Merry Christmas From Heaven
I still hear the songs, I still see the lights
I still feel your love on cold wintry nights
I still share your hopes and all of your cares
I'll even remind you to please say your prayers
I just want tot ell you, you still make me proud
You stand head and shoulder above all the crowd
Keep trying each moment to stay in His grace
I came here before you to help set your place
You don't have to be perfect all of the time
He forgives you the slip if you continue the climb
To my family and friends please be thankful today
I'm still close beside you in a new special way
I love you all dearly, now don't shed a tear
'Cause I'm spending my Christmas
with Jesus this year!
It's hard to believe that it has been three weeks since my sweet little momma passed away. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of her and wish she was still here with us... only healthy and whole. I know that I will one day see her again, as she is in heaven. My assurance of that has been marked by the fact that my momma loved Jesus. She said so herself. I can rest in that peace.
Still, I can't help but miss her. I pray every night before I close my eyes to go to sleep that Jesus please take care of her until I get to see her again... and then I whisper and "I love you" to her.
I only remember the good memories of my mother. I remember how brave and strong she was during the last 4 years of her life. I remember how she grew to become so dependent on me and I would be there for her no matter what. The days when she would call me from her room at the nursing home just to check in... and just so she could hear my voice. How I will miss those phone calls! But I will never forget!
Missing you, Momma!
Bailey Family,
It is so hard to believe that it has been almost 19 years since I met Lea and the Bailey family. She was a wonderful person so full of life and love. She was a wonderful mother, grandmother, nana. I will always treasure the way she opened her arms to me and to my children. I was then very blessed to give birth to her first grandchild. He was blessed to have her as his grandmother. I learned from her how to spoil a grandchild and I am honored she was the teacher. Oh boy could she spoil her grandbaby. It was not until 34 days ago when my first grandchild was born did I understand a grandmothers love. I will miss her greatly as will Garrett. There are so many loving things she has done that it is so hard to just pick a few . Her candy cake was outstanding and I remember trying to beat Christopher to it for so many of our birthdays. The Halloween costumes she made for the kids were precious, Remember the M & M's Red, yellow, and green. Made by her for Sara, Jonathon, and Garrett. Garrett peaking over his grandma's salad bowl to this day I swear that boy would be a vegetarian if I would let him. I am so thankful that I got to share in and be a part of Lea's life. Garrett is who he is today because of her love and devotion. May she rest in Peace. God bless Love Christina
Today as I sit here and write this, I am reminded of so many things about my mother that were wonderful and comforting. Everyone has always told me that I look just like her or that we looked like we could be sisters. Mom and I shared a bond that is unable to be described with mere words. For the first three and a half years of my life, it was just me and Mom. As I grew older and my brother Joey came along, I learned what it was like to be a big sister and helped my momma with feeding him and changing his diapers and holding him. Then another brother came along... the biggest and first-born Baby New Year of 1975 Christopher, weighing in at 11 pounds and 13 ounces. And then when I turned 9 years old, I was getting ready to be a big sister yet again to my first and only sister, Beverley. That was a difficult time for Mom as Beverley nearly died and was in the hospital for awhile after she was born. I will never forget the joy my mother experienced when the news came over the phone that she could come to pick up her baby and bring her home.
You see, Momma was all about her family. There was absolutely nothing that she would not do for any member of her family, especially her children and her grandchildren. Holidays were always made special no matter what sacrifices she had to make in order to pull them off. She even had "adopted" children that she would take under her wing and help to make them feel special as well. Countless nieces and nephews would be pampered and spoiled by Mom's charming ways.
My mother was a natural nurturer and, my goodness, when you were invited over to eat, she made enough to feed an army and it was good! Lemon meringue pies, lasagna, Italian beef, fried chicken, potato salad and my favorite... strawberry pie just the way I like it. And I am sure that everyone in the family had their favorite dish of Mom's like Christmas cookies, tortellini's... just take your pick. And if you ever came away from one of Mom's dinners hungry, it was your own fault.
Because Mom was a natural nurturer, it was only fitting that she go to school to become a nurse. It was later in her life when she made this decision, but she was determined to do the very best that she could do. Her main concern was that it had been 20 years since she had been in school and she just wanted to pass her classes and get a good job so that she could help Dad support the family. Well, not only did she do well in the classes, she passed every single class with grades of nothing less than 98% and in most classes, she scored 100%.
She took the first job that was offered to her after she graduated and passed her state board exam and she stayed with it until the day of her unfortunate accident. She loved her job and was extremely dedicated to it and loved her patients as well as the staff and co-workers. She took pride in her work and was always available to work extra hours so others could take time off. The care and concern shown by the staff after her accident will never be forgotten and it touched Mom deeply every time she got a card or a letter from someone she worked with. She would be so appreciative that tears would come to her eyes after I would read them to her.
For 4 years, 3 months and 12 days, my mother fought to live. She fought her way back from major brain surgery. She fought her way through rehabilitation and learning how to walk all over again. She fought enough to be able to come home in as little as 7 months after her accident and brain surgery. She walked with a walker and was able to be at home where she truly enjoyed being. She would do laundry and wash dishes and attempt to cook Dad dinner for when he would come home from work. Sometimes the dinners were edible... sometimes they were not, but bless her heart, she tried.
One year and 8 months ago, she sustained a fractured ankle that required surgery to repair and she made the choice to return to the nursing home for more rehabilitation. That was the start of another fight for her, which she fervently took to task. After several surgeries on her foot, she had a major stroke, which rendered her unable to use the left side of her body. Momma fought for her life through a serious bout of pneumonia. But it became obvious to the family that Momma may never leave the nursing home as her health had declined so much that she required skilled care.
(To the staff at Aspen Ridge: our family would like to thank all of you for giving our mother the love and the care that you gave her. She loved you all. We had an assurance that she was getting the care that she needed that we could not provide for her at home. Thank you and God bless you for all you have done for our special loved one.)
In looking back over all of this battle that my mother fought, I never once heard her complain or feel sorry for herself or her condition. Momma was always trying to be strong for all of us, even in her weakest moments. In several talks with her at her bedside over the last several months, she expressed how much she loved each of us kids and Dad and her grandkids Garrett, Lora and Matthew. We were her life. She talked of missing her mommy and daddy often. She talked of how much she loved Jesus and how much she wanted to be with Him. She talked often of her brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews. She loved them all. I can't think of a single person that she did not express some sort of love and adoration toward. She was the most selfless person I have ever known and I'm proud to call her my momma.
I know that we can all appreciate the hard journey she has had to endure the past several years. But I also know that we can all rest in the peace in knowing that she will never have to suffer in a broken body ever again. She is now at home where she has wanted to be with her mom, dad, two sisters and brother. We can have a peace in knowing that we will see her again and until then, she will be our little angel in heaven. I love you Momma!
Your first-born baby,
Shelley
I will always remember my sister Leawanda when we were young as we played games like, hide and seek, tag, red light/green light. How Leawanda chased after me when I pushed my sister Mary off the porch and she broke her shoulder when we lived in Kincaid. She did catch me by the way and sit on me until mom got there to take care of the matter at hand. She watched us while mom and dad were at work or when mom was delivering yet another baby, Alan Dale, Denise, David and Patrick Shane. She was the one that took on the task of raising and caring for us when mom was away working.
Leawanda, a member of the Taylorville High School marching band played the french horn, she had marched in many parades in her purple and gold school colors. I can remember when she practiced at home blowing into that horn; it drove me nuts. She always cooked for us while mom was at work, Leawanda was a very good cook, even at the age of fourteen. But peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were and still are my favorite. She made me sit down to eat before I was allowed to go out and play, sometimes that was a battle in itself. I was a brat back then and got into trouble a lot, but Leawanda was always there to straighten me out. She was the mother hen of the family back then, and she was proud of everything she did.
I remember when Leawanda would come to my basketball games and watch me play and tell me how great I was even thou our team always lost the games. Another time I hurt my right elbow (not able to raise my arm to shoot with it) the day before a tournament basketball game and she encouraged me to go ahead and play in the tournament. I shot the basketball with my left hand that night making the shot and ended being selected to the second team all stars. She was so proud of me, and it meant the world to me for her to be there cheering me on. Another time that is memorable is when Leawanda and Joett were there by my side when I had my tonsils removed, giving me ice because my mouth was so dry, making sure I was comfortable. She was always there when I had health problems; such as when I was in Chicago and had surgery. I was out school for a long period of time and was put back a grade, boy did I feel stupid, but as always, Leawanda would talk with me, giving me comfort and helping me with my current events and studies. She was always there to comfort me.
The day Leawanda brought baby Shelley home her face just glowed with happiness and pride. What a wonderful mother she turned out to be. Then the day Wayne married her, which lit up her beautiful face so much more..... she never did loose that smile.
There is nothing in this world that can replace my sister, your loving mother and friend Leawanda. She was such an loveable caring person.
I have missed so much since moving to California in 1977. WOW!! that is a long time and how time escapes us. I do love and miss each and everyone of my family. Karen and I wish we could be there in celebrating my loving sister Leawanda's life with you. But yet another cobblestone was placed before us. My wife Karen, daughter Lyra and myself will be celebrating the life of my sister Leawanda along with you in mind and in spirit.
May the spirit of happiness and joy be with each of you who loved and touched my sister Leawanda.
We Love and will miss you Leawanda our hearts are touched with your spirit of happiness. Until we meet again.
Donnie, Karen, Lyra
