First
of all please accept my deepest sympathy and condolences for the loss
of your daughter. I was informed of her passing today by another USS
Stennis spouse. I didn't recognize the name but I googled her non the
less so that I could learn more about the girl that brought my friend to
tears when she told me that she was gone. I found your blog and quickly
realized that I did know her, not in name but in face. You see I met
Amanda last year at the NEX in Washington. I was a frazzled mother in
the checkout line with a 2 year old and she was the sweet young lady
playing peek-a-boo with my son. She could tell that I was having a rough
time with him throwing an absolute fit and she just wanted to make him
smile so that I could have a moment of peace.
I'm horrible at
remembering
names but I never seem to forget a face. I'll never forget her's that
day when she tried to help a stranger with a sad little boy. For days
later my son asked if we could go see the lady with the pretty hair at
the store. We never saw her again but tonight when I saw her picture he
climbed in my lap, and a year later he said "Look Mommy it's Pretty Hair
Lady"
I hope my memory could bring you
some joy. You raised a remarkable young woman that could touch someone's
life with a simple smile. Thank you.
It has been two weeks tomorrow since Amanda passed from earth to Heaven. I really miss her. All the relatives and friends that stayed with us during this time have returned to their homes. God knows we still need support and He has provided in only the way God can. Don and Kathy left this morning and shortly after, Cody came by and shared lunch with us. We spent a few wonderful hours together, mostly remembering Amanda. Later on, Paul invited us to dinner at his and Jessica's wonderful home in Kyle, the next town south of here. To top it all off, my lovely cousin in TN messaged me on Facebook to express her love for us. She, if anyone, knows loss, having lost both parents prematurely to a house fire, as well as 3 siblings, who died way too young. I can't even imagine her pain. She'll be sainted one day, and deservedly so.
Veronica and I visited her grave today. Veronica has gone every day since her death. Me, not as much, but it intrigues me to know that other friends have gone to visit her too. Thank you, especially to her whiskey drinking friend. I know she appreciates it and is probably Jonsing for a few shots, considering the lack thereof where she is... ;-)
Yes, I really miss Amanda, but it seems that Amanda has arranged for me/us to be comforted in ways that surpass understanding. She is very persistent, and I know she is in God's ear for us. I also know He is smiling over this child of God with only the smile a father projects regarding a child He loves.
I met Amanda about 7 months before my husband left for bootcamp on the NavyforMoms website. She was my go to girl, she seemed to always have the answers to all my questions. She was so helpful that I actually decided to move to the same apartment complex as her and Cody. Amanda helped me out more then I think she will ever know. Between giving me advise on my move to Illinois, telling me what lane to stay in while driving to bootcamp graduation to beat the most traffic and making Cody wake up at 6am on his days off to have him sign out my husband so I could spend the day with him Amanda was always there for me from the very beginning of our friendship.
Throughout our time together in Illinois we bought our brother and sister kittens Rowley and Kona together,went shopping, spent everyday during the summer at the pool or 6 flags ate dinner together at least 3 days a week,and went on hour long car rides to places Amanda just wanted to check out she was such and adventurer.
Even though Amanda and I followed our husbands to different duty stations we still stayed in contact with each other. Amanda touched my heart and inspired me in ways I can't even express. She was always there for me, and even though we were both in the same situation living away from family in a strange state Amanda always made the best out of the situation and made it a point to make me feel at home with her and Cody. I love you Amanda and I am so grateful that I had you as a friend even if it was only for a short time.
"I had only known Amanda a few months before my husband left on
his first deployment. She showed up on my doorstep the evening after
he left, with a bag full of chocolate and a hug. That's when I first
realized that I had found myself a real friend.
I woke up to a phone call from her one morning... "Hey, get
dressed! We are going to meet Justin Moore!" She picked me up in her
big ole hummer. We waited in a surprisingly short line to get
autographs and take pictures with Justin Moore. We quickly discovered
that he is way shorter in person than he appears in his music videos.
She always had something fun and exciting in mind to keep us busy.
Whether it was hanging out on my couch, going out to eat, or going to
a concert, Amanda knew how to keep my mind off deployment. I could
never thank her enough for that. But, I really hope she knew how much
it meant to me.
Wherever you are, Amanda, I hope you know how many people love you
and are missing you. You were truely beautiful inside and out."
-Leah Van Huyck
Amanda Elizabeth (Warnock) Cross (1990-2012)
Age 22 of Buda, TX, went home to be with her beloved Saviour on Thursday March 29, 2012 after an extended hospitalization at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle, WA. Amanda succumbed to a lung infection after a noble lifelong battle with Cystic Fibrosis.
Amanda was born at Brackenridge Hospital in Austin, TX on February 18, 1990 and grew up in Kyle and Buda, TX. She is the daughter of James and Veronica Warnock of Buda, TX. She leaves behind her husband Cody Cross of Kyle, TX, whom she married at Ruby Ranch Lodge in Buda on July 26, 2009. Cody is in the U.S.Navy and stationed in Bremerton, WA. Please hold him up in your thoughts and prayers.
Amanda attended Tom Green Elementary, Wallace Middle School, Barton Middle School and graduated from Jack C. Hays High School with the class of 2008. She was a four year cadet in the JROTC program there. She was a wedding photographer and videographer and produced her first music video in 2011.
Amanda was a vivacious young woman with an adventurous spirit and a caring heart. Although she was very ill at times, she always put others first. She possesed a beautiful smile and touched everyone she met. Amanda loved animals and water activities and sunshine. Most people that knew Amanda found it hard to believe that she suffered an illness and Amanda never used her illness as a crutch, and refused to let it stop her from doing anything she wanted to do.
Amanda is survived by her sisters Rachel Nelson of Elgin, TX and Jessica Ebell of Kyle, TX as well as her parents and husband.
Memorial service will be held on Thursday April 5, 2012 at First Baptist Church of Buda, TX, 104 S. San Marcos St., Buda, TX 78610 (512) 295-2161 at 2:00 PM, with burial at Live Oak Cemetary on Twin Creeks Rd in Manchaca, TX. following the service.
Today we go home. It is such a bittersweet return. As we were seated on the plane, Nightengale by Norah Jones played over the PA system. We all cried as we thought of our Amanda. She loves Norah Jones. She asked us to play Norah's music the last few days she was on earth. We played it for her over and over. It was hard to listen to today.
We will go home now and busy ourselves in preparation for the funeral. Relatives and friends from all over will be flying to our little town to attend. Sort of a Big Chill Texas style. We wish Amanda could be there in person. We know she'll be watching from a far. And she'll be smiling in approval.
The service will be held at the little country church where she was baptised so many years ago. So many people loved Amanda. I just hope the church can hold them all.
Amanda, I know you know this, but we really miss you.
Amanda died this morning shortly after 3 AM, as her beautiful mother cradled her head in her arms. She's in heaven today, doing all the things that CF kept her from doing. Glory be to God for such an amazing honor to have been her father, friend and brother in Christ. Though you're far away, we'll see you again someday. One of these days...
Today has been really hard. It's just about the end for Amanda. If God doesn't bring forth a miracle, Amanda will probably die tonight.
Where does one begin to express feelings so deep and so raw. Cystic Fibrosis is an evil disease from the very pit of hell and it is robbing me of one of my greatest treasures. I am sick to my stomach right now.
Amanda is not processing CO2 properly and will soon stop breathing. Putting her on a respirator will not save her once her lungs fail. Her health fell so fast. In one short month she went from around 60% lung capacity, which is good for a young woman with CF at her age, to almost nothing. What a waste of such a wonderful person.
I gave Amanda to God when she was a baby. Soon He'll come calling for her. I'd like to take her back, but that's not possible. It also looks like there's no miracle that will save her. It's amazing that we are in one of the alleged best places in the country for CF'ers and they are powerless to heal her. Ladies and gentlemen, doctors are men, not gods like many of them think they are. One day, they'll be in the same predicament as my sweet Amanda. Maybe then they will bow to the true God and give up their empty headed ideas of who they are. Until then, we are stuck with powerless technicians known as doctors. God holds all the real power.
My beautiful wife has been here for almost two weeks, fighting this battle to the point of shear exhaustion. The same for Amanda's husband Cody. He has been such a loving son in law and husband to my sweet girl. Oh my dear Lord, I feel so bad for him. I will always love him for who he is and how he loved our little girl. I will pray for him the rest of my life that he will find clarity through this and find love. Amanda would want that.
I know when Amanda dies that she will be with Jesus. The Bible promises that for believers. It gives me comfort to know that I will see her again. She'll be happy and free of any illness. What a promise we all have in Him. It still doesn't soften the blow right now.
I have had so many memories made by Amanda. I love all my girls so much, but this poor baby got short changed. I had hoped for a cure, hoped for many more years with her, playing cards and drinking beer while she drank the occasional shot of whiskey. She could always drink me under the table. She had an amazingly strong liver. Her heart was stronger than strong too. I really think her other organs were SUPER organs and made up for her weekend lungs. She was a pistol, right to the end. I don't think you can drink in heaven, but if you could, she would and be one of the best at.
This past summer, while Cody was deployed in the Persian Gulf, she came to stay with us. I wouldn't trade those days for all the gold in the world. Besides, gold is just pavement where she's going. The things that really matter whether here or there are relationships, and we had a great one. Amanda always told Veronica and me that next to her twin and her husband, we were her best friends. That's one hell of a complement. We shot weddings together, went camping the week school started and had two whole state parks completely to ourselves. Amanda reconnected with old friends from high school days and even shot her first solely self produced music video. She wanted to be a videographer and was planning on leaving after a few weeks to go to a video school in Seattle. I even co-signed the loan. I could never tell Amanda no. She found out the real cost of the school and decided it wasn't worth the cost and ended up staying with us until the first of December. I and everyone that knows her was happy that she stayed. Time with Amanda was always precious and that time, more than almost any. I'll miss one my best friends dearly.
When Amanda got back to Washington to set up their new townhouse for her and Cody, she did it in style. Texas style. That girl LOVED Texas and would defend her state against any foe. In Texas we have a saying, "Don't mess with Texas". I think it should have been, "Don't mess with Texas or Amanda will mess you up". Amanda created a beautiful home for Cody and her. She never really got to enjoy it.
In high school, Amanda was a marksman on the rifle team. Veronica would always travel with her on the ROTC trips to make sure Amanda was OK. Amanda would always out shoot everyone. Even while sick at times. Had she not had CF, she might have become a Marine. Oorah! We would also go to the Marine Corp Ball every year. It was a big night out for us.
Amanda was instrumental in providing me the encouragement I needed to start my own appliance repair service. She and Veronica talked me into it while playing Rummy and I'm glad she lived to see it come to fruition. Amanda loved rummy. She was great at it and usually won. Amanda loved to win. Why shouldn't she, she was a winner. She beat us all again. First one to heaven. That may have been her plan all along.
Amanda was great with animals. She used to ride her cows and pigs and tie dolls on a boar's back with a rope. The rest of us could hardly touch them. Amada could lay down and take a nap with them. When she was eleven, Veronica let her get a inside dog. Her name was Kandy, because she looked like cotton candy. She loves that dog and that dog loves her. I wonder how it will effect Kandy when Amanda leaves us.
There is so much more I'd love to share about Amanda. I am just hurting too bad right now to say anymore. I am going to include her music video here at the end, so you can see how talented she was. Amanda was an artist, photographer, videographer, daughter, wife, twin, best friend, and so much more. I wish those of you who never met her could have. You'd have been honored.
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