Between Heaven and Earth?

Sometimes I wonder what Mom dreams about. More and more often when she is asleep and I wake her up the look on her face reflects such peace. She looks at me as if I am someone that has gone on to heaven that she has not seen in a very long time and she is so relieved that they have finally showed up to get her. But then in a little bit she seems to realize it is just me, the peace drains from her face, and life goes on. In the info I have read it says that it is common for people in transition to see people that have gone before them so maybe that is what she is doing.

At least I like to think it is that because that is easier to swallow for me than to think she is laying there thinking, "Oh man, I hope I get a different person coming to work today to take care of me, I am so tired of looking at that same woman all the time." Then when I come around the side of the bed, she looks with such anticipation, squeezes her eyes shut really hard a few times to focus, sees it is STILL me and thinks, "Oh my goodness it is STILL her!" ; )

Really though it was a pretty surreal moment this evening when I went to wake her up. For a few seconds it felt like that in that space I was sharing a moment in a place between Heaven and Earth. The lights in her room were low, her Christmas lights were on which make the star over her nativity scene really sparkle, and when I come to that side of the bed to wake her that is all behind me so maybe I might have had more of a glow. As I bent down over her bed to wake her, she opened her eyes and the look on her face was so amazing, she was so happy and so at peace, she reached up to touch my face (remember, normally she has very little use of or control of her arms), I took her hand and started to talk to her, after about 30 seconds she seemed to realize it was just me and she had not yet "slipped the surly bonds of Earth" -John Magee, and her face lost the glow it had. I kind of feel bad for her when I see that disappointment to the point that I do not want to ever wake her up but then if I don't she might not ever really wake up but rather just sleep. I think now I am going to be more consistent in turning on the light and puttering around her room to see if she will wake on her own so I do not have to wake her and create that kind of disappointment again.