Showers

Of rain!

This is still a really big deal to us here in Texas. God sent us three inches of rain yesterday and then stopped it at just the right time. This is the view from Mom's kitchen window. The first gray area is the driveway. The second gray area is the creek. It filled right to the top, then receded. No flooding of house or garage, just lots of wonderful water.

When Nate, Meg and I returned home from our day of educational therapy, work, school, and lake house, Nate wanted to make paper boats to put in the creek. Growing up, this was a favorite activity to do with Grandma at her house. Nate asked Mom about it and she exclaimed, "I was just thinking how I don't even want to make paper boats for the creek." Not so easily dissuaded, Nate brought in some papers, and gave it a try anyway. Soon Mom picked up a paper,

worked through the frustration, and voila! Paper boat success.

(My thanks to Meg for clandestinely snapping photos.)

More than just rain showers though, we've had showers of grace. Mom asked me the other night, "Honestly, how are the kids doing with the move?" I honestly answered that they were adjusting and handling it fine. Then I asked, "Honestly, how are you doing with the move?" Mom said, "I'm surprised at how well it is working out." I'll take that as a very good sign. And I realize that it is only by the grace of God showered all around.

The Daily

Past history tells me that Mom has a hard time living with people. I'm hoping to ease the daily strain by:

*All of us mainly using the master bath, leaving Mom's bathroom free.
*Keeping the living areas as unchanged as possible.
*Keeping the kitchen as unchanged as possible. Plus staying out of the kitchen when Mom is in it.
*Only conversing with Mom when she initiates conversation. I've asked the children to be low-key and not talk much.
*Using the master bedroom as alternative living area, to allow Mom solitude in her own home.
*As many of us being gone as much as possible. Not hard to do between school, work, sports, educational therapy, and getting the lake house ready to sell. I made Mom a schedule of our comings and goings.
*The dogs are staying outside. We kennel them in the garage at night and when Mom wants to sit out on the patio.
*Ev's kitty is staying at the lake house for now. We are out there every day anyway.
*Making tasty food.

Moved

We are in. All of us. Mom seemed satisfied with the moving process. She commented several times that she liked that we measured first, decided what to bring, and did the moving ourselves. Is there any other way?

It has been over ten years since we last moved. I forgot. Maybe moving is one of those things that God wipes from your brain, you know, like childbirth, so you forget how hard it is and willingly do it again later. Plus we are older and more tired than the last time. I spent the past week reminding myself to breathe and repeating God's truth to myself: Be anxious for nothing. Be anxious for nothing. Let God know your concerns. Then during the weekend as we did the actual physical labor, I kept thinking, "This is really kicking my butt!"

We only moved a bed, two dressers, a small table, tv, mini fridge, two kennels, two dogs, clothes, and assorted family flotsam. Our old house, which at Karis' request will henceforth be referred to as "our lake house," is far from empty. But the three bedrooms we are occupying at Mom's are about as full as they can be.

The master bedroom at Mom's is quite large, so we are attempting with the tv and mini fridge to make it sort of an alternative living area. I'm hoping we can leave Mom's living areas as untouched as possible in order to maintain the tranquil environment she loves so much. Still, she went to her room last night at 7:00 and listened to Dave's sermon cd sitting in the dark.

So, Mom is happy with the move. Now begins the hard work of living together.

Plans

I don't think I can string together enough coherent thoughts today to tell all about it, but tonight I will be moving over to Mom's. This weekend, the rest of my family will make the move. We will continue to work, school, and do our normal schedule as much as possible, but Mom's house will be our home base. This was Mom's choice as opposed to having adult siblings cycle through to help with her care.

Huge life change, here we come, ready or not!

Sibling Revelry

My big brother Loren, the golden boy, came up with this crazy idea to have all of us siblings here together this weekend to celebrate Mom's 91st birthday. The Recipe: 1 weakening, terminally ill mama; 5 disparate, grown children; slightly less than 2,000 sq. ft. of ancestral home; 3 days. Combine and allow flavors to mix. I figured it was a recipe for disaster. Happily, once again, I figured wrong.

The birthday weekend was great! All the siblings enjoyed each other. Mom enjoyed all her children. There was good food and lots of it. Ruth brought her violin and Gayle brought her flute and they delighted Mom with their beautiful music. Loren built roaring fires and Mom exclaimed, "Even my toes are warm!"

I think it was on Friday evening, as we girls looked through a box of Aunt Helen's linens, that I realized how very nice it was to be all together and still have Mom with us. You know, as opposed to all being together at Mom's funeral. It was definitely an epic, once in a lifetime event. And Loren is now the official family event coordinator.

Guest Blog from Gayle

Sister Gwen asked me if I wanted to guest blog while here in Texas. It is sweet of her to give me a chance to give my perspective of the journey that our mother is taking. I think we are all on the same page--weary and waiting. Death is a cruel experience, no matter what the circumstance. It creeps along or it snatches furtively. It drags out suffering or it cuts short energy. Death is fearful and unknown--like being born, it is a once in a lifetime occurrence; no dress rehearsals.

Mom is a weary traveler, with her children encouraging her on. This weekend is the birthday bash, celebrating 91 years. She is definitively rallying for the occasion! Still, worries crowd her mind--about her children, her home in Kansas, the dying process. She relishes the quiet and ordered surroundings of her home, but she is unusually cooperative about the upcoming weekend. Mom knows she can escape to her bedroom if the partying gets out of hand. Time to celebrate! Let the wild rumpus begin!

The Relatives Came

My sister Gayle is here for the week with my mom. Mom invited my cousin Marsha, and she came for a day while Gayle was here. Poor Marsha lost her mom recently (my Aunt Helen, Mom's sister), and it was hard for her to see Mom weakening. It was sweet of her to honor Mom's request and come.

Next up, my brother Loren is coming on Friday. My brother Bill is coming Saturday. And my sister Ruth is driving in sometime this weekend. They are all converging to celebrate Mom's 91st birthday on Saturday. It should be a sight to see. Bill, Ruth, and Gayle will leave after the weekend. Loren will stay into next week.

And then where will we be? I just don't know.