Jenny's Aunt Sandy always made her family's thanksgiving. Jenny looked forward to it every year when Aunt Sandy would hide away a piece of pumpkin pie just to make sure she would get some. It was about that time again, and Jenny couldn't wait to see everyone. None of her family from out of town had seen Zachary yet, so Jenny couldn't wait to show off her special baby boy. She knew her Aunt Sandy would have a special place in her heart for her baby boy. She just knew they would be best friends as he got older and she couldn't wait for him to get to know her and love her as much as Jenny did. Just before thanksgiving, Jenny got a phone call. Aunt Sandy was sick again. She had a breast removed before when she won her battle with cancer. Jenny dreaded those phone calls, nothing good ever followed them. She took her son, husband, mom, and sisters to the hospital to see Aunt Sandy. She was barely able to breathe without the oxygen mask, but she still managed to ask if they were all coming down for thanksgiving. Her Aunt Sandy was too sick to have visitors for extended periods of time, so Jenny wasn't able to take Zachary in to meet her. Jenny put some photos of her son in the room, and closed the door so she could rest.
Almost exactly a week later, Jenny got another phone call. "Mom's dead. Mom's dead." Jenny's cousin Shelly sobbed on the phone before quickly hanging up. Jenny didn't cry. She refused. She had to be strong. Mark looked at her, saw the look, and knew. The same look she had on her face just 6 months ago. She got the same phone call from her Aunt Sandy about her Pa-Pa. Mark knew, but he didn't know what to do. He tried to hold her and let her cry, but she couldn't. She had to make the phone calls. She had to be strong and hold it together. "Mom?" Jenny asked on the phone. "Yeah, baby, what's going on?" Mary asked assuming Jenny just wanted to chat. "Mom, Aunt Sandy's gone, mom" Jenny tried not to cry, but she couldn't hold it in once she heard her mother break into tears. Jenny made the other 2 calls she had to make to her sisters before she laid back into bed and cried herself back to sleep. Jenny let the wake and funeral become a blur. Her husband took the wheel of her life and handled everything for her. Jenny hated God with every part of her soul. He was torturing her.
Even through all the pain she felt, she saw her little boy was growing up so fast! He was cooing, and rolling. Jenny couldn't believe her eyes at how big he was getting. His first surgery for his cleft was horrible. The doctors scheduled it less than 2 weeks before his 1st birthday. Jenny adapted and held his party 2 weeks early so that he could enjoy his cake. Everyone came to his party including family from out of town that had never seen him before. Jenny was extremely stressed and could barely pull herself together long enough to be around all those people at once. After Zachary's birth, her anxiety was very bad. Everyone always stared, making Jenny more self-conscience than ever before.
Almost exactly a week later, Jenny got another phone call. "Mom's dead. Mom's dead." Jenny's cousin Shelly sobbed on the phone before quickly hanging up. Jenny didn't cry. She refused. She had to be strong. Mark looked at her, saw the look, and knew. The same look she had on her face just 6 months ago. She got the same phone call from her Aunt Sandy about her Pa-Pa. Mark knew, but he didn't know what to do. He tried to hold her and let her cry, but she couldn't. She had to make the phone calls. She had to be strong and hold it together. "Mom?" Jenny asked on the phone. "Yeah, baby, what's going on?" Mary asked assuming Jenny just wanted to chat. "Mom, Aunt Sandy's gone, mom" Jenny tried not to cry, but she couldn't hold it in once she heard her mother break into tears. Jenny made the other 2 calls she had to make to her sisters before she laid back into bed and cried herself back to sleep. Jenny let the wake and funeral become a blur. Her husband took the wheel of her life and handled everything for her. Jenny hated God with every part of her soul. He was torturing her.
Even through all the pain she felt, she saw her little boy was growing up so fast! He was cooing, and rolling. Jenny couldn't believe her eyes at how big he was getting. His first surgery for his cleft was horrible. The doctors scheduled it less than 2 weeks before his 1st birthday. Jenny adapted and held his party 2 weeks early so that he could enjoy his cake. Everyone came to his party including family from out of town that had never seen him before. Jenny was extremely stressed and could barely pull herself together long enough to be around all those people at once. After Zachary's birth, her anxiety was very bad. Everyone always stared, making Jenny more self-conscience than ever before.
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