Rest in Peace: Mandy Dobson 1981-2016

RIP my dear sister Mandy Dobson 1981-2016

I'm sad to tell everyone that my sister Mandy went home to be with the Lord on January 9, 2016 at the age of 34.

My sister and I were very close while growing up. We shared a room and bunk bed from the ages of 6-19 when I moved out of the house and got married. I'll never know how we got along so well during our teenage years, but we truly did! haha After she became ill, Mandy and I would talk to each other about our struggles with illness. Even though her sickness was very different than mine, she could relate to the frustrations I've experienced when suffering with an illness that wasn't visible on the outside. Mandy understood completely because she often looked great, but felt sick inside too. I will certainly miss our chats and texts.

Over the last two months, my sister's health deteriorated very rapidly. On December 23, 2015 the doctor gave her 24-48 hours to live and said she would never wake up from the coma. Well miraculously on the morning of December 27th my sister did in fact wake up. The doctor was shocked and had no idea how it was even possible.

I was asking and praying to God for another miracle, but unfortunately that was not how this story ended. I praise God though for those 2 extra weeks to say our goodbyes! She died very peacefully with my mom, dad and her 10 year old son by her side at UPMC Cranberry Place.

4 days prior to her death, I had a dream where my sister told me it was time for her to say goodbye. She jumped down off of her bunk and onto my bed, gave me a hug and then I woke up. It was one of those dreams I did not want to be from God, but now I will cherish it forever.

I never wanted my sister's life to be part of the cost of this season, but I choose to trust the Lord in all of this. Today was her burial and I felt peace, joy and assurance that she was with the Lord. God let me know back in August that she would be safe with Him. It's hard to say goodbye, but know I will see her for all of eternity some day soon!

Here is a link to her obituary.
Pittsburgh Tribune Review also wrote an article about her.

2009

Mandy's birthday

Moraine State Park 2013

Dad's birthday celebration

Brother's HS graduation 2008

Christmas as kids

1 Corinthians 15:54-58

But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. “O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

Romans 8: 35- 39

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
    we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Dreams That Show You the Future

Today I need a little break from the mercury talk.

Have any of you had dreams that foreshadow events?...I have had them in various times in my life. One of the earliest I can remember was when I was 13 or 14. It was a dream where my Grandmother, Grandfather and Uncle were in a room together. Now my grandmother had already died, but my grandfather and Uncle were still alive. In my dream I was told that both of them would die soon. I could not talk to them, but I knew they were "ghostly" and not in the same world as me. The dream woke me up from sleep and was rather frightening.

About a year later my uncle died suddenly from a heart attack. Then a few years after that my grandfather. My grandfather wasn't in good health, so that wasn't a shocker, but my uncle died around the age of 54. It was very very sudden. We got that terrible phone call at 5:30 AM on a school morning. I'll never forget how traumatic that was to me.

I've been having these dreams again. This time they are about my neighbor. A few months ago, I had another dream that caused me concern. In my dream, I went over to their house, banged on the door and someone different answered the door. I asked, "Is Ken here" and the person said oh they sold their house. They no longer live here. I thought that was really strange because he built that house and it was on their family's old farmland. They loved that house and there would be no reason to sell it...unless he died.

Now last night I had TERRIBLE nightmares about my neighbor. In my nightmares they had carried him out on a gurney down a long flight of stairs (his house has no stairs). There were a few cars in the driveway that did not belong to anyone I knew. It looked like his house, but it wasn't. I am sure others have had this happen to their in dreams. There were cars lined up all along his yard. There's a few non-wooded acres that separates his yard from ours. I was there but not really there. I was watching from a distance, almost like my mind was there, but my body wasn't. In my dream I knew he was dead on this gurney. No one was in a hurry. His wife and daughter were shaking.

I had ANOTHER nightmare last night about him. This time I knew without a doubt he was dead. It was like all of the memories and conversations I had with him were flying by me. My mind told me to wake up, but I was still tired. No matter what, I had this nagging to wake up. So I finally did and ran over to the computer. Immediately clicked on the local newspaper's website and clicked obituaries. Much to my....dismay......he died Tuesday night. I started crying my eyes out, but I already knew it was true before I saw the name on the website. I am very saddened by this.