was first born and I was only sleeping two hours at a time. I also felt kind of out of touch with reality after spending the past three days in AT's house day in and day out.

I was so glad to see Sawyer again. I don't think that he even noticed that I was gone! I think that his daddy and his grandparents did a great job of taking care of him. Not that I was worried or anything. :)

The funeral was on Sunday. Lorne, Matthew, and Mark were among the honorary pallbearers. I didn't know until we got there that Sawyer was one as well. I left him home with Lorne's dad. Had I known I may have brought him to the funeral. I guess that Lorne could have held him while he stood with the others behind the casket. I was too worried about what would happen if he started to cry or wanted me to hold him while I was speaking.

I was the first to speak at the service and I was very pleased at how composed I was. All I can say is that Aunt Tisha must have been reading over my shoulder, guiding me and giving me the strength to get through my eulogy. I am going to post what I wrote and also what Uncle Larry wrote in another post.

I was so disappointed when I spoke with the gentleman from the funeral home and found out that he never received my updated copy of the obituary. I don't understand why he wouldn't have called and asked if we were going to send it or not. I blame sleep deprivation on me not calling myself to be sure that it was received.

I sent the updated version to all of AT's friends in her address book. I felt like it was the least that I could do. How bad does it look for an educator of over thirty years to have typos and grammatical errors in her obituary? I was so aggravated but I just keep telling myself that I have to get over it and move on.

Aunt Tisha 1946-2006

Here is the CORRECTED version of Aunt Tisha's obituary. I have removed last names to try and ensure some anonymity.


Letitia, age 59, of Sugar Land, died Friday, April 7, 2006, at her home following a lengthy illness. She was born on November 15, 1946, in Wharton, Texas, daughter of the late David and Melba.
She was a 1964 graduate of Boling High School and attended Wharton County Junior College. She obtained her Bachelors and Masters Degrees in English and Library Science at Sam Houston State University. She worked as a teacher of high school English in Fort Bend ISD for over thirty years. She married Charles on January 26, 1967, in Boling. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, the Fort Bend Friends and Neighbors, the Joy of Living Bible Class, and the First Baptist Church of Sugar Land. She enjoyed travel, antiques, painting, and arts and crafts. She often said that she felt right at home in Home Depot.
Graveside services will be held 10:00 a.m. Sunday, April 9, 2006, at Evergreen Memorial Park in Wharton with Dr. James officiating.
Survivors include her husband Charles, of Sugar Land, brother Marion and wife Patricia of Van Vleck, niece Kelly, her husband Lorne, and their son Sawyer; nephews Matthew and wife Jackie, and Mark, and numerous relatives, friends, and neighbors.
If desiring, memorials may be made to Fort Bend Friends and Neighbors, the Joy of Living Bible Class at Sugar Land Methodist Church, the American Cancer Society or the charity of your choice.

The Eulogies

Good morning. Uncle Larry prepared a few thoughts and asked me to share them with you.

Letitia and I have lived and loved with so many special moments in our love of more than 44 years since July 11, 1961. She was such a special gift from God to me that I want to praise His name through her while I share just a smidgeon of those highlights—love that we talked and prayed about in our final hours of special time together; we then prayed together of God’s boundless gifts to us as man and wife and the release of her earthly body to join her heavenly friends and receive the rapture of God’s open arms.

One of those special memories track to high school days—holding hands every morning in the bleachers and avoiding the scrutiny of watchful eyes. I told her that these minutes are etched in my mind forever because I was the proudest person on earth. I had touched the top of the world just to be with her.

I remember well the time I called her for our first date, and I was so shy that I hid in a friend’s closet. All I could hear from my end was Letitia asking her Mom about a date to the movies and her Mom asking back, “Is he one of those boys from Boling?” I knew I was in for trouble.

On another occasion we had decided that the time was at hand for a marriage arrangement, so we approached Pa and Ma about their permission. Her Mom spoke to her directly, “Are you pregnant?” And I told her that Letitia was God’s Angel and of Pure Gold—I would never violate her sanctity. She was worth more to me than money and jewels could ever buy, nor any earthly wealth.

We then promised to join hands again when God decided that the time is right for us to rejoin our hands together once more.

PRAISE BE TO GOD for her boundless love for me, her family, and her friends, and the many lives she touched through her 32 years as an English teacher.

Now I’d like to close with a few of my favorite memories.

“Aunt Tisha is here! Aunt Tisha is here!” I announced as soon as she and Uncle Larry pulled into our driveway each Christmas morning, their arms filled with goodies. We pigged out on Mom’s seafood feast, all the while jockeying for the two coveted seats next to Aunt Tisha. Two sides, three kids, you do the math! We opened gifts and enjoyed whatever amazing dessert she brought that year. Her chocolate covered peanuts were the best!

Aunt Tisha spent the afternoon shooting or riding with Matthew and Mark. BB guns, to .22s, to .410s; go-carts, to four-wheelers, to four-wheel drives. She was always willing to join in the fun. Anytime she visited we showed her everything from awards, to report cards, to a newly pulled tooth. She listened with utmost patience, and I talked her ear off that’s for sure! The best was the year Dad and the boys were all packed to leave to go hunting and Matthew and Mark informed her, “As soon as you leave we can go to the deer lease!”

The most special times were visiting them in Sugar Land, especially at Christmastime, packing two weeks in advance. We’d go to Astroworld in the summers, listening to 104 KRBE on the way. That made her the coolest aunt in the world in my book. I saw my first naked statue at a Houston museum thanks to them. That was an experience! They exposed me to cultural experiences not available in tiny Van Vleck. She helped me see that there was a world beyond my front door.

We grew up getting souvenirs and looking at pictures from their European trips, which inspired me to see it for myself. She and I exchanged tons of e-mails and phone calls before we left, helping me get organized so that Lorne and I could get the most out of our adventure. We shared a love of planning and list making and this was a perfect time for both. She bought me a blank journal (always the English teacher) and I cherish the memories. She said she felt like she’d gone on our trip with us. We, and especially our backs, thank her since we only had two carry-ons for our two-week trip. She was so proud. When we returned she looked at all of OUR pictures and never let on that she’d been to those same places dozens of times.

She may have never had children of her own, but she devoted her life to the students of Fort Bend ISD. She lived a life in service to others. Her influence will be felt for generations to come. She also fostered education’s importance in all three of us. Because of her, I also became an English teacher. I never saw myself in education, but she encouraged me.

One of her happiest moments was when our son Sawyer was born. I named her an honorary grandmother and she took her title very seriously. She signed her e-mails “GAT” for Great-Aunt Tisha. She shopped for months prior to his arrival, snatching up everything relating to jungle animals, the theme of his nursery.

I brought Sawyer in to see her Thursday afternoon. Her face lit up with recognition as she said, “There he is! Hi, Sawyer!” It was as if she were waiting to see him. He touched her face with his chubby baby hands. It was a miraculous sight and a memory I will forever cherish. Rest assured that little boy will know just how much she loved him, as should everyone here this morning. I am at peace knowing God himself is now announcing, “Aunt Tisha is here! Aunt Tisha is here!”

Tributes

I have compiled all of the e-mails regarding Aunt Tisha that I have received. I'm not sure why, but it brings me comfort to read them and so I wanted to share them here. I have posted them in their original form, only making changes to remove names.

These are the e-mails that we got from Uncle Larry about Aunt Tisha during her final days.

4/6/06 9:46 p.m. “Letitia”
This note will be God's call to her heavenly home and leave this earthly home in the very near future. She and I have shared our last special moments together and then prayed to God together for our boundless gifts of more than 45 years of bliss in love and of love. We spoke of our special requests for each other and what she would like for me to do in God's will until we rejoin our hands in heavenly bliss in His time. She expressed to me that she was tired and ready to have God open his arms to her as soon as possible.

We thank you for your boundless kindness and prayers. God will soon call her home.
You will receive notice of final arrangements in due time according to God's plan of intercession.

At this time, PLEASE DO NOT TELEPHONE OR ATTEMPT TO COME TO OUR HOME BECAUSE THE TIME IS NOT AT HAND FOR THIS.

God's blessings to you all and may His peace be upon you today.

4/7/06 9:18 p.m. “Letitia is lifted up to Heaven”
Dear Friends: Letitia went to be with the Lord in a very peaceful way at 8:30 p.m. God was merciful to her and to us by bringing a timely end to her suffering. We know that God has opened His arms to receive her into his rapture. The family has prayed together with praise to God for his loving kindness. She will be transported to Wharton Funeral Home later this evening, and we will very likely make specific arrangements for the earliest possible time, hopefully as early as Sunday morning, pending complications.

We pray for you as you consider these words. Glory be to God. Amen

4/7/06 9:20 p.m.
Arrangements for Letitia are set for 10:00 a.m. on Sunday morning with graveside services only at Evergreen Memorial Cemetery at Wharton, Texas. The service will last approximately 20 minutes. Seating is extremely limited--family only. There will be no reception following per Letitia's request. All arrangements are the express instructions given to me by Letitia. The family will be departing quickly following the service--no visitation is scheduled. Thank you for your consideration; I will make every attempt to visit with many of you in a few days.
Map directions are sent for you by attachment.

4/8/06 4:19 p.m. “Follow-up”
I hope you have now received your special invitation to come and to join friends and family to celebrate the life of Letitia along with driving instructions to the site of the celebration.

See you there.

4/10/06 9:49 a.m. “Follow-up”
Thank all of you for your kind and prayerful praise of the last few days as well as for many months of support. Thank also those of you who were able to attend the services. I know some of you were somewhat puzzled by my hasty exit. I never wish to offend and I do hope to see many of you personally in the coming weeks. The service was the brainchild of your departed dear friend as I honor her wishes completely and totally in the coming days, weeks, and years. She did leave me specific requests for today and the future and I intend to honor those to the greatest of my ability.

Thankfully and prayerfully in honor of God,
Larry

This is an e-mail that I got from one of their longtime friends:

4/10/06 12:56 p.m. “Letitia”
Hopefully, you are the niece of Letitia. I took your e-mail address from Larry's message. I asked for a copy of your tribute to Letitia. It was so wonderful and I just wanted to read it again. Of course, your expression with it won't be there, but I'll remember that.

We know how much you meant to her. They were visiting us in Aug., just before coming to your house. She was so excited about your baby and was so looking forward to holding him. She was a special person, and we will miss her so much. I am thankful for the time we spent with them. We lived on the same street for about 30 yrs. We vacationed in Alaska together as a highlight of our days together.

We are so concerned about Larry as they were probably the closest couple we've ever known. I just hope he can find his way in this new life. We'll be praying that he does.


This is the e-mail that I sent to everyone in AT's address book. I attached the corrected copy of the obituary. I have removed names in order to allow for some sort of anonymity. Any corrections that I have made will be in brackets.


4/11/06 12:21 a.m. "Aunt Tisha"
Hello everyone. My name is Kelly and I am Letitia's niece. For what it's worth, I wanted to send everyone an attachment of the "real" obituary that should have appeared in the Houston Chronicle on Sunday. Thanks to modern technology they did not receive the e-mail attachment that I corrected and proof-read prior to their deadline on Saturday. I didn't know this had occurred until it was too late to make any corrections. I was very frustrated that it printed with such blatant errors and this was the only way that I could think of to make it right somehow. Some mistakes may remain, but I tried my best to make it as accurate as possible.

Take care,
Kelly

4/11/06 6:34 a.m. “RE: Aunt Tisha”
Kelly -
Hi, I worked with Letitia at Dulles High School. Actually, she is the one who inspired me to become a librarian. :) I strive to be like her everyday. I loved her dearly.
I really am writing to say that I know Letitia would have been so proud of you and her heart would have been overflowing with love at what you said at the service on Sunday. You so eloquently put into words what so many of us feel about your Aunt Tisha. She was a very special woman and God is so lucky to have her with him now.

Hugs to you and your family!

4/11/06 7:07 a.m. “RE: Aunt Tisha”
Kelly:

You are indeed Letitia's niece. She would have sent a corrected notice also.

Thanks for a beautiful talk on Sunday. She loved you, and your talk illustrated that.

I personally will miss her dearly.

4/11/06 7:32 a.m. “RE: Aunt Tisha”
thanks for the corrections. We loved Letitia so much. Last evening our Moneymakers group met at my home and wwe reminised about our dear friend. We made our contribution to FB Friends and neighbors and hope to make it a annual one. We are comforted by God's grace and will think about her often especially when my Plumeria(her gift to me) is in full bloom. thaks again former dhs teacher


4/11/06 7:32 a.m. “RE: Aunt Tisha”
Thank you so much. I met your Aunt Tisha years ago when our travel agency booked trips for them. We certainly didn't "plan" the trips for she had done all the research. You are correct in that she loved to travel.

I don't believe she ever met a stranger and considered everyone her friend. Our friendship grew over the years I knew her.

4/11/06 7:55 a.m. “RE: Aunt Tisha”
Kelly,

Thank you for sending this to all of us, but don't worry about "mistakes", as most of us didn't really notice those; we were far more interested in what had happened to Letitia. We loved her so very much, as she was a wonderful friend and a genuine lady whom we will miss far more than words can express!!! As I said to you at the gravesite, you did a magnificent job with your part of her eulogy, as did Dr. [James]!!! You both reminded all of us of so many delightful memories we all have of her-especially her kindness, her wit, her innumerable talents, and her intellect! God created a very special person when He made Letitia!!! I guess that is the reason He called her home so early; she obviously has some "jobs" to do in heaven, as she had boundless energy and far more talents than most of us will ever develop!!! Everything she and Larry ever did for [my husband] and me, as well as for my brother and my sister-in-law, was done perfectly, which is the only way they ever did anything!!! Each day, I get up and see in almost every room in either home something to remind me of her and of Larry, as they were constantly helping us with some project! I shall NEVER forget Letitia and her wonderful Christian spirit! She was cherished by everyone who ever knew her, just as she was cherished by you and other members of her extended family! It is our loss and heaven's gain that she is gone from us, but her spirit will be with us always, to comfort us and to watch over us! Just know that YOU were so very special to her, as she talked of you to me so often with such a radiant face that anyone could see how much you and Shawn meant to her, so take comfort in the fact that you brought her so much joy over the years! Take care and know that Letitia is looking down on you, wanting you to have all of the best that life has to offer-especially peace for your soul!


4/11/06 7:56 a.m. "RE: Aunt Tisha"
Now I have a mistake to correct! It was Sawyer, not Shawn!


4/11/06 8:40 a.m. “RE: Aunt Tisha”
Dear Kelly,

Thank you so much for sending this; I had gathered from friends who had read it that there were errors in the Sunday edition of The Chronicle.
Your eulogy on Sunday for your Aunt Tisha was delightful and beautifully delivered, she would have been very proud of you. I was so happy to be able to hug you afterwards as I had not seen Letitia for a while due to her illness and my being in the UK with my father, who had to undergo surgery recently. I would like you to know that your dear aunt was always the first person to ask how my father was doing after his illness last summer; she was such a special person. My father is recovering slowly and sends his sincere condolences to all your family.

Thank you again Kelly, I appreciated being able to say one last goodbye.

4/11/06 9:36 a.m. “RE: Aunt Tisha”
Thank you so much, Kelly, and for your wonderful sharing of memories of Letitia. It was wonderful to get to chuckle and remember Letitia in all her sweetness and goodness. You made that happen for all of us, and made it a celebration of life well lived.
Blessings,


4/11/06 11:04 a.m. “From Paula”
I can't tell you how proud I was of you at the service. You were a rock! We just can't understand how you were able to hold it together. We have Larry with us and plan to do so as long as he feels the need. Please feel free to write me and stay in touch with any info I can give to you. Please think of me as your Aunt Paula.
Paula

4/11/06 12:03 p.m. “RE: Aunt Tisha”
Dear Kelly,

Thank you so much for the obituary, it was lovely. Please accept my sympathies and prayers for God's comfort for you and your family. We will very much miss sweet Letitia.

4/11/06 3:53 p.m. “Re: Aunt Tisha”
Thank you so much for your correction to the obituary on Sunday. I loved your aunt very much. I had not known her for very long, but since our retirement from FBISD we became close Christian friends in our class at Joy of Living and in Retired Teachers and Ft. Bend Friends and Neighbors. She is sorely missed. A blessed soul has gone to be with the Lord. My deepest sympathy for your loss.

4/11/064:58 p.m. “RE: Follow-up”
Larry …it was a beautiful service and you made your wife proud and it could not have been more appropriate and meaningful…There are no other rules for this sort of thing other than what you and she wanted. Thank you for all of it and thank you for loving Letitia.

4/12/06 7:11 a.m. “RE: Letitia”
Thank you so much. I will share these attachments with others who wanted to be at the service but couldn't. Larry and Letitia taught my son. He went on to Houston Baptist for his degree in Business. He is a bank president. He has always said that they were the best teachers he ever had. I'm glad that Letitia knew that. One Christmas, she wrapped all our Christmas presents as I had broken my little finger. There are so many memories.

4/12/06 9:21 a.m. “RE: Aunt Tisha”
Hello everyone. My name is Kelly and I am Letitia's niece. Yes, Kelly, I've known about you for years because I have a sister named Kelly, and sometimes Letitia and I would have to clarify in a conversation: your Kelly or my Kelly??? For what it's worth, I wanted to send everyone an attachment of the "real" obituary that should have appeared in the Houston Chronicle on Sunday. Thanks to modern technology they did not receive the e-mail attachment that I corrected and proofread prior to their deadline on Saturday. I didn't know this had occurred until it was too late to make any corrections. I'm glad you did! I knew there had to be some explanation! Something just didn't add up!?? :-)
Although I am a librarian now, I still consider myself an English teacher, and I always will. I met Letitia in 1984 when I came to Dulles; she served as an excellent mentor in helping me set up the American literature course that I taught (I used many, many of her examples/ideas); she was of even more help with teaching/evaluating compositions; I then followed her example and - yes - I followed her to the library, where we worked as a team for two years before she retired. After that, I didn't see her as often as I'd like, but frequent emails had to suffice. She was a dear, dear friend who has influenced me more than I know. (I commented yesterday that the three people I quote most often are my mother, Letitia, and Phil McGraw. Good company, indeed!) I will miss her, miss her, miss her, and I know you will, too.

4/12/06 2:30 p.m. “My Sympathy”
Kelly,
I heard you came by today and I'm so sorry to hear that your aunt passed away. I hope you're doing okay. We miss you at the meeting but look forward to seeing you back next week. The meeting was a little lighter today because of the holiday week. My sympathy to you and your family.
Lori (Weight Watchers Leader)

These are some tributes that I got from the Dulles High School Yahoo! Group. I joined it temporarily after Mom was e-mailed one of the messages. I had a feeling that there may be more and I was right! I once again used brackets to remove names.

4/12/06 7:43 a.m.
I just got an e-mail from fellow Class of 80 grad who told me she had read that [Letitia], the Junior English teacher had passed away.

Any of you all still nearby hear anything more?

4/12/06 9:51 a.m.
Unfortunately, it's true. She was a GREAT teacher of English. I had
her in English 1976.

4/12/06 2:55 p.m.
What a shame. I think the true measure of a teacher on one's life is
in what they have tried to get us to learn staying with us, and we
remember who it was that put it there. Not a day goes by where [her] trademark phrase "A LOT is NOT one word" pops into my head. I
can hear her saying that every time you go to use it, red lights and
sirens should go off in your head and you'll make it TWO WORDS!

I remember sitting in Sophomore English class and
talking to my friend about who we would get for English,
the next year. [He] said something like "You do not want to be in
[her] class, she's tough" So, of course, when I get my schedule
for Junior year, and I see her name, I get pretty down. My parents
were going thru a nasty divorce, which I pretty much internalized,
and had a hell of a time concentrating in class. I never really
shared how I felt about it with anyone, and just did my best to stay
sane. Somehow, [she] found out about what was going on, and one
day asked me to stop by her class, after school. I assume I'm really
in for it, and she tries to get me to open up about what is making
me have so much trouble with her class. Finally I spill the beans,
and she spends a good amount of time trying to get me to express
what is wrong. I felt about a thousand percent better, and went on
to do really well, for the rest of the year. I would see her on and
off in the halls, my senior year, and take time to chat with her.

One fine teacher, and one of only a small handfull that I think
about, over a quarter of a century after being in their classes....

Job well done, [Letitia].

4/18/06 7:36 p.m.
I am devastated to hear about [her]. She was such an exceptional
teacher and human being. She will definitely be missed.

I also had the priviledge of having her husband as a junior high school
social studies teacher. My deepest sympathies to you, [Larry].


4/22/06 1:30 p.m.
Hello everyone,
Hey Class of '85! What is this I hear about [Letitia] passing away? I caught the tail end of some of these previous message boards? I am so sad to hear this...she was an amazing teacher and I learned so much from her. She was a great person too. Please fill me in on how and when she passed away?

4/28/06 2:07 p.m.
Hi Julie. My name is Kelly and I was [her] niece. She passed
away April 7 after a three-year battle with cancer. I joined this
group so that I could read some of the tributes that have/may have
been posted to her. I wanted to add them to my blog. I have read
some of them and they are quite touching. Let me know if you have
any other questions and I will try and address them for you!

Thanks,
Kelly

4/28/06 5:07 p.m.
Hi Kelly,

My sincere condolences go out to your entire family. [She] was my English teacher in the 1982-83 school year at Dulles. She was my all-time favorite and best teacher, as well as an amazing person. When I got to A&M a few years later, I was a business major. After a couple of LONG years of that, I switched to secondary education with English as my main teaching field. I knew that because of your aunt, I had the best background in English, and I figured I should use it! So I graduated from A&M and taught at Clements High School in the late '80s. My teaching career was short-lived, and I ended up in the business world after all, and then I eventually became a stay-at-home, and that's where I am today. But even through all the changes in my path, your aunt was a great influence on me. I often visited her classroom when I was student-teaching, and it was as like I had never left. She was always the same sweet person whenever I saw her, no matter when or where.

I know your loss is great, and many others share in your grief as well.

Quick questions, when did she quit teaching? And was she at Dulles the entire time?

4/30/06 10:52 p.m.
Hello Kelly,

I received your message, via the Dulles Message Board and wanted to reply. I was quite saddened to hear of the passing of your Aunt. She was one of the best teachers I have ever had, in my life, and withtout a doubt, in my opinion, the best teacher at Dulles High. She was a tough teacher, but she truly had a passion for what she taught and really helped me to become a good writer. She really expected her students to strive for more than they were accustomed to and really had a gift for making literature, history, and writing come to life. Because of her, I went on to successfully graduate from A&M and she was one of the main people that inspired me to pursue teaching. I received a BA, in Psychology, from Texas A&M...Gig 'em! Then, I also have gone on to teach for four years, from everything from Kinder to high school and am now finishing my Masters in Bilingual Education, from Univ. of St. Thomas and am working as a Child Development Specialist for Head Start. She inspired me and helped me to be a strong writer and go on to publish several poems....in the Aggie Batallion as well as an Anthology of Poems. She was an incredible teacher and person and really inspired me to be a better person, to teach and touch lives as she did and I will never forget her! I also have a funny memory of her from my Junior English Class in '83 or '84. We had read and were discussing 'The Great Gatsby' in class...I think that is the book...or was it 'Of Mice and Men'....hmmm...could have been?! Anyway, I made the mistake of raising my hand and asking a really STUPID question, but one that sprung to my mind...so, I asked her 'Who won the Civil War?' And she stopped in her tracks....stared at me incredulously...as if in disbelief I did not know that...and I think I must...but, asked anyway...and she responds with....'Well, Julie, what do you think?....Do we have slavery anymore?' And I said, 'Well, no....so, I guess the North won, huh?' And she just rolled her eyes and I felt like a fool...and I think I learned more history in her class...and the importance of thinking before asking, then I ever did anywhere else....but, I really love how she challenged us with essy tests that really taught us to think and prepared us for college...she was an incredible teacher and person and I will never forget her! She was tough, but she never tolerated mediocrity and really pushed you beyond your limits....she taught me a great quote, that I still use often today...."A man's (or woman's) reach must exceed his (or her) grasp, or what's a heaven for....". That quote...and her, especially, has always motivated me to reach for more and try to accomplish more than I think I can....and now she is in heaven...and a guardian angel to all...to help everyone below reach their dreams. I don't know if she ever knew how much she moved, touched, and inspired me...but, she did...and still does!

I just lost my Mother, as well, this past December 12, 2006 and that has been a monumental loss and pivotal point in my life. I know how painful and difficult it must be...my Mom was my best friend and number one inspiration! My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family.

Feel free to keep in touch with me...I would love to be your friend and find out more about you and Leticia.

My deepest regards,
Dulles Class of '85
Aggie Class of '90

"Because He Lives"

I went to Easter Mass with Mom and Dad. The choir sang this hymn after communion and it really spoke to me. It gave me some peace and helped me to realize that Aunt Tisha is no longer suffering, no longer in pain. She has gone to a place where there is celebration and rejoicing in the Lord. I'm sure most of my readers know the hymn well, but I wanted to post the lyrics nonetheless. What a beautiful song it is!


God sent His son, they called Him Jesus
He came to love, heal, and forgive.
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.


Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.


How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives.
But greater still the calm assurance,
This child can face uncertain days because He lives.


Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.


And then one day I'll cross the river,
I'll fight life's final war with pain.
And then as death gives way to victory,
I'll see the lights of glory and I'll know He lives.


Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone!
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living just because He lives!
Lyrics: William and Gloria Gaither