The End of a Chapter

¹ The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
² He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
³ He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
⁴ Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,^[a]
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
⁵ You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
⁶ Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord

forever.

ABNPOPPA and ABNMOMMA'S Great Adventure began on April 22, 1977. From a very strong discussion about woman's lib in college to the red color she wanted to paint the living room. Always, always a great adventure. At the young age of 21 she took up the challenge of raising a six year son which she was not the birth mother. She blessed me with a daughter and second son, Jacob, the warrior paratrooper.

We honeymooned in a two man pup tent because we couldn't afford a motel and it rained four of the 5 days. Soaked sleeping bags, soaked clothes but never a complaint. Always a smile and it will be better the next time.

She nursed not only the children she raised but in her 32 years as a Registered Nurse gave only the best care she could give to thousands of patients both in the hospital and later as a nurse who went to the patients homes because they couldn't travel to the doctor's office or pay to stay in a nursing home. I had the honor of driving her thru snow and ice to visit patients when the Sheriff''s department said any one on the roads would be arrested because they were so bad. Her patients needed her service and she was going to see they got it. During one winter blizzard the local police department sent out a four wheel drive vehicle to see she got to where she had to go.

She nursed her patients and nursed her family spending hours and hours with her mother when she developed pancreatic cancer. She nursed ABNPOPPA when he had emergency surgery on Christmas eve and she nursed more neighborhood kids than you could count.

She was a nurse's nurse.

She was a mom, grandma and wife to me for the best years of my life. On Tuesday morning she left the world we lived in together for nearly 32 years after a heroic battle against lung cancer. She was 53 years old.

This is not the end to our Great Adventure, only the ending of a chapter in the book. She has gone on to map out our next chapter as she always did finding places to stay, usually with a beach and usually with some historic sites. I will only have to say as I always did, where are we going and when do we leave.

Let not your heart be troubled, she has gone on to prepare the way, the same as our Savior.

ABNMOMMA, I love you Tiger! Thanks for giving me the best years of my life.

Pops