We got a slow start to the day but picked up Ashley at the hotel for lunch. She missed CiCi's Pizza - I guess they didn't have it in Indiana, where she lived. We decided not to go to the one in our town - because there had been a lot of negative reviews there lately (on cleanliness mostly). So we drove to League City where there's a nicer one. Ashley realized fairly quickly that memories and reality don't always match. Ha! The pizza was okay but it wasn't great.
Steve ended up meeting us there. He had realized he wasn't ready to go back to work. We had a pretty good lunch. Jason insisted on a Dr. Pepper. I thought that was interesting. I'm like root beer and my kids have always started out that way. Tony eventually "betrayed" me and went to Dr. Pepper. That was his dad's favorite too. Well, Jason had always asked for root beer. This was his first time to ask for a Dr. Pepper. (And he continues to as well) Thanks Tony!
After lunch, we stopped by the store and bought some cookies and cards. I wrote out 2 thank you cards (the only ones I've done so far - even now). We drove to the police station. Officer C wasn't in, nor any of the officers that worked the wreck. So we left the cookies and the card. A lady gave Jason a stuffed dog. He calls it a bear and named it "ker-ker". It had a red scarf.
We took the other cookies and card to the business that Tony wrecked. 2 of the men there had tried to save Tony and we wanted to meet them and say thank you. That was hard for me. We met them, shook their hands, and told them thank you. It was kind of awkward actually. I felt good going but it just seemed awkward. We did find out that they had never received insurance information for their property damage claim. So we said we would look into that.
We came back to the house and visited. That night we went out to eat. I really struggled so we didn't stay a long time. It was hard being around people that were laughing and enjoying each other's company.
The next day, Thursday, was the last day here for Ashley. Steve picked her up and got her checked out of the hotel. We visited. We talked a little about the past. She asked some questions that had bothered her. It was interesting to hear her perspective too - like being shocked that some people at the funeral were so nice to her. Her last memory of those people, she said she was very mean and angry. That they would have been justified in not being nice to her, or talking to her at all. She also acknowledged briefly how she acted with us in the past. It showed a lot of maturity and gave me hope that any future relationship might be successful.
In no time at all she was needing to leave for the airport. We said our good-byes and Steve drove her there. Later that night, we would hear from her that there were issues. Apparently storms in Georgia had caused delays. Ashley's plane landed in Alabama for a couple hours for that I think, as well as plane problems. They finally got on their way but when they landed, the connecting flight had just left. My friend Crysty had already scheduled a new flight - and it wouldn't leave until the next morning. Ashley didn't want to go to a hotel, so she stayed at the airport all night. Because we could only communicate via email - it was difficult to keep in touch or get updates or make sure she was ok. Friday late morning we got word that she was in Indiana and on her way home. Once she was home, she said she was going to bed. I could breathe a little better knowing she was home.
My sister posted this on March 23 "My sister amazes me everyday. I have no idea how she can't just scream at the world and just say "F#@& off". I mean she yelled at me then apologized later. I know everyone thinks I did a great job helping my sister, but reality, that's how I cope while trying not to scream at the world. I would be so angry with his friends. He was my nephew, not my son and I just can't deal. I don't want to see people, I don't want to leave the house, I just want to lay in bed and cry. I feel guilty being this sad. I've never seen my kids hurt so bad.
My sister Melanie (and BIL Steve) have shown me what Grace really is. They not only forgave the young men but welcomed in their home, hugged them, loved on them, cried with them. Because I witnessed this, I was able to take the anger and show love for these young men. My nephew had amazing friends. These guys hugged everyone of us, they needed that I think more than we did. While my nephew was just having fun with friends, his friends have a whole other level of pain that none of us could even understand.
My sister showed me what Grace, Hope and Love really is. I never fully understood it until now.
God has been with her every step of the way and it shows to everyone, it shows.
God has been with her every step of the way and it shows to everyone, it shows.
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