Monday, November 5, 2007

My Best Friend


Man, did she love Halloween, and all holidays.

Me, Glenda, and MawMaw, Shirley Falgout (Glenda's mother)

For me, the day I found out my mother-in-law, Glenda, had cancer, was the worst day. How could I lose someone I had only had for such a little time?
I had such an amazing mother in law. Bart and I were at her house all the time...she wouldn't have it any other way. Looking back, I wonder if that was Heavenly Father helping us to have more time with her before she had to go home. Anyways, Ms. Geegah, as she was called, was so talented. She cook the best dinners ever (fried chicken, roast, spaghetti...is she cooked it, it was good), baked, kept her house clean and worked a forty hour week. She treated her boys and me, her girl, like gold, and her husband, too. Ms. Geegah would give you the shirt off her back if it would help you out. The best part about her is she was so modest that she didn't think she did things well. She just did her best and hoped it was enough.
When Bart and I got engaged, I was really worried that Ms. Geegah would be upset by not being able to go into the temple when we got married. She wasn't. She was just so excited and glad that Bart was happy that she was happy with the reception we had in Natchez, MS. Ms. Geegah was truly one of the best friends I have ever had. My love for her grew as we ran errands together, washed laundry at the laundry mat together, and even watched wrestling together.
When Ms. Geegah got sick, my world changed. Who would be there to watch my children grow up day by day? My mom lived 2 hours away, and although she is always willing to help out or participate, I had also envisioned a special place for "Grandma Geegah" in my unborn children's lives. How would I ever be able to make her famous fried chicken? Who would listen to my silly rants and remind me to be more like Christ?
(This is a picture Bart's Aunt Sue found online after Ms. Geegah had passed away. The woman looks just like Glenda, and the baby looked a lot like Brennan)
Suddenly I was faced with the fact that life isn't always as you plan it to be, that things can change in the twinkling of an eye, and that the good die young.
Looking back, a little over five years after Ms. Glenda passed away, I am grateful for every minute I had with her. When we still lived in Baton Rouge, I would pass places we had went and smile, I would attend the Christmas Relief Society Enrichment and think about how much Ms. Geegah enjoyed them. I hope that my children were able to spend a little time with her in heaven, so they could have her in their lives.
Luckily, Bart is a lot like his mom (in some ways), so they can have a taste of her through him. It still isn't the same, so it is up to us to share memories "Grandma Geegah who is an angel" with Brennan and Jackson.

Okay, so this post is kind of all over the place and maybe doesn't make since, but I have wanted to share Ms. Glenda with y'all for a while, so now is as good a time as any.

Now, if she'd just stop holding our daughter hostage, we'd be so excited...

4 Words to brighten my day:

Lexi said...

That's so cool that you guys are so close (just because someone has passed on doesn't mean that you cease being close- maybe in a peron to person kind of way but never in a love and memory kind of way). It seems like this life passes by so slowly but I know when thinking in terms of the eternities, this seperation is barely the blink of an eye. I'm sure like you said that the kids were able to visit with her before coming here. I can't say I know how you feel because no one really close to me has passed yet- but I am grateful that I know because of Heavenly Father's plan that we'll all return to him and see each other once more (and for a lot longer stretch too!)

Holly said...

That one really got me (and probably the pregnancy hormones didn't help). Joel's gonna be wondering what happened to me when he gets home from home depot and my eyes are puffy from tears:) I was just in the temple this Sat. with Joel's family (his little sister Amilyn is getting married this weekend), and I was thinking of how grateful I was to be a part of their family. I don't know what I would do if I lost any of them.

Angelkris said...

That was beautiful, Jessica. I have never lost anybody that I've been that close to- it must take a lot of strength to deal with that.

Do you have a wedding photo you can post? I haven't seen one yet.

Sarah said...

You are so right. Mrs. Glenda did make the best fried chicken. I tried making it once to see if it would be as good as hers, but it was absolute crap! I resigned myself to KFC after that. Her fried chicken was what made all those Monday night wrestling parties worth it. Remember when we did that Mary Kay party? She was such a good sport! I miss her too. I know Will thought of her as a second mom. She really was a great lady. I'm so glad you got to spend so much time with her and I know she loved you to pieces. Hopefully, she'll give up your daughter soon. That would be neat, wouldn't it??