In Loving Memory of Patricia Brooks

Last night I called my Grandma. Like I said from Entry 1, her health has been declining rapidly. Hospice told us we had a few weeks, so I wanted to talk to her sooner rather than later when she wouldn't understand me. I called at 7:30 pm Monday. Kyle handed her the phone, and I could hear her labored breathing. I said "Hi Grandma, its Kelly!" and she said in a garbeled sort of way that was barely intelligible, "Hey Darlin'." Thats the way she's said it my whole life. I could tell she was really laboring. I tried to swallow the knot in my throat and said "I talked to Helen (my cousin) yesterday Grandma. We talked about you. I was remembering all the things you had taught me. You taught me how to read my Bible. You taught me how to pray. Do you remember that, when I was little? (I'm crying by this point) And Grandma, you are the one who taught me how to write in cursive and put my fingers in the right place on the pen." She was trying to reply, I could tell. But I couldn't understand her. She was animated though. And that was something. Then I said "And Grandma, you know how you always prayed I would meet a good man who would marry me no matter how tall I was? Well I believe that I will meet him one day. And it will be thanks to your prayers. And I'm sorry you will never get to meet him, but I'll tell him about you." I'm rambling at this point, and trying to make her understand through my cry-voice. And she said the most intelligible thing then, I could make it out clearly: "It will be God's choice" and I knew she meant about my one-day husband. And I had no more words. I pulled it together to tell her how much I loved her and to sleep well.
I didn't know it would be the last time I would talk to her. Or that besides Kyle, Brittany, Mom and Papa, I would be the last to speak to her. And I'm so so grateful. I will always have that.
Brittany said that after they had already put Grandma to bed in the hospital bed and Papa to bed in their bed, they heard Papa get up. They went to check on him and found him tucking Grandma's arms in the covers. He doted on her for a minute before bending over and kissing her on the forehead. Then he sat in the armchair next to her and watched her for a while, probably praying, but watching her. Then eventually he got back up and went to bed himself.
I got the call this morning around 7 am from both Mom and Brittany. When I saw the caller ID that it was them that early, I knew what it meant. I couldn't answer because I had just arrived at work. But I listened to the voicemails.
Grandma is with her Jesus now. She's whole, and she's with Michael! Oh what a glorious day. Like my Aunt (Michael's mom) said today, Michael's showing her around heaven :) And we are praising the Lord because of her blessed assurance. I've been singing that song all day...

1. Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
   Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
   Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
   Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
   
   • Refrain:
     This is my story, this is my song,
     Praising my Savior all the day long;
     This is my story, this is my song,
     Praising my Savior all the day long.
2. Perfect submission, perfect delight,
   Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
   Angels, descending, bring from above
   Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
3. Perfect submission, all is at rest,
   I in my Savior am happy and blest,
   Watching and waiting, looking above,
   Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.