Pampa, Texas

A couple of weeks ago I got one of those phone calls that you know is coming sooner or later but you still hate to get it, just the same. My grandmother, who is 93 years old, had been diagnosed with Lung Cancer. The doctors say there is nothing they can do except keep her comfortable. My sister, Stacey, and my two daughters, Shawn and Tory, decided that we needed to take a trip to Pampa, Texas, where my grandmother has lived almost all of her life, to say goodbye.

City Hall - Downtown Pampa, Texas

What a sad reason for a trip. We decided to drive up there. It's a 10 hour drive but we figured that it wouldn't be too bad if we all took turns at the wheel. We set out on a Wednesday evening after work. Even though the reason for the trip was a sad one, it turned out to be a wonderful trip and such a great time spent with my girls and my sister. There is nothing like a good road trip to get in some good quality time.

We made it to Pampa with only one speeding ticket and an overnight stay in Henrietta, Texas. (Stacey will never speed through Decatur again!). We drove straight to the hospital and found our grandmother sleeping quietly. She was amazingly coherent when she woke up to find us there and I think she was very pleased that we made the trip. I find comfort in the fact that one of the first things she said to us was: "it's time". We had a good, but very sad visit with her. The hardest part was when she gave me a necklace and earrings that were given to her by my grandfather. She wanted me to have them and I will certainly cherish them, but it was just really hard to have that moment with her and to know that it was our "goodbye" . I will always remember her as a strong and independent woman. I feel proud to be her granddaughter.

We spent two days with her at the hospital. We also got to take a couple of side trips that were really fun. We had read about a little town called Groom, Texas that is just outside of Pampa. Stacey had heard about a 190 foot tall cross there. We decided that since it was Good Friday, this would be a perfect stop for this trip. Check out the web site: http://www.crossministries.net/ . What a wonderful place. We really enjoyed the stop and especially the reminder of the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross.

Our next stop was The Big Texas, home of the 72 oz. sirloin steak in Amarillo, Texas. If you eat the 72 oz. steak and the meal, you get it free. Fun place to visit if you don't mind feeling like a tourist in Texas! LOL

The next morning we pointed our car to the south and headed home. This trip was long but short and very sad but also lots of fun.

To live in hearts we leave behindIs not to die.~Thomas Campbell, "Hallowed Ground"