Monday, August 31, 2015

Once In A While a Word Comes Out

   My Mom called me on the phone early this morning. It was amazing. She sounded so normal. Every word came out perfectly. It's strange I can't even remember what she said, but I remember that her voice sounded so normal and there was no stuttering or problems with choice of words....... Then I woke up and realized I was dreaming.

  I miss talking to my Mom. It's been a long time. The dream was so vivid and beautiful.

  Angie and I discovered that Mom does get a word out now and then though. On Saturday we were there to give her a shower. On impulse I asked her.
   "Mom, can you see me?"
 She looked intently at me with her blue eyes and kind of nodded her head. I was encouraged by her response so I asked her another question.
   "Mom, what color is my shirt?"
Angie and I were both amazed, shocked and delighted when she responded with one word.
   " Red."
We cheered so loud that my Dad came to check on us to see if everything was alright!



   Some of you might be interested in seeing what kind of shower chair we use for Mom. Giving Mom a bath was nigh to impossible before my sis-in-law Eunice found this chair. This chair has turned bathing Mom from a dreaded nightmare to a smooth operation. I definitely recommend it. The chair itself slides into and out of the tub with ease. Even when your dealing with a heavy person. I like that we chose the extra long one. This one also has a swivel option that we never use. We could have gotten the shorter version and then used the swivel to get her out of the tub. But I prefer to just slide her out.


Just so you know this is an affiliate link. Amazon pays me a small commission for advertising their product, cost to you stays the same.When you click on the picture you will be taken directly to Amazon.

The legs on the shower chair are adjustable. With our situation the inside of the bathtub was so high that when we adjusted the outside legs to make it level it ended up being a little high for Mom so we use a footstool similar to this one to help her get on. It makes her much more comfortable and safe.

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Uncle Les Remembers

                                            
I got a call one day from Uncle Lester. He had written a little story about school days with Mom.

                                                WALKING HOME FROM SCHOOL

      We lived 1 mile east then ½ mile north.  We always walked home with the neighbor kids for that ½ mile.   They lived  west 1 mile, so we walked with them that ½ mile to the crossroad.  They went west 1 mile and we went east 1 mile. 

        Jim was Gins age, one was my age, and there were about 5 of them.

        Anyway, Jim always picked on Gin (typical boy, you know).

         One afternoon we were walking home, Merlin and I were walking in front.  I heard them going at it back there (that was kinda normal, I thought),  then it became more intense so I looked back and she had both hands on him and she gave him a big push right toward the ditch and he went a rolling right down to the bottom of the ditch.  He was a little embarrassed but he never bothered her after that.  They were still friends but he had more respect for her.

Saturday, August 22, 2015

Back Again

  I know it's been awhile since I've been here. Mom has been pretty much the same. She has still been escaping my Dad now and then.

  There is an Amish Haystack supper every fall for the Amish School. The folks have always liked to go there. Mom always liked their pie. I thought forsure Pop would give that up this year,but he didn't, he took Mom along and they ate in the van. But then from there he went to see an Amishman that he has known for years. While he was there Mom left the van and wandered into the yard and fell. So he had to get help from the Amish family to get her up again.

  Tonight Mom seemed tired. She sat leaning toward her right side in her chair. When we gave her shower she did the same thing, leaned over toward her right side. I was afraid she would fall off the shower chair. But we made it. She took a lot of support walking to her room. I felt like we halfway carried her. So, not sure what is up with her. Pop doesn't take her to church anymore. We will see how she is tomorrow.

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Memories and Current Events

                          




     I found this jewel of a picture last week when I was going through old photos in search of pictures for our son Marc's wedding.

    Aren't they beautiful? This picture was taken the summer Jeff spent with us. He was probably 16 then. I don't remember for sure, but Jeff was like a brother. We had a great summer and he and my parents got along very well.

  Mom is so young there, so happy and beautiful! So neat and orderly in appearance. Just look at her hair! Every lock of it in place!

  Today my Dad called me, he was doing chores at Darwin's house and he had taken Mom with him and told her to stay in the van. While he was doing chores Mom exited the van and when he got back she was GONE!

  He said he frantically looked everywhere. But couldn't find her. He checked the house, shop and everywhere. When he came back to the van a second time he found her on the ground beside the van. Somehow she had been hidden from his view and tried to get back to the van and fell. So he called me to help get her back up.

  I wasn't sure how it would go because usually the guys do that., but I grabbed my half grown boys and we buzzed over there. When I got there she was laying on the grass, thankfully in the shade. It was very hard to see her laying there. But I helped her sit up and while Dad went to the shop after a board I just sat down with her and talked to her. At first she looked scared but then she lightened up and smiled a little.

  So Pop brought the board.( He's an expert at this) He had her lay down on her side again and we got the board under her and then while Dad and I supported Mom, my two boys lifted the board and she was on her feet.

  She went home meek as a lamb and unscathed by the whole event.


Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Cast Your Bread Upon the Waters

Cast your bread upon the waters,
    for you will find it after many days. Ecc 11:1


   Mom always loved children. She had a still birth that I think she never really got over. In her heart she still had a longing for that child. She didn't talk about it a lot but it resurfaced now and then and I could tell it still felt like a loss to her.

  After she lost Daryl, enough years passed that she thought she wouldn't have more children. It was then that her and Dad started talking about adoption. That's when Angie came into our lives. 

   I wasn't in the picture yet when they adopted Angie, but they tell me she was a very cute little 3 year old with lots of blonde curls. She was very bright, talked a lot and learned PA. Dutch so fast that she talked to her Social worker in Dutch when she came back for a visit.

  I know when Mom answered the yearning in her heart for another child through adoption, she never thought of it as "casting her bread on the water", but when I see what Angie does for Mom today I can't help but think about that.

  Mom loves Angie. She always gets a huge smile on her face when Angie comes in to help with her shower. She loves Angie's food. I think she equates Angie with Peanut Butter Pie and Cinnamon Rolls. Angie comes in there with her hearty laugh, gives her a huge hug and says, "Mom I love you."

  Mom doesn't receive back only the blessing of Angie herself but also from Angie's daughter Kristin. I delight to see the love poured out on Grandma from Kristin coming in and keeping the house clean, doing her laundry, always with a cheerful attitude and that classic big hug and "I love you Grandma" before she leaves again. 

  So love given has been love multiplied and Mom is reaping the rewards......who could ask for better than that? Once again God's word is proven true. Even though Mom herself can't rationalize that out. I can, and it makes me happy!