My Precious Aunt Edith

I did one of the hardest things I've done in my years on this earth yesterday...buried my precious Aunt Edith. For those of you who did not know her, you truly missed out! She was more than just an aunt to me...she was more of a grandmother!! I loved her so much!!

I just want to take a little time to write a brief tribute to her:

Edith Corley Biggs was born on March 3, 1940 to Robert and Vivian Corley. I of course never knew the "young" Aunt Edith, but have heard the stories of their life growing up in Augusta. She married my Uncle Wayne at an early age and then had children later on life (age 30 - which, back then was "later in life"). She had a little girl named Belinda whom she lost when Belinda was 18 months. She then had my cousins Amanda (4 years later) and then twins April and Allison.

Aunt Edith knew a lot of loss in her life. I mentioned the precious daughter she lost and then within a year of each other, lost her mother and her husband!

You know, my Aunt Edith is the strongest lady I know besides my own mom. She experienced so much loss and NEVER turned from the Lord -- only leaned on Him more!! Quite amazing! I find myself wondering how I would react to such loss in my own life -- my life would be OVER as I knew it and I would have such a difficult time leaning on Him. She raised three beautiful girls with a gun near her pillow every night! Talk about strong, huh?! She was a fighter...to the end!

Several years ago, my Aunt Edith got Breast Cancer. She had surgery to remove a lump that ended up being malignant. She went through chemo and radiation and never let it get her down. About a year or so ago, the cancer spread with a vengeance. She went through chemo like a champ!! We all learned SO much during that time! About four months ago, the cancer completely took over and was too strong for the chemo. She stopped treatment about 15 weeks ago and fought so hard until her body finally gave out on Wednesday. Notice I said body, because her spirit NEVER did.

Wyatt and I were able to spend some good quality time with her about 2 weeks ago. April was staying with her and we watched a bunch of shows and just talked about the old days. I'll never forget - the first thing she wanted to do was hold Wyatt!! She mustered enough strength to be able to hold my 16 pound baby boy! We even took pictures with "the two baldies" as she called her and Wyatt!! It was such a precious time that I will cherish.

I will always remember the wonderful times that I had with Aunt Edith. Getting together with the family during the holidays and her bringing her famous macaroni and cheese or deviled eggs or turkey and dressing! Most of the time in my younger years, Christmas and Thanksgiving were mostly at her house! I'll never forget the bubble lights that she had on her Christmas tree and the tinsel that covered it! We would exchange presents and Aunt Edith would ALWAYS have the most presents!! We didn't mind it, though. We would sit and reminisce about the Christmas that she and Uncle Wayne put together the twins present of a cardboard kitchen with about 1000 rubber bands! We'd laugh about the fights that Amanda and the twins would have and about bologna on the roof and subsequent spankings!! Aunt Edith would always share her stories about the family - whether they were good or bad - they were the truth!! She would ALWAYS tell you the truth...never sugar coated it! But, that was her -- and that's what we admired about her!

Her house was always open to anyone who wanted to come over! She would always take the time to talk to you, but was always good about not letting you overstay your welcome (in a good way)!! She would argue you down about the facts or details of a story. And she would ALWAYS take up for the person that she thought was right -- even if it wasn't you!

She was a woman of God! She loved the "old ladies in her Sunday School" as she would say!! That always made me laugh. She would share God's love in her hospitality always and she would always encourage you in some way. Even until the end. When I went to see her, I would always feel like the world was ending and when you saw that smile on her face -- no matter how much she was hurting -- you knew that ALL was right in the world and that tomorrow would come with no problem. She was a ROCK!! She got that strength from her Savior -- that's the ONLY place it could have ever come from. She overcame tragedy to rise above to where her "children call her blessed." She was the essence of the Proverbs 31 woman -- with spunk!!!

I'll miss her SO much and wish I could have bottled her up for when Wyatt is older and I need her advice! She has touched the lives of ALL of the women in my family and we are the women that we are today because of HER!! The Biggs' girls are strong and outspoken, never without a comeback and always with our lipstick on!!! That's because of Aunt Edith!! I loved her so much, but can only rejoice that she is now in Heaven with her Lord. She is reunited with the loved ones that left her here on Earth for so long -- Uncle Wayne, Belinda, Grandma and Granddaddy!! She's at the feet of the Savior that carried her through all of the tragedy in her life and she's living it up in the mansion that God prepared for HER!

So, Aunt Edith - I know that you're not reading this, but I'll never say goodbye, just "See you later!" I will always love you!