I'm still here – finding my way through each day. My dear, little mother has made progress in many ways but there are quite a few things that have made her care very different than we first thought. I have hired a daytime caregiver so I can have some time to keep body and soul together. Much of my time is spent managing life and business for her. My sweetheart is in southern Mexico on a two-week missions trip that was planned long before my dear mother fell and broke her pelvic bone. He will return home Saturday evening. I'm not counting the hours. Yet! Just counting the days and looking forward to having him home again.
I am staying with my dear mother every night. I 'negotiated' with her. She hasn't wanted a dog in her house before so I told her in order for me to stay nights with her, Joey, my little dog, had to be there, too. After dinner each night I go home and get him. The first evening he was there it was all new to him. He had to sniff and snoop and check out every single nook and cranny. She asked, 'Will he break anything?' 'Only if it's edible,' I said, 'then he will break it to pieces and eat it till it's gone!' He dearly loves her but he knows something isn't the same as before. When I open the door to let him into her home, he races to her side. He sits in front of her walker and watches her. Now that her home feels like home to him, he makes himself comfortable and relaxes.
There are big decisions and changes ahead. My sweetheart asked me not to make any big changes while he was away, unless they had to be made right away. Just keep things working for her. And for me. Then, next week, he and I will begin to put things in place for the changes that must be made. I have sought much counsel and the changes that need to happen are obvious. I feel such peace with the direction we will take. Thank you for your prayers, your love and support and your kind comments and emails. They mean so much to me.
Today I read something that touched my heart and gave me strength. It's true. So true.
I am finding Him in new ways. Every day.
The journey we are on with my dear, little mother continues. The road has taken some turns and dips and had curves we had to maneuver but we are still moving forward. She returned to her home from the rehab center last Saturday. My sweetheart and I are taking turns staying with her until caregivers are in place to help meet her needs. She is enjoying her home and the home-cooked meals we provide. The journey is slow for her and it's uncertain. There are changes ahead – some that may not be of her choosing – but she is quietly focusing on continued recovery from the fall that broke her pelvic bone. Please pray with us through these next days as plans begin to unfold and the direction for her future is determined.
Your emails and comments expressing your support mean more to me than you know. You are very dear to me. I will try to stay in touch and keep you updated as our journey continues.
Karl Barth said it well, 'Joy is the simplest form of gratitude'. So, I choose to walk the path of life this year with joy – and a grateful heart.
Sending wishes for a wonderful New Year that is filled with more blessings than you've ever had before!
Tomorrow I will share my word and Bible verse for this new year. And – soon – an update on my dear, little mother. Then, the announcement I was going to make early in December. Please come by to visit again soon.
During this past year – and even before – you have been such a wonderful part of my life. It's hard to imagine what my days would be without you in them. I love sharing our lives together. Here's to even more visits – online or in person – in two thousand fourteen!