It was right around 5:00am when dad woke me. He was frantic. He told me to get dressed quickly. I jump out of bed, and get dressed, and I bounced into mom and dad's room to find dad trying to get mom off the bathroom floor. He told me to get clothes for her (as she had been planning to take a shower, so she wasn't dressed.) I grabbed the first things I saw, and handed them to him. I don't remember if I helped dress her before being told to go wake my brother, but I remember (more or less) waking him. He got up, being only half awake. I was told to get her shoes, and purse and such, and did so as my brother and father got her to the car. Then dad and I took her to the hospital.
About ten or fifteen minutes away from the hospital her water broke. We were in the hospital doors for about 10 seconds before Hannah was born. Dad caught her, mom slumped over in the wheelchair. I just stared at my blood speckled shoes for an unknown amount of time. Then there were doctors, and then Hannah, mom, and the doctors were gone. Dad and I were led to a waiting area. We made a few phone calls, and I sent a few texts, and we waited 45minutes before hearing anything. They led us to mom. The nurse was still cleaning mom, and asked how old I was, being concerned that I might find seeing my mother like that traumatic. I sat down in a chair near the blinded window, and dad sat in the corner. We still hadn't heard anything about Hannah, until someone came in and said that she didn't live. She said that she was never alive. Dad made the heartbreaking phone call to his parents, and I sat on the edge of mom's bed holding my little sister. She was still warm, limber, and perfect.
I got to pick out a blanket, and help choose clothes for her once some friends came up. I took pictures, and pictures, and pictures. I took pictures from almost the moment they brought her to us, to the moment we laid her in the ground.
My mom was in and out of the hospital for weeks. I helped her eat and bathe when she came home after her stay in intensive care.
While this is a very tragic story, there is joy in it also.
My mother, though she almost died, she lived.
My sister is in heaven awaiting our arrival, already getting to see my Savior face to face.
The Lord was with us.
I remember wondering what was wrong with me because I didn't feel hurt that my sister died. I saw it like she got to escape and skip life and all its pains.
I remember the wonder moment when I feed my mother both chicken and potato at the same time and we just laughed and laughed.
I look on this time as one of blessings, as well as one of trails.
My little sister who was 3 at the time slept with me most the time. She would lay there and talk for hours. One night she told me a story, and I wrote it down:
Sarah walked into the jungle one bright and sunny day. Unknown to her she would discover a brand new sort of creature. A Princess Ckoo Ckoo Rhino sat high in the tree above. She showed off her stripes and polka dot with pride. Her pretty cape blew softly in the cool breeze. The flowers in her pink and blue curly hair filled the air with a sweet fragrance.
Suddenly a huge butterfly flew overhead. It's only wish was to devourer the Princess Ckoo Ckoo Rhino, and all the other Ckoo Ckoo Rhinos. It's brother butterfly joined in the raid. They chased the Ckoo Ckoo Rhino toward the Rainbow. The Princess tripped over a tree root and hurt her leg and her arm. She quickly flew up to a tree and grabbed two leaves to help her heal. Upon eating the leaves an immediate relief over came her. She turned toward the Rainbow and hurried on her way. Her wings began to tire, so she began to jump from tree to tree to escape the hungry butterflies. She misjumped and hurt herself on a tree, and feel to the ground. The butterflies which were chasing her ran into the tree as well. The Princess made her way to the Rainbow. Once she got there a bunny which sat in a cloud above told her to touch it and she would be safe. She touched the Rainbow and it vanished and her with it. The butterflies sat there in daised disbelief.
Life is full of pain, and of love... This time in my life was filled in abundance with both.
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