Mothers Galore

Mom is home! She came home last Thursday. Oxygen tanks now sit in a row in our house and we have regular nurses, from a local Hospice. She is a different woman; much weaker with little appetite. She wants to sleep, sleep, sleep. She is still her sweet self, but in a different place. "My body is getting ready to die," she told me a couple of days ago. She is making a shift from living to dying. That is a major change for her. She has been so focused on life. But here's the thing. Her left lung is partially working. There is air exchange there. Her oxygen needs have greatly reduced. How interesting. I believe that she is on her way to the next world, but, perhaps, more slowly than previously thought.

Since Sunday was Mother's Day, I got an idea for Mom. I asked those close to her to write her a love letter. I printed them up and read them to her. She loved them! They are all in a binder now for her to review when she wants to. I want to surround her with love so that she can begin her exit with loving support. I hope I'm up to helping her on her way, when it becomes clear it is needed.

I stayed home from Church on Mom's Day, to be with my mom. She is too tired to leave the house right now. It is the first time I've missed Church for a very long time. It felt strange. I read the scriptures and organized my itune music so as the have a nice collection of Sabbath music to play when the family came. It was fun. Mom slept through it all.

Layne talked with all our family moms, asking them for food requests for Sunday. He and Cliff came up with quite an imaginative menu for our Mom's Day feast. There was roasted chicken for me, taco salad for Audrey, spinach pie for Jessica and Indian butter chicken for Dorothy. Mom isn't eating much so there was no special dish for her. But our desserts followed the same pattern as our dinner. And the guys prepared it all. It was great. We had lots of fun with the family and lots of food. Sadly for grandson Isaiah, Sunday was also his birthday. He got a little lost on Sunday. Anticipating that, his folks celebrated it on Saturday. That turned out to be a very good decision.

People. Family. I'm so grateful to have them in my life. I'm glad that I decided many years ago to marry a fine man and have a family. My joy in them grows as the years pass. I thank the Lord for family.

Pictures: Top is our Mother's Day chef Layne on the job. Next is Mom responding to one of her Mother's Day calls. She looks pretty good, doesn't she? Even now, she gets high on people. Then comes our ever-growing baby Bruce (Reed and Dorothy's #5 son), Bottom picture is our birthday boy, Isaiah, enjoying our birthday gift to him, one day early.