Tuesday

Strange how a chance bit of news can change your whole evening.

Earlier today I had the chance to go on a date with Terence. We went to see Transformers, got something quick to eat from In N Out, and drove through an incredible sandstorm that could have come right from a natural disaster movie. It was a nice break, a chance to get out and relax a little with my husband.

I intended to come home tonight and blog about all of that. But while checking Facebook tonight, I noticed a short post from a former Sunday School student of mine mentioning that she knew she would get to see both her mothers in heaven. That gave me pause because I knew that one of these mothers was my good friend-- someone I hadn't heard from on Facebook recently, who has been having some significant health problems lately. I asked Elaine for some further information and learned that my friend Loretta's health is failing quickly and they expect her to pass away by tomorrow.

I'm not sorry to hear the news. Not really. Loretta's body has been falling apart for a while now-- she's been on dialysis and lately had developed some unusual and terribly painful problems. I understand that at this point she is no longer in pain, and shortly she will leave behind all suffering altogether, which can only be a great blessing.

But I will miss her-- and I regret that I didn't have a chance to keep in better touch with her recently. She was one of the first friends I made when we moved to Sanders, and I don't know what I would have done without her there. We only lived near each other for perhaps a year and a half, but she was a huge part of my life during that time. I will still never forget how willing she was to come help with my kids (I specifically remember her coming and washing my dishes when I was nauseous during pregnancy). We drifted apart not long after she moved, and then managed to reconnect on Facebook. At least we had that brief connection! And I will look forward to continuing my friendship with her after this life.