Dena Marie Bonner, my best friend

This is the hardest post I have written our will write in my entire life. On Oct. 1 my mom was admitted in the hospital with what we thought was just a flare up with her ulcer. But after blood was taken we found out that there was cancer in her lymph node and was diagnosed with adenercarsonoma with breast primary. We thought that it could be contained, but it spread with a vengance. By the time we saw it, it had spread to her bones and she was in agonizing pain. So they put her on high doses of medicine which made her really out of it, but if they tried to lower it, she would be in pain again. We brought hospice in, but after 5 weeks of being up with my mom every night, making sure she got the right medicine, and watching her fade away, we admitted her into a place called Clarehouse. It is an organization that gives terminally ill patients a place to pass on in an uplifting envirnoment, but have 24 hour care with hospice nurses working with them. She was admitted last Wednesday, but on Saturday morning was at peace and went home with her Lord.

In the 60 short years she was here on this Earth she impacted hundreds of children's lives in the classroom, was married to the same man for 35 years, and was my best friend. When I was growing up I talked with her about everything, and that never changed. We talked everyday, sometimes several times a day, she advised me, encouraged me, loved me, and was my everything. In the past four years, she has also been the world's best Nan. I was her pride and joy...until my children came around, they were her life. The thing that hurt her the most leading up to her death was not being able to see them and love on them, but she is with them now, and forever. She was here when I got married, and when I had both of my children, two things that I wanted more than anything. And even though I will be alive longer without her than with her, I am at peace that this is the Lord's will and I trust Him that He knows best.

She LOVED life, loved everything and never let anything get her down, so b/c of that and b/c of the stregth that the Lord has given me, I will go on. I still cannot believe I won't get to talk with her on the phone, or she won't get to see Kaitlyn take her first steps or see Andrew go to K-4 in person and I am very sad. So ask for your prayers that when I get in the pit, I don't live in the pit, but just make a short trip. I ask for prayer for my dad as he goes on and begins to live life alone, and all that entails. I ask for prayer for Andrew who now knows that his Nan won't be here anymore, but that she is "playing with God in Heaven". Which when we talked to him about it, he goes momma I bet God is holding Nan's hand and making her feel better. I love you all so much and thank you for your friendship, for your love and for your prayers. I ask that you keep that up as I begin to adjust my life without the best mother and friend a girl could ever ask for.