My Grandma, Bernice Wilder

On October 22, Sunday morning I got a very unexpected phone call from my mom telling me that my Grandma had died. The night before I had just written her a newsy note about the kids and Luke and even about dear memories of holidays in her home. I didn't get to mail it. But I'm so glad that I got to write those things to her before she left. And I'm so glad that now she's with the Father and it all makes sense.

Amazingly, the Lord had already orchestrated that I would have a plane ticket headed to Portland Oregon and would be landing the day before the funeral will be happening. We were already headed home by the generosity of our dear friend Claudia Fahrner in order that we might join them at their son Matt's wedding. He was our former student in Heidelberg Germany and now has grown to be a man, a friend and soon a husband. We'd decided we would add on a bit so that we could visit 3 days in Portland, then 3 days to Denver for Josh's mom and dad to meet Luke and then top it off with joining them to celebrate at the wedding in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

I feel God is sending me to be with my family at this time. And I'm so grateful. Grateful to cry together as we remember her and all her dear ways. Grateful that we had already arranged for my dad to be here with the other kids while we travel. And grateful that the Lord's ways are higher than mine. That He knows that after the sorrow of a funeral and the feelings of loss; a wedding will be the reminder that one day He is coming for all of us and taking us to His home to live with Him!