Dad went to a service this past week where they read a prayer called "The Slow Loss of Memory." It touched him deeply. You will see why. This dementia journey is so hard to describe and put into words. This prayer makes it easier to understand and also gives us such hope. For us, it … Continue reading A Prayer for the Slow Loss of Memory
Family
Tis the Season…of Loss
I am a holiday lover. I guess growing up in a home with a mom who decorated for every holiday season rubbed off on me. And the Christmas season is the biggest celebration of the year, where I redecorate the entire house for a month or so. Boxes and boxes of decorations are stacked in … Continue reading Tis the Season…of Loss
Another Tribute…
It seems I’ve been writing a lot about loss lately. These posts are not intended to be eulogies as much as acknowledgements of lives that matter to me. Tributes. The most recent death is Dad’s sister, Joanna Hunter Hathcock. This one took our breath away with its suddenness. A reminder that life is short and … Continue reading Another Tribute…
From the Kitchen of…
I come from a long line of southern cooks. Hand prepared meals are our family love language. For every occasion, there is a recipe. For every cook, there is a taste. When we sat down to eat Thanksgiving dinner, each person was represented on our plate. Both Grandmothers, my Aunt Betty, and of course Mom. … Continue reading From the Kitchen of…
Sweetie
“Sweetie, Sweetie, Sweetie,” she said. Three times in a row. “My Sweetie.” Her eyes lit up and a smile crept up her cheeks. Her hands reached for him. His eyes filled with tears, as he reached back, “I love you so much,” he choked out. She leaned forward, lips puckered, reaching for a kiss. He … Continue reading Sweetie
Sister Tattoos
When my sister, Melinda turned 50, she ran a half marathon. She has a thing for marking milestones and she’s good at it. I have no doubt now, five years later, she could have run another half or even a whole one, but she picked something different this year. She decided to get her first … Continue reading Sister Tattoos
Surprise!
Recently, my nephew David called my sister and me. He asked us if we could get Dad to the Gainesville Botanical Gardens at 11:00 on Saturday. His story was that he was flying in from Orlando and wanted to surprise Dad for his 85th birthday. What he didn’t tell us was that he wasn’t the … Continue reading Surprise!
The Heart of the Olympics
I’ve never been a sports girl. It’s not for lack of trying. As a young girl I tried the usual team sports. Softball was a disaster. Basketball is not even worth a comment. Moving on to individual sports, I didn’t fare much better. Tennis camp was laughable. Even the one-on-one lessons with the tennis pro … Continue reading The Heart of the Olympics
Till Death Do Us Part
In sickness and health, till death do us part…these words used to be spoken in every marriage vow. Nowadays, they are considered old fashioned. There are so many other ways to part now, but 35 years ago today, we included those words in our vows. Little did we know the till-death-do-us-part part of our vows … Continue reading Till Death Do Us Part
Dad Bragging
I need to brag on my Dad, and I figured Father’s Day is the time to do it. He’s been an excellent father. One of those you can point to as an example of what fathering should look like. I could make a very long list of examples, but today I don’t want to name … Continue reading Dad Bragging