The Best of Times

Fall is officially here and we had a great visit with family today in the Amana Colonies.

Mom's sisters Linda, Marilyn and Pat came from Illinois and Missouri, along with Uncle Tom and cousins Amanda, Samantha, Erin and Heather. Erin's husband and three children made it, too.

Sarah and Will were able to come home bringing along the latest addition to our family, Grayson. And, we got to meet Justin & Erin's baby.

Of course, getting all 8 of the Teaney kids (+ spouses and children) in the same place at the same time is no small feat and we are thankful for the blessing of being together on such a beautiful day.

Pretty sure we heard Dad and Uncle Tom howling...

Remembering Carol

Can you believe Carol (Mom) has been in Heaven a whole year?

We can and we can't. Some days it seems like she just left us. Other days, we feel like she has been gone forever.

Mom was so much to so many: daughter, granddaughter, sister, cousin, wife, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, mother, aunt, mother-in-law, grandmother, teacher and friend, and yet none of these were as important to her as her relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

If we could see Mom skipping down the streets of gold, we wouldn't want her to come back and if she could choose to return, she would stay.

So, we will celebrate her life today and we will rejoice that we are a whole year closer to being with her again.

Now about this weather...

The Very Best Gifts

Thoughts from Kim...

Tomorrow, it will be one year since the doctors told us they couldn't do any more to help Mom beat her cancer. Though we have peace knowing she is in Heaven, this year has been difficult for us as we have worked through our grief and forged ahead without her.

For me, I still look for Mom behind the wheel of every little red Saturn I see on the road. I can't seem to make myself take her phone number off my cell phone and I have picked up my phone to call her what seems like a million times. I miss doing crossword puzzle races with her and having her beat me at Upwords. How I crave a pot of her homemade chicken and noodles!

Yesterday, I walked into church and saw Luke 2:13-14 on the welcome screen. "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." I cried as memory carried me back to my mother's lap where, as a child of 3 or 4, Mom helped me memorize Luke 2:1-14. It was so important to Mom that Christ be the focus of our Christmas and before we opened our presents with her each year, our family quoted these verses together.

So much has changed, and yet, as we search for new family traditions to ease the pain of celebrating without her, I know there won't be one present opened before our family says Luke 2:1-14 together.

There might not be a dry eye in our home, but it will be a good Christmas. And I suspect the memories we each have of Mom will be the very best gifts "under our tree."

Congratulations Melissa & Shawn

Melissa will marry Shawn Ireland this Saturday, August 21 at Grace Baptist Church in Marion. We offer them our congratulations, prayers and best wishes as they begin their life together.

We love you!

Details for Mom's Visitation & Celebration of Life Service

Carol Sue (Hoots) Teaney, 60, of Marion, went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, February 3, 2010, at St. Luke’s Hospital following a courageous battle with cancer. Celebration of Life service will be held at 10:00 AM, Saturday, February 6, 2010, at Grace Baptist Church in Marion with Dr. Cecil Ballard officiating. A graveside service will be held immediately following at Oak Shade Cemetery in Marion. Her family will greet friends from 5-8 PM on Friday, February 5, 2010, at Grace Baptist Church. Teahen Funeral Home is serving the family.

Carol was born April 22, 1949, in Jacksonville, Illinois, the daughter of Paul Eugene and Emma Marie (McDade) Hoots. They preceded her in death.

Survivors include her husband of 42 years, William “Bill”; her eight children: Kim (Jim) Reem of Marion, Ronda (Darran) Whiting of Marion, Stephanie (Brian) Warkentin of Marion, Philip (Tanya) Teaney of Garland, TX, Sarah Teaney of Williamsport, PA, Melissa Teaney of Marion, Bethany Teaney of Oklahoma City, OK, and Stephen Teaney of Elgin, IL; and her eight grandchildren: Kylie and Lauren Reem, Andrew, Austin and Ashton Whiting, Kristin and Brianna Warkentin and Joseph Teaney. She is also survived by three sisters: Linda (Doug) Bell of Sherman, IL, Marilyn (Tom) DeMoss of St. Louis, MO, and Pat (Mark) Bentley of Winchester, IL.

Memorials can be made to The Nehemiah Fund at Grace Baptist Church, 1461 East Post Road, Marion, IA 52302.

Please sign the online guest book for Carol at www.teahenfuneralhome.com or visit the family blog at teaney.blogspot.com.

Absent From The Body, Present With The Lord

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. Psalm 116:15

Mom's battle with cancer is over. Surrounded by family and friends, she went home to be with the Lord this morning at 2:00.

Her Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, February 6, at 10:00 AM at Grace Baptist Church in Marion.

Details will follow.

Next Stop Heaven

Mom got really sick to her stomach this afternoon and ever since, her status has deteriorated.

We were able to get Dad, all the kids and spouses here and we've spent the past couple of hours singing and praying with Mom.

She is not responding to us right now. Her breathing is shallow, slower and she is dropping breaths.

It's looking like she's going home to Heaven very, very soon.