Thankful Thursday: Remembering Nita

 

Last night, as we drove home from church, my phone popped up a memory from seven years ago. It was a dear, but heartbreaking picture of Ryan’s mom and grandpa. He was leaning over her saying his goodbye, and indeed, less than 24 hours, she’d be in Heaven with Jesus.

                Seven years today.

                How has it been seven years?

                Today I am thankful for Nita’s life.

                I am thankful that she made room for me in the family. It was a gift to belong, and I am thankful she created space for my heart.

                I am thankful for her creativity that made life beautiful. Her home was stunning and her photography so precise.

                I am thankful for her generosity. Every time I look at one of the gifts she gave me, I remember what a kind heart she had.

                I am thankful for her investment in Ryan for almost exactly 40 years. He is the man he is today because she taught him so well.

                That last night she was alive, Grandpa and a couple other family members came to see her, but for the majority of the night, we were alone with her in the cabin she helped envision and then decorated. We savored everything about that night. We said the words in our hearts, took some pictures, and knew, somehow, that time was so short.

                And one day later, we showed up at the cabin (even though it was a night off for us), and just minutes after we arrived, she died. Though it remains one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, it was also a deep privilege to pray her Home.

                We miss her smile, her laugh, her stories, and her love.

                Today we remember Nita with gratitude. We hope we live our own lives in a way that honors her memory well.