Well, how do I start this writing. My heart is a bit heavy tonight since I arrived home from my home church. My Love’s best friend Lisa had some pictures that her other friend Deanna took of them on many of their trips out of town. I was able to see them for the first time tonight and I wish that you could see how much fun My Love was having in most of them. Oh, I wish I could describe to each of you how much fun was had in our home because of Ferrol Sipes. I cannot begin to tell you how empty we feel without her and that beautiful read hair and her bright smile. What a practical joker she was. Well, all of that to say, I had never seen those snapshots of her and it simply made me long to be with her so much. Wow!
So, what have we been up to lately? I am so glad that you asked! We went to a counselor on Monday evening for about 1.5 hours and found him to be helpful in many ways, but I think that the kids are just not going to talk about it for right now. I mean, Goldie and Jacob do not like to talk about it because they do not like to openly share their feelings. Not Good! Sorry for the editorials, but I think it would be better for them to get it off their hearts and minds.
Terry on the other hand, talks to his friends a lot and that seems to help him through much of his pain, though i know that he is hurting badly because his mother will not see him in the “Sussical” or watch him graduate, or carry his Senior Picture in her wallet. She was such a proud mother of her children. They truly were her pride and joy, she loved to do so many little things for each of them, and I am trying my best to remember what each of those little things were and do some of them for her.
Noah, needs order in order to grieve. He is a List kind of a Guy. He is working on his therapy with his counselor Mrs.. Dawn Cooper at the Middle School. She has given him a list or a circle full of 7 different stages of grief and i think that Noah needs that kind of structure for him to deal with this. he talks of his wonderful mother often with me, and seems to not cry as often as he did, however, I know that he is hurting as he is missing her so very much. Please pray that I will say the very thing that he needs to hear in order for him have a good day.
I, well I am coping with it all by God’s mercy and grace. Two of my children got into a disagreement on Monday, and then yesterday one child from Mondays disagreement got into a disagreement with a different child, and then two of them got into yet another disagreement today, so by and large, I think that a sense of normalcy is returning to our home. Stop laughing, I mean it. I cannot believe that they get so upset over such trivial matters and allow it to go so far with each other. Dotted lines and solid lines are touched and crossed way to often. I keep reminding them of Philippians 2:1-10 and then when they calm themselves down they realize how foolish they were. Please lift us in that area of your prayers.
We are preparing to go to Orlando, Florida on Friday evening, since Terry John has play practice until 5:00 pm. We will arrive around 10:00 am in Orlando and sleep a bit then off to Johnny Rockets with my sister for dinner Sat. Evening. We will visit Shamoo on Sunday with many of my sisters and nieces and nephews. I told my sister Mary if the boys did not straighten up I was going to see if the Sea World folks could help Clean Shamoo from the bottom up! LOL! I think that they could stay under water for a few minutes don’t you? I am only kidding. Shush! Please ignore the Fish Oil that they have had spread on their crackers for the trip on the way down there, they will never know why Flipper is becoming so fond of them!
Again, thank you so much for all of your help and prayers. We simply could not make it without all of the help we have been given. We are still waiting for Ferrol’s Death Certificates to come through. We were told that it would take 8-13 weeks for her Histology and Toxicology reports to come from Nashville, TN and that means it would be at least 3-8 more weeks. Please pray for them to complete this process quickly. I have been on the phone and answering emails in the past 10 days and that is beginning to feel okay. I know that I will have to travel out of town when I get back from Florida, so please pray for my travels, because I spent many conversations with Ferrol as I drove to help me to pass the time on the road. It will be different now and so be on the lookout for me to make many calls to some of you.
You all mean so much to me and my family. If ever we can be of any assistance to you or your church or personally in any way, please do not hesitate to contact me. May God bless each of you that read this note from our heart to yours. Just a moment, for some reason I just recalled our 19th Wedding Anniversary trip to Savannah. I shall never forget Ferrol allowing me to stay and watch how the taffy and fudge were made from start to finish while she waited for over an hour to get seats to eat at Paula Deen’s Restaurant in the heat. By the time I got to her she was just melting. We swapped for the next three hours and that was just to get a seat at the 6:00 pm feeding. But you know, I would do all again for her if it were possible, with one exception, I would let her stay and watch the candy making. But that was how she was she knew that it would make my day to watch how that was done and she willingly sacrificed that time in the heat. I cannot tell you how much she means to me, but I hope that you can grasp a glimpse of how much I loved her and how much she loved me!
God bless
TJ and Gang
