Answered with heaven

It's already been more than a week since we said "Goodbye for now" to my lovely mother-in-law.

We prayed for healing for her body here on earth, and after a three-year walk through a rare cancer and ultimately, a more acutely serious health event, the Lord answered that prayer for healing with heaven. It's been difficult for me to articulate this loss.

She loved Jesus fiercely and she frequently talked about heaven and her excitement for it.

She loved daises, and whenever we visited during daisy season, she always encouraged me to cut some from their garden to take home.

She enjoyed donuts, and would cut them in half so she could try multiple flavors.

She loved to play games and was very competitive, and loved to have fun with her kids.

She so often encouraged me and Nicholas in our parenting and marriage, calling out the good, and helping us see the beauty when I only saw the hard.

Prayer was such a normal part of conversation with her—what she was praying for for us, or how we could be praying for her.

She prayed so much for us before getting pregnant with Cooper, through the loss of three babies, and all through my pregnancy with Finn.

And the last "normal' day we had with her involved some precious one on one time with her and Finn, me and Katelyn chatting with her in the shade while Coop ran through the sprinkler, and eating grilled food for lunch together as a family on Memorial day.

My heart aches for her absence here on earth, but what deep joy we have that she is truly home now. She loved her family, her church, her Bible, her Lord. And hallelujah, she is healed and whole and worshipping her King in person.

One of her last texts to me, along with some encouragement to me after I had a hard day was, "I just want to suffer well in Christ always bringing glory to Him through it." And yes, oh yes, did not only her suffering these past few years, but also her life bring glory to Him.

To the very best mother-in-law, we love and miss you (always), Karen. I can't wait until we meet again.