Thank you for supporting us 17 years.
Thank you for buying our house on a street that feels safe.
Thank you for giving our kids your healthy genes.
Thank you for the year and half you paid child support.
Thank you for attending church with us mostly
Thank you for finally getting back in two of our son’s life.
Most of all, thank you for leaving so I could focus on our kids instead of hopelessly trying to please you.
When the filigree of my life unravels and I am no more . . .
Only save the lovely pieces though they are few . . .
Don’t judge my failings, for they are many.
Be kind in your memories.
Adopt any useful habits I had and ignore the useless ones.
Remember my love for you, for it is endless.
Speak my name if I come to mind.
Watch for dragonflies, hummingbirds, butterflies, shooting stars and pennies, for they are my messengers.
Love never ends, even if life does.
Our relationship truly is forever,
I will always be thankful for You in my life.
Lyvonne Hill
April 14, 2021
Thinking how very blessed I am… From an insecure, lonely little girl, only child, to have become mother, grandmother and great grandmother with wonderful friends, cousins and co-workers and loving family. God has been so good to me. Thank you all for the gifts, donations to Autism, delicious meals, good wishes and abundant love I’ve received. I am very blessed!! 💕
This day (December 4) in 1960 my beautiful baby boy, Danny was born. Life as I know it would never be the same. Thank God!! He let me learn to be a mother, practicing on him and the two brothers who came along very quickly after him, followed by a baby sister. Danny has been gone from this life over 30 years, but the things he taught me through his life and death still color my world and help me function through life and joy and love and loss. Thank you, God, for giving us Danny.
This day (December 19) 1956 we got a call that my amazing, maternal grandmother had been killed in a head on collision by a drunk driver.
Burlie Livengood, was 60ish, had 8 children, 25 grandchildren (at that time), many great-grandchildren, and had already bought & wrapped Christmas presents for all of us. She had baked about a dozen pies, made her famous 15 layer cake and was ready to celebrate by having everyone at her house there in Phoenix for Christmas.
It was surreal to be at her house that year with all her preparations and food except Gramma wasn’t there. We were all in shock.
But, her strong Christian ethic and huge love of family has influenced us all through the years and tears.
I thank God for the legacy she left us and the whole beautiful family she birthed. She loved to stand among us and open her arms and say, “if there had been no Me, there would be no Thee!” We each knew we were totally loved by Gramma Livengood or Sweet Grammy as some called her.
If things had been different I would be celebrating my 60th Anniversary today.
I want you all to know, not only have I survived the past 44 years … (after divorce) … I have learned to totally trust God, be myself, love others, and blossom with the life God has given me, my precious children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
From a lonely, insecure only child to rejoicing and flourishing with abundant, wonderful friends and family.
You Can Trust God. He Will work things out for Your GOOD. He IS totally Faithful and Good beyond our wildest imagination.
My life has been Amazing!
Yesterday, March 30, marked 29 years since my oldest son, Danny, died. When I thought of that, I wondered, “have I been sad over 30 years?” (We knew he had AIDS 19 months before he died.) I find — I have not, surprisingly.
l still love to hear the name Danny (or Dan, or Daniel) .. even on other people. His music is still my very best favorite. Photos of him still make me pause and take a deep breath and thank God for giving me such an awesome son. (The other two are also Awesome!)
What have I learned in 29 years?
The first few years I was totally absorbed in my grief process and grief work, volunteering with PACT (then called TAP — Tucson AIDS Project) as an advocate for guys with AIDS. I spent ten years on their speaker’s bureau, talking to schools, U of A, hospitals in-service training and many other places, telling the story of all the love that Dan’s friends surrounded him with at the end. My other kids waited on the sideline, graciously, while I worked my way through my pain.
I have learned that time and God’s faithfulness do heal and they help me focus not on his loss, but on all that he was when he was here. I thank God that he was a musician and left me his beautiful music and videos.
He taught me so much, about facing his mortality, accepting with dignity and being open to letting our painful process help others. I learned to open my eyes and see the beauty in others, and to try not to take people for granted. I’ve learned to pray for my other kids faithfully, for their safety, peace and blessings.
This past month I have relied so much on things I learned through Danny as I watched my beautiful daughter, Cherie, lie in a coma and slip away from us. I’ve learned how to get rid of anger without hurting others (usually, please God) and to be transparent. I’ve learned most people are tender and caring if you are honest with them and if they aren’t, it is not up to me to fix them.
I have learned that prayer is the most powerful thing you can do for someone you care about … and it is effective!!!!
God is faithful and life is good, Most of the time I am way more happy than I probably deserve to be.
“Weeping may endure for a season (or years) but joy comes in the morning … “
Lyvnhappilyeverafter 