More Time With Mom

    I got a few pictures of Mom last time I was there for her shower. I'm always scratching my head for ideas about what Mom could do to make her days pass more interestingly. I gave her some beads and string at Christmas time. But that day she just took a handful of beads and kept them scrunched up in her hand. So I thought that was a lost cause. She does that sometimes. She can take a candy wrapper and hold it tightly in her hand through her whole shower and when we get her back in her chair I notice she still has it.

  I gave her the beads and string again when we had her settled back in her chair last time, she strung them on nicely and seemed to enjoy it. So I guess each day is different.

   Sometimes we have surprises when we go over to my parents house. Angie and I went later then usual one evening for Mom's shower. I usually leave my children at home when I go, with the exception of Merry, because she is good therapy for Mom. But a shower is not really visiting time. But I had a few beggars on this particular evening, so I decided ok, why not? They should go visit their Grandparents. Would you believe that evening I saw something I never saw before?

  Mom was sitting in her chair with a T shirt and her depend. That's all. Dad said he was going to put her to bed soon anyway. I grabbed a throw and tossed it over her, but it presented a problem. How do you make the trek across the Living room to the bathroom with a young teenage grandson in the room. I took one look at him and saw he had a magazine in front of his face, so I told Angie, " Let's just take her, as long as he stays behind that magazine, we"ll be alright."

  As we crossed the Living room Angie tells Mom, "Run."

 Would you believe she actually did? I couldn't believe my Mom could actually run! But run she did. With an expression on her face that was priceless. 

2016

  We have a new year.......

 I can't help but wonder what this new year will bring. I can't help but think of the quote by Anne of Green Gables, "tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it." It's a favorite of mine. I suppose it could apply to a new year as well.

  It reminds me just a little bit of the promise of God that, "his mercies are new every morning"  or this one from Psalms 27:13,  I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.

  Mom is much the same, Her toe has healed up nicely. I think it took about six weeks for her toenail to fall off on it's own. But it is looking great now.She usually sleeps well and stays in bed for the most part at night. She did get out and tried looking out the front door window last week, then ended up falling right there. My Dad said it was almost more like she just sat down. Darwin and some of the boys had to go down and get her back up in the early morning.

  She sleeps late. It amuses me a little when I think about all the times when I have had a sick child or maybe just an early riser and I wondered when I would ever get enough sleep again. Now here is Mom, she can sleep all she wants. Responsibility no longer rules her. Given the choice between the two, I'd rather lose my sleep and run the treadmill of life than be in Mom's situation. 

    It's winter in WI. I stepped out on the porch to get wood for the stove. If your eyes are good you can see my bare footprint in the fresh snow. It felt delicious!

  I love winter. I didn't always. I used to strongly dislike the cold and the endless wet coats, mittens and boots. But finally one day I was listening to my children complain about winter. I realized then that they were really never happy with the season. In the summer they wished to go sledding and in the winter they wished for summer. I thought this is really crazy. Why not be happy instead of always wishing for something you ain't got!

  So I made a decision right there. I was going to practice being content in whatever season I am in. So when it snowed I would always tell the kids how beautiful it was and how much I loved the whiteness covering everything out there. It really wasn't long until I really did love it. I love the snow storms. The warmth in the house and it gives me a grand excuse to bake something warm or make a pot of coffee and settle down with a book and a throw. I can hear the wind whipping around out there and sometimes if it's a little sleety, I can hear it on our tin roof or against the window. So very beautiful. I developed a sense of pride in being a Northern girl. 

 To me winter gives me time to slow down and not work so hard like in the summer especially in harvest time. I know we're still busy but it's not quite as intense. I noticed something happening at our house. As a general rule, we all like winter around here. I don't hear a lot of complaining anymore. It's amazing what counting blessings and having a positive attitude can do. Even Steve who was transplanted from the South has turned into a Northerner.