What better way to celebrate Valentine's Day than to repost the story of Mom and Dad's Great Love. I wrote this during the pandemic when we moved Mom to memory care. It has been some years, but the Great Love is still in action even now. I have grown up in the shadow of a … Continue reading A Great Love
Family
One More Stone
Louise used to think it was morose to celebrate the date of Bill’s accident. She said she wanted to forget it ever happened. Bury all the trauma in the past. “He’s fine now, like it never happened…so why go back and re-live it?” My response was, “He’s not fine. He will never be the same … Continue reading One More Stone
Snapshots of Thankfulness
Walking down the gravel road, stirring up the dust with each footfall I was sweating. The heat of the Nicaraguan day had me longing for shade. Our group of Americans, equipped with an interpreter, was on a prayer walk through the barrio. Speaking to the people, spending time with them was our joy. They had … Continue reading Snapshots of Thankfulness
Joy-filled Moments
There are some moments in time which stick in my mind like a movie on a screen. Last weekend will be one of those. My heart was full to overflowing with joy and gratitude, as was my house. My kids came from all their places to celebrate Hannah and Jimmy, Georgia-style. We gathered around the … Continue reading Joy-filled Moments
God Cannot Forget You
When Bill was in the hospital all those years ago, I often wondered what was happening to him spiritually. He was out of his mind, so where was his spirit? When he came around, I asked him what he remembered, curious if he had seen or felt anything from the unseen realm. He didn’t remember … Continue reading God Cannot Forget You
Bye, Bye Bella
Pet ownership does all the marvelous things you would expect, for your kids. They learn responsibility, kindness, and compassion all while having fun. They learn you can’t just play when you feel like it and let things go when you don’t. It teaches them balance between the want-tos and the have-tos in life. I have … Continue reading Bye, Bye Bella
Bucket List
If Mom is the glue of our family, Dad is the bedrock. The foundation on which all the rest of us stand; a role which he has stoically carried his whole life. When the winds of life blow around us, our feet are firmly planted. He has carried us all at one time or another, … Continue reading Bucket List
Sharing Loss
Photo: Mike Hunter (the day they brought her home from the shelter) The dementia journey is fraught with loss. At every turn, your loved one is fading away which causes its own sort of slow dying process in your heart as a caregiver. Your emotional state is tied to their wellbeing; each step of their … Continue reading Sharing Loss
Gallivanting
A special guest blog by my sister, Melinda Jenkins. For several years, my family and I have watched dementia take little chunks of my mom’s memory away, slowly, piece by piece. After my parents moved off the mountain in Highlands to Lanier Village Estates in Gainesville, the disease seemed to escalate in the most difficult … Continue reading Gallivanting
Downsizing…Again
If you have elderly parents you likely know what it means to downsize. I think of it like the college stage with my kids where they moved every year or so, only each time my parents move they get rid of more and more family heirlooms. And each time it gets harder to part with … Continue reading Downsizing…Again
