So many people have asked me to tell them the story about the Angel Wings in the clouds that I decided to go ahead and post it here. This started out as Michael’s blog and since the wings are all about him…..well, here is the story:
When Michael first got sick we bought matching silver angel wings (each a single wing) to wear on our chains with our crosses. So, yes, when you see my angel wing on my necklace next time I see you, you will know why I wear it. We said that by wearing this single angel wing we would always be together because if one of us left the other behind, we would have to wait to be complete since the other would have the matching wing.
After Michael died Nick & Kimi noticed that the clouds seem to be brighter and have unusual shapes and they decided that God had made Michael the cloud designer in heaven since we all know that he was the most creative designer there ever was! So, every so often I get a photo sent to me from Nick or Kimi with a beautiful cloud or clouds in it and they will often say something like…….Daddy is working again!
As you know, Nick joined the US Army and left for boot camp on August 23rd. It was an emotional time for me (and Kimi of course) and I have prayed very hard for him to be a successful soldier and to be safe wherever he is and come back to us unharmed. As boot camp was winding down Nick had mastered every skill and passed every test except push ups! Graduation day was rapidly approaching and those last 7 dreaded push ups were not happening. The phone call came into Kimi that we should not make the LONG drive to South Carolina to family day or graduation as he was going to be recycled back a couple of weeks to build up his upper body strength. Now, why the Army would do that over 7 lousy pushups is a mystery to me but it is the Army! Go Army! : ) I had also made a phone call to the base and was told it would be a waste of our time and that we would not get to see him. Kimi was heart broken and I was very sad that I would have to delay seeing my handsome son and his smiling face. Kimi and I agonized everyday and waited to hear the phone call that he had passed his PT test. The last call came…….no. Don’t come. He was going to be able to re-try on family day but that was a crap shoot if he made it and he didn’t feel confident enough for us to make that drive.
Well, I was mad. I was mad at God for letting Nick go through another emotional upset and I was mad at Michael for not being there for him. And, I found out that it is really tough being mad at God. Being mad at God does weird things to you. So……..I’m driving down the road, really mad. I’m thinking about how upset Kimi is, I’m wondering how this can be……another WHY in my life and all of a sudden I look into the sky (as I am driving) and I see this perfect PAIR of angel wings. Just as I see them I hear Michael’s deep, strong voice say GO! Of course, I grabbed up my iPhone and took a picture of those beautiful wings!!!!!!
I then called Kimi. I said Michael said go and we are going. Get re-packed. I texted her the photo and I got home and re-packed myself. We left at 4:30am the next morning and drove over 1200 miles, through 6 states, half away across the United States in pouring rain to get to that Army base on nothing but pure faith that we would get to see Nick. Talk about LOVE!
Well, when we are in Mississippi, Nick calls Kimi and asks her what she is doing. She tells him that we are in Mississippi on our way to South Carolina to see him on family day. Of course, he knows he has been told he will not participate in family day but the words out of his mouth are: I WILL PASS THE PT TEST IN THE MORNING!!!!!!
We arrive in South Carolina, after 18.5 hours of non stop driving and end up at the “Bates” Motel. For those of you old enough to remember the movie Psycho, know what I am talking about. We still have no idea if we will see Nick or not but I am hoping that one way or the other we (I) will cause a big enough scene to either get us on the base or in jail! The next morning we wake up extra early to get ready and the phone call to Kimi comes in. I PASSED!!!!!!!!! To see Kimi beaming with happiness and pride made that brutal beginning of the trip so well worth it! So, not only did we participate in family day but we were able to watch Nick graduate with his class and as I watched the tears flow down Kimi’s cheeks and feel the love and happiness and pride build in my chest, well , you have to know that I was one happy and proud Momma!
To this day I truly believe that because of God’s blessings, Michael’s Angel Wings in the clouds and the love that Kimi and I have for Nick……we were able to spend family day with him, watch him graduate and drive him to Alabama for his next journey in training!
God is so good and we are so blessed! Thank you God, thank you God and thank you Michael for being there for Nick when he needed you …..again!
Libby
