You chuckled at our celebrations,
at our June "birthday" cakes
realizing, I think,
we were the ones who needed to celebrate,
to acknowledge one more year
gifted
unpromised
miraculous.
"It was harder on you all than on me,
I just had to live through it,"
you would tell us.
Each anniversary of new life transplanted into your veins
an unnecessary reminder
the struggles were worth it.
Each day in the hospital,
each drive to therapy,
each tube feeding,
each home IV infusion.
Each holiday spent in a temporary apartment
or hospital room.
Each day in the chemo room.
Each day at the transplant clinic.
Each day you kept going,
meant years of memories to make.
2009
Welcoming your first grandchild
Gathering for a family reunion
Introducing S to your puppets
2010
Welcoming your second grandchild
A family Thanksgiving and touring DC
Celebrating 35 years of marriage
2011
Building a rock to roll away on Easter
Going to the mountains with your wife
Sharing puppets with E
2012
Training up new gardeners
Fingerpainting with your grandkids
Making Dutch Babies
2013
More trips to the park...
Including that big one in Florida
Passing along your cooking skills
2014
Watching me graduate seminary and be ordained
Watching your grandkids put on the puppet show this time
Going to Riverfront Zoo
2015
Renewing your wedding vows as part of FCC Charlotte's 100th anniversary
Moving me to Missouri
2016
Family reunion memories and mountain waterfalls
2017
Trips to a Missouri cave, the beach, Worlds of Puppetry, and General Assembly
Celebrating Day's retirement with time in Florida
Spending Fridays with Creative Mornings
2018
A decade later than planned, but finally the cruise you promised your wife
Welcoming your third grandchild
2019
A trip to see your mom in Florida
A mountain train ride for your birthday
2020
Saying good-bye to your mom
Keeping your wife company during lock down
2021
Building your Little Free Library
Joining online Bible studies from coast to coast
2022
Another couple's cruise
Trips with family to Sliding Rock and Disney
2023
Redoing the kitchen, the bedroom, the living room, all the things!!
Watching your grandkids dance and tumble
Celebrating your 70th birthday in Missouri
and Christmount's anniversary on your very own rocking chair
Hiking Crowders Mountain with E
15 years of borrowed time, of gifted time
Of miraculous time, of unexpected time.
14 years your doctor doubted we would get.
22 years of anxiety and worry and wonder
From diagnosis to transplant to the day time ran out.
Years and years that can't be reduced to numbers or pictures or lists.
Years and years of love, of hugs, of memories,
of volunteering and serving and giving back,
of flowers planted and gardens tended,
of books read and new things learned and taught,
of favorite meals cooked, crepes and muffins and popovers made
of projects done, hooks hung and home repairs competed,
of birthdays celebrated and holidays together,
of miles driven and new adventures had.
Your immune system doesn't get to celebrate Sweet 16,
but there will still be cake to celebrate
the day that gave us so much.
תגובות