This year the girls got bikes! It rained all Christmas morning :( BUT, they rode them inside :)
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Christmas 2011!
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Grandparents
I've had a difficult time thinking through and dealing with what is happening with my Grandparents. The truth is, my Papa and Nana have played a huge role in raising me, and are more dear to me than your average set of Grandparents. Over the past few years, we've lived very far away from them. They live in the town where we went to college, and when we moved to seminary back in December of 2005, it was hard for them and put a pretty big distance between us. While we stayed connected with others through facebook or email, my Grandparents only had a phone or mailbox. My Papa has fallen several times in the past few years, always breaking something and ending up in a re-hab to get enough recouperated to return home. A couple of months ago he fell on the driveway while blowing off leaves. It landed him in the ICU and later in a month long re-hab as he tried to recover from breaking a knee, wrist, and gashing his head badly. My Nana is 89. He is 86. They have no immediate family in Mobile, where they live. She has sibblings close by that check on them and help them some, and she has a grandson who has stepped in to help a little, but is very limited to what he can do as well.
My Grandparents' house is about the least kid-friendly that I can think of. They have two small dogs who are afraid of their own shadow but are the LOVE of their lives. Well, I have three daughters 6 and under who are full of energy and squealish sounds that would push my Papa and Nana over the edge, no matter how much they love their heritage. So, I've felt helpless. I can't just pack up the girls and go to Mobile to see them. It has been challenging. Justin was off for Christmas and planned for me to go alone to visit them for an overnight stay. My intentions were to clean their house and spend some time with them, and it worked out well, but as always, any time I spend there is too short.
This trip made me more sad than ever. My Nana is giving away things. Things off the walls that may mean something to the reciever. Gifts that you once gave them, returning them to you so that she ensures they get to the right hands. Nana spoke of news the eye doctor told her, basically referring her to the Hellen Keller center because her eye sight will eventually fail her and she will need to rely on extra helps in order to function. She said she hopes that her eyes can last as long as she can live.
Alone. My Papa is basically living in a hospital bed in the living room. My Nana is waiting on his every need. He isn't able to get up without the help of two strong people. He watches Deal or No Deal and other programs alike, saying he wouldn't know what to do without TV, he would just waste away in that bed. He prays a lot, outloud, for his family--each by name, needs, etc.
They recieve Meals on Wheels, which has really given my Nana extreme relief. She doesn't cook anymore, at all---relys on frozen meals or lunch meat to fill the gaps of the meals that come to the door. She looks after the dogs, which is a full time job, and cares for my Papa 24 hours a day, she hardly does anything else.
She asked me if there was anything I wanted from their house. She said to just take it. She said she wanted to make sure it got into the right hands. I found myself looking around. Making mental notes of what hung on the walls, what was sitting on what dresers and so on. Memorizing their house the way it is right this minute. The thought that any of their personal belongings could bring me any comfort apart from their company was heart breaking. And, the perspective that nothing she has matters in the next life, the one that is eternal--with God in heaven, was sobering. Especially at Christmas time, when you make your mental wish lists for others or yourself, it truly put some things into perspective.
One. Life is short. And in this short life, our roles are constantly changing. We eagerly anticipate becoming adults and then realize that those who have helped to grow us into who we are, are looking at the end of their lives. What causes us from crumpling into a ball and wasting away with grief is the excited bright eyes of our own children, looking to us to guide them...
A cycle. A life that constantly changes, bringing with it new life and death. Sadness, grief, joys and happiness. A thankfulness to God that this life is not our final destination. Our home is with Him in heaven and in this I rejoice. He is my King and Eternal Father, in HIM I find peace. In Him I find no changing or sadness. Oh I praise Him for what He has done in my life. For using my Grandparents to lead me to the Gospel that forever changed my eternity and my life on Earth.
God, thank you for my Grandparents. Thank you for using them in my life. Thank you for loving me and them and for how you will use their legacy for decades to come...
Merry Christmas Eve. Thank God for those He has used in your life to give you a right perspective of Christmas. He is so faithful.
My Grandparents' house is about the least kid-friendly that I can think of. They have two small dogs who are afraid of their own shadow but are the LOVE of their lives. Well, I have three daughters 6 and under who are full of energy and squealish sounds that would push my Papa and Nana over the edge, no matter how much they love their heritage. So, I've felt helpless. I can't just pack up the girls and go to Mobile to see them. It has been challenging. Justin was off for Christmas and planned for me to go alone to visit them for an overnight stay. My intentions were to clean their house and spend some time with them, and it worked out well, but as always, any time I spend there is too short.
This trip made me more sad than ever. My Nana is giving away things. Things off the walls that may mean something to the reciever. Gifts that you once gave them, returning them to you so that she ensures they get to the right hands. Nana spoke of news the eye doctor told her, basically referring her to the Hellen Keller center because her eye sight will eventually fail her and she will need to rely on extra helps in order to function. She said she hopes that her eyes can last as long as she can live.
Alone. My Papa is basically living in a hospital bed in the living room. My Nana is waiting on his every need. He isn't able to get up without the help of two strong people. He watches Deal or No Deal and other programs alike, saying he wouldn't know what to do without TV, he would just waste away in that bed. He prays a lot, outloud, for his family--each by name, needs, etc.
They recieve Meals on Wheels, which has really given my Nana extreme relief. She doesn't cook anymore, at all---relys on frozen meals or lunch meat to fill the gaps of the meals that come to the door. She looks after the dogs, which is a full time job, and cares for my Papa 24 hours a day, she hardly does anything else.
She asked me if there was anything I wanted from their house. She said to just take it. She said she wanted to make sure it got into the right hands. I found myself looking around. Making mental notes of what hung on the walls, what was sitting on what dresers and so on. Memorizing their house the way it is right this minute. The thought that any of their personal belongings could bring me any comfort apart from their company was heart breaking. And, the perspective that nothing she has matters in the next life, the one that is eternal--with God in heaven, was sobering. Especially at Christmas time, when you make your mental wish lists for others or yourself, it truly put some things into perspective.
One. Life is short. And in this short life, our roles are constantly changing. We eagerly anticipate becoming adults and then realize that those who have helped to grow us into who we are, are looking at the end of their lives. What causes us from crumpling into a ball and wasting away with grief is the excited bright eyes of our own children, looking to us to guide them...
A cycle. A life that constantly changes, bringing with it new life and death. Sadness, grief, joys and happiness. A thankfulness to God that this life is not our final destination. Our home is with Him in heaven and in this I rejoice. He is my King and Eternal Father, in HIM I find peace. In Him I find no changing or sadness. Oh I praise Him for what He has done in my life. For using my Grandparents to lead me to the Gospel that forever changed my eternity and my life on Earth.
God, thank you for my Grandparents. Thank you for using them in my life. Thank you for loving me and them and for how you will use their legacy for decades to come...
Merry Christmas Eve. Thank God for those He has used in your life to give you a right perspective of Christmas. He is so faithful.
Monday, December 19, 2011
December-ish Things
 |
| The Christmas season was kicked off with our Ladies' Christmas brunch at church. I had the privilege of being the speaker and shared about abiding in Christ. It was an awesome time for almost 50 ladies of all ages from our church sharing time together. |
 |
| We were invited to attend our neighbor's work Christmas party for kids. The girls loved getting their faces painted by elves and having their pictures taken with Santa. |
 |
| Happy 9th Anniversary to us! We had fancy cake from Publix at home and played a game of Scrabble when the girls went to bed. God has done such great things in our 9 years together, we look forward to what He has for us ahead! |
 |
| On Madelyn's day to be "Santa for a day" at school, she dressed up and wore a jingle bell bracelet to sound like Santa. She loved putting presents in all of the stockings of her classmates. |
 |
| At almost 3, her first haircut was a lil' exciting for this Momma! She looks like such a little girl now and not a toddler. :) |
 |
| So proud of her cute haircut! |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)