When your world stops…

When I first began my time at home, I thought a lot about writing a little devotional book. Not that I am really qualified, but thought I could use some of the things I have learned in this life to maybe help someone else. For the last three years, I have been going to college at Liberty University. I haven’t been going with a clear plan in mind, I have just been going because I felt that is what God was asking me to do. Through attending college, I have learned to write things like papers, essays and discussion boards. I have found I love to write, especially if it’s a subject I am passionate about.

I decided after being mandated to stay home that I would write a little devotional. It was a little bit overwhelming and I knew no one would ever read it unless it was published, and we all know that is a daunting task. It does not happen overnight, and it does not happen to many people. So, I thought I would start a blog. Someone may see it and it might be a blessing to them.

The last blog post I hit finish on was about my birthday falling on Good Friday. Little did I know just a few hours after I published it, my whole world change forever. You see,I lost someone that night. Someone I love with all my heart. Someone who picked on me, yet always treated me special. Someone who loved my oldest daughter, Alexis, with all of his heart. Someone who loved his family, even his in-laws, with all the love he had in his heart, was gone.

You see I lost Nolan, my precious son-in-law, on Friday March 27th, 2020, went to be with his Heavenly Father. He stole my whole families heart. He gave me the best gift ever, my Laney, my beautiful granddaughter. She too stole all of our hearts!

The night Nolan passed was the hardest one of my life, the hardest for any of our family. My precious daughter, Morgan, was sent to pick me up because my husband knew I would never be able to drive with the sudden news I was about to be told. She made sure I did not know until after we were safely at Tommy and Angie, Nolan’s parents home. We both agreed on the way we would call my step-son, Brad, and let him pray while Morgan drove us. Morgan did the bravest thing she could do for me in that moment. She kept the horrible reality I was about to face a secret, until we we safely arrived with the rest of our family.

My daughter, Morgan is what you would say is the best, the best a Mom could ask for. She knew I would come undone, so she did the hard thing and kept the harsh reality from me. For this I will be forever thankful. She knew what had to be done and she did it. She knew I could not handle what I was about to face and she attempted to soften the blow. Brad, also did all he could by praying every time I picked up the phone to call him.

But most of all, in all of this, I want to be thankful for the two people who deserve it the most, Tommy and Angie! Two people who raised such a fine man. A man who loved Alexis with all he had. A man who had a child and loved her with all he had. For this I thank them from the bottom of my heart. I thank Nolan for being a man no one can ever compare to. While God only gave Nolan to us for a short time, in that time he impacted our lives in profound ways.

One memory of Nolan that will always live with me was the day him and Alexis got married. After the ceremony was over and they walked out and the wedding party, including me the mom were escorted out, Nolan said something I will never forget. He told me when he saw Alexis coming down the aisle, he thought an angel was walking towards him. He made sure we all knew we were loved. The night they told me Laney was on the way, I laughed, I cried, I jumped up and down and he held onto me the whole time I let the very thing I had prayed so many days for sink in. I was beyond excited and he was too!

I thank Tommy and Angie for raising such a fine man. I recently had a conversation with my husband, Billy, about how people are quick to judge parents raising sons if they think they are being hard on them. But that being said, they are also glad for these sons who were raised once they see them grown up and need one of them. Nolan was one of the lucky ones who had parents who took the time to raise him. Raise him to be a man who knew how important it is to love the Lord and love his family. If any of us are fortunate enough to have one of these people in our lives, we need to be forever grateful.

I have had the privilege of knowing some of the “good ones”. I have a step-son who answers the phone every time I call. Who hears my cries and prays with me. I have Thomas who brings so much joy to my life. Who loves Morgan and loves all of us with all his heart. And I have had the privilege of having one of the best son-in-laws God ever gave anyone.

Nolan, if ever you knew anything about me, I hope you knew how much I love you! You were the most fun, the most handsome, the most precious son-in-law a person could ever dream to have. I love you always and forever! I will see you again..until then, know we all love you so much!