Heaven Just Got A Little Brighter

Jewell Mae O'Neal Nation
January 1, 1915 - June 29, 2010

Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
~ Matthew 5:4

Yesterday morning, at 10:55, Granny Jewell went on to Heaven to be with the Lord and with Papa Andrew. Although I am rejoicing in the fact that she is now with them and is no longer suffering, I am profoundly sad that she is gone. I knew it was going to be hard but I did not anticipate exactly how hard.

Thanks so much for the many, many prayers and wonderful words of encouragement I have received over the last week or so. They are appreciated more than you can possibly know. I know it is going to take some time for our entire family to grieve and then begin to heal. Please continue to pray for us as we begin that process.

Blessings,

Teresa

OUR RECENT LOSS ~KEANU~

As some of you may know, while I was in the hospital this last time, our sweet dog, Keanu, died. It was a very sudden and unexpected loss. It was especially hard to deal with since I was so very sick at the time AND it happened when I was not home to be with him.

Although he was already 13 years old, Keanu had been completely healthy and had seemed fine until he started to limp slightly and favor his front left paw. Even then, he was eating well, playful and overall still a happy little dog. Then, after a trip to the Vet - at which time they had only suspected arthritis and then went ahead and gave him his yearly immunizations - he started to go down hill really fast. He was dead within a week. We don’t know what happened for sure, but you can be sure we won’t be using Banfield for our pets in the future.

Keanu was a purebred Pomeranian and came into our lives in 1998, at the age of 2, from a family friend. I absolutely, positively did not want a dog, especially a house dog, at the time!! I fought hard against both my husband and my children, but I was outnumbered so I lost. Once he was here, guess who the silly dog liked best? You guessed it, me! Everywhere I went, he did, too. It drove me absolutely crazy. I did not like him and I did not want to look at him or be around him. He still continued to follow me. If I went to the kitchen, he followed me and sat right there and watched me. If I went to the bathroom and shut the door, he would act just like a two-year-old who sits outside the door and puts his hand under it while waiting on you to hurry up and come out. If I went somewhere he couldn’t get to, he would whine and ‘cry’ until I was back in his field of vision. He even went into mourning when I went on a week long mission trip in 2006. Literally. It was so crazy!

Needless to say, it wasn’t long until he won me over and I fell in love with him, too. He was my constant companion from that point on. I miss him badly and there is an empty place in my heart because he’s gone.

When I used to work at the doctor’s office, I always thought that people who got SO desperate and upset over their pets dying (and sometimes even called needing an excuse for a day(s) off work) were a bit off their rocker. Well, now I understand that grief so very much better. It is very hard!

Good Bye, Keanu.

We love you and we will always miss you!