Unexpected sadness

I've mentioned so many times on this blog that there have been some key people in my life that have done some amazing things for me.  After Jason died, I had friends (and even strangers) step up to the plate and provide for needs that I didn't even know I had.

Several years ago, I told Jason that I wanted a full top to bottom house cleaning for Valentine's Day.  We found a flyer in our Money Mailer (those paper coupons that get mailed to your house) and we made the call.  I spoke to a really nice lady and explained what I was looking for.

She sent her crew over to our house and cleaned every square inch of it.  It was awesome.  So awesome that we decided to have them come back every other week.  I've been using the same company off and on for the last 6 years or so.  I've somewhat come to know the owner......her company has a large crew of people that clean. Basically 7-9 people show up and they knock your house out in about an hour.  It's wonderful.  Sometimes she would come with them and sometimes she wouldn't but I've either talked to, texted, or seen Linda every other week for years.

After Jason died, I spoke with her and explain what had happened.  She was heartbroken.  She told me that her nickname for me has always been "Valentine" because of how we got started with her and even though she didn't know Jason personally, she knew that we were just a down-to-Earth normal family trying to raise our boys.  She told me that she wanted to clean my house without me paying her.  I felt weird about this but she wouldn't back down.  She cleaned my house for over 9 months and would not accept payment from me.  There were times in between that I would tell her "okay, it's been long enough....I'm going to leave a check for you." and she would say "don't bother because I won't cash it."  She told me that she wanted to pay it forward and she just really felt called to help me.  I can't fully put into words how touched and humbled I felt by this act of kindness.

Finally, when sweet boy and I got engaged I wrote her a lengthy letter telling her about our story and that I would be getting remarried soon. I told her that she blessed me beyond belief and that I was so very thankful for her.  I included a check to pay for that days cleaning and I told her that from now on, I WAS going to pay again.  She called me that night almost in tears because she was so happy for the boys and me.

My cleaning days were on Wednesday.  They would come every other week to clean and I was usually here to let them in.  Linda and I would touch base on Tuesday evening and she would usually text me with a time that they would show up the next day. This would give me time to take the sheets off and get them washed and dried and do some last minute picking up.

This past Tuesday night, I sent her a text asking what time they would be coming the next day.  I was trying to plan my day out and I wanted to be here to let them in.  I didn't hear back from her.....which wasn't a huge deal because she worked a ton and sometimes she would text me early on Wednesday mornings to let me know.  On Wednesday, I got the boys up and to school and came home and started on sheets.  I texted her again around 9:30 and never heard back.  The cleaning crew never showed up.  Wednesday night I sent her a text saying "hey, I never heard from you today.  I'm worried.  Everything okay?"  I didn't hear back.  I had a busy day at preschool on Thursday and thought about her parts of the day but never had a chance to check in.  I told sweet boy that night that I was worried something had happened.  On Friday morning I decided to call her.  Her normal voicemail message was replaced by just the automated one.  Hmmm, that was weird.  I got online and started googling her name and I decided to google for an obituary.  And I found one.

My heart sank as I read the words.  She had died on Monday.

I got a call later in the day from her son's best friend.  He told me that she had slipped in the shower, hit her head and basically hemorrhaged in her brain.  I didn't dare ask any more details other than what was provided because even though my curious mind wanted to know.....the bottom line is that she was gone.  None of the details really mattered.

I have been in a funk ever since.  Even though she and I were not best friends...she was a good person.  She was a wife.  She was a mom.  She was just 54.  And she blessed me in such a huge way during the most difficult time of my life.

I told her son's best friend that I wanted to share a story with him and I asked him to please pass this on to her family.  I have no idea if they even knew what she did for me but I wanted them to know.  I know how wonderful it's been for people to share Jason stories with me and I wanted to do the same for them.  I made sure they knew that she changed me.

Please keep Linda's family in your prayers.  Thank you, friends!!