They moved to Buras when Amy and I were about 5 years old. Amy was painfully shy. My dad would ask her a question, and she would answer through me. She's totally not like that now. :) Our families became friends, and we did all kinds of stuff together. Even going on vacations together. There was nothing like a big family vacation to Panama City Beach. We even rented a 3 story condo the month before Katrina hit Buras. That was a very fun, crazy time. It was a beautiful house...and we invaded every crevice of it with my Latham family of 9, my dad's brother (Uncle Max) Latham family of 10, the Metzger family of 4, and a couple of friends too.
There was like 26 people in this house. And we loved it. Such a great memory.Ms. Heidi was our Missionettes director. She had a degree in education with a focus in home ec, and she taught us well. I remember all the things we did to get our badges. She went through a lot to make sure we learned what we needed to know.
She also had a wonderful, loving relationship with her husband. They were great examples of love. It's one thing for me to see my parents love each other, but I was surrounded by couples who had been married for years and still loved each other so much. I am totally blessed for that.
Bro. Joe is kind and compassionate and a hippie at heart. He wears his flip flops often - which he would wear when he got home from work. I can honestly say that they loved each other deeply. Better than in a movie.
Ms. Heidi was a great lady who left a great legacy in her daughters as well as in us. The hours that Sylvia and I spent at her house are countless. Literally. There were summers where we would just rotate houses - mine, Syl's and Amy's. We had a wonderful, beautiful childhood, and a lot of it was due to our moms.
It is so hard to see her go. To let go. I know Amy feels like she still needed her mom. Heck, I still need my mom, so I completely understand! But I know that Amy is the woman she is today because of her mom. And she will continue to be the strong, passionate woman that her mom instilled in her.
In Matthew 5:4, Jesus said, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."
I know that as we grieve over the loss of Ms. Heidi, we will be comforted. We can remember the good times that we had. The laughs. The tears. The moments to cherish forever.
And we can know that heaven rejoiced as another soul entered in and walked into the arms of Jesus. She's no longer suffering. She's continuing the life of worship and the love affair with Jesus that she began here on earth.
And one day, because Amy, Anna, and Bro. Joe have a relationship with Jesus as well, they will reunite and worship Jesus together.
What a glorious day that will be!!
Wonderful words about an Awesome lady...she will be greatly missed. I was thinking back to some of the great memories that I have that included Mrs. Heidi. You know someone is just like your mom when they have spanked you for acting up just like your own mom would, and she did a few times. I also remembered when she threw a book at me in Missionettes class because I wouldn't shut up haha!!!! The Awesome camping trip at the Fort, going on the paper route with her, eating ice cream with her in the morning, countless hours at their house and in the pool and all the fun vacations we all had together, even the one to the mountains because Mrs. Heidi wanted to go to the mountains instead of the beach for a change. She was a wonderful lady and I feel blessed that God let her be apart of my life. I know that I will see her again one day and I will be happy for that day when we all get to vacation on the big beautiful beach that heaven no doubt has haha!!!
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