21 years LATER

It has been 21 years since Amelia Leha Tuita-Vehikite Muchnick passed away (My mom) but I remember it as though it was yesterday. Today I would like to go back 21 years ago when I was 9 years old and record what I had witnessed.

My mom had been diagnosed with cervical cancer in her early 30's and had pain of living with the fact that cancer may end up taking her life one day. Well that one day finally came where she desired to pass away at home with us family gathered around. It was the morning of April 18th 1987. She was laying in her bed with her hospital gown on. My Dad was calling through out the whole house with an urgent cry to gather quickly in their bedroom.

I remember my mom mentioning that she wanted to pass away with her temple garments on and so I reminded my father as he rushed to put them on underneath her sheets. At this point, all she could do is slowly gasp for air and wait for her body to take it's course to shut down. She could not speak and so all we could do is tell her our last words of peace. Everyone was crying except for me. Ironically, I cry more now than I ever would have then. Only because I couldn't help but be more observant in watching everyone else and trying to feel and see what others were going through. Once she finally partook of her last breath and her spirit had left her body all you could hear in the room was the cries for her to come back that much louder.

I remember a calm and peaceful feeling that came over me at this time as though I knew she was going to a better place and that I would see her again. Once we all realized that she was truly gone my father made the phone call for the funeral place to come and pick her body up and we all stood back and watched as they took her body and drove it away for preparations.

Today I can still hear her gasping for air as if she is trying so hard to hold on for those few more seconds of her dear life to be with us for just one more moment in time. It seemed that it happened all so sudden. Now it's 21 years later.

My mom was born into a family of 11 kids and had 4 children of her own and adopted 3 of our 1st cousins in which makes 7 kids.. Between us all the oldest was 16 and the youngest was 5 years old. She was 36 years old when she died.

My mother insisted that my Father re-marry so that we would have a mother to raise us. I took it as a sign that my mom was pleased that my Dad fulfilled her wishes when he announced that he had married in secret to Sarah Cottrell exactly a year later on this day as well... Happy Anniversary!

It has been through this marriage that I have received the wonderful blessing of Sarah as a Step mother and her 5 children as my step brother and sisters. Sarah then was able to have a child together with my father soon later who is now known as my lovely sister Meredith Rose. So all together we are one big family. 9 girls and 4 boys. It has been an experience of a lifetime.

So this day is a very momentous day that will always be remembered as a day of remembrance and celebration.

Now as a mother, I seriously could not imagine the heartache my own mom had to be facing knowing that she would not be around to raise her own children.

Although, I still have great peace with her death and find myself closer to her now than ever.I just can not wait for my own children to have the opportunity to meet her ONE DAY because that day will be when we will all be together forever again.

I will have to give credit to where credit is due and that is the gospel in my life and how it has kept my spirits high through out all the trials in my life . I am just so grateful for the gospel and the truth it possesses of the plan of salvation. . What a marvelous plan Heavenly father has made for us. What a wonderful blessing. What a WONDERFUL LIFE!