A Day of Sunshine!

Rhona & her Grandson & Great Grandchildren.
 Tyler & his 4 kiddos. 

On Saturday, August 17, we gathered as a family. It was my 59th birthday and it was the first gathering in our new home.

I was excited for the day, but worried how the day would go for my momma.

Would she be over stimulated?

Would she have an accident(s) and be embarrassed?

Would we all fit in our house?

The day itself couldn't have been any better. The weather was absolutely gorgeous! Mom slept til around noon, which was good for her and the family bounced in around 1:15-1:30 in the afternoon.

This was the first picture of the day. My heart was so full of joy.

To see her interacting with her great grandchildren warmed my soul.

So far she remembers the 2 oldest names: Truman and Zola. She struggles with Evie Jo's name and she can't remember Atlas's name at all. She calls him baby. {I'm sure he will baby all his life!}

To think that my momma lived in an assisted living place (5 hours from me) and rarely had visitors, breaks my heart. Though family was near, life just gets busy and people don't make time to visit.

My brother would visit her, but last year he moved to England.

My good friend, Melissa, would go visit her once a week and sometimes twice a week. She cleaned for her and helped her bathe. We will forever be grateful for the love Melissa has for mom.

I would try to go every couple months but many times that was hard, especially if anyone here was ill. I wouldn't chance taking that to my momma or any other individuals in the assisted living facility.

I cannot express how wonderful the day was with family.

My mom was her true self. Telling things from her childhood in "Rhona" fashion with no care on how she presented the wording. 

Example: she asked Truman and Zola if they'd ever seen a cows tit. 

Zola said, "What's a tit?"

Mom proceeded to tell her how her grandpa would ask her if she'd ever seen the hole in a cows tit, and mom would get down and look and he would spray her in the face with cows milk. 

My grands didn't understand this. The look on their faces were comical. But the look on their momma's face was even better!!!! {It was kinda like a cringe look. She knew someday the word tit was gonna flow from those tiny lips.}

The grands know that babies drink milk from their momma's boob, but they'd never heard the word "tit". I wonder when they will start calling boobs, tits. LOL.

The grands built houses out of empty moving boxes. They chased each other. The chased the dogs. They were constantly saying "G.G. watch this." And they would do a trick or a song or something silly.

Zola taught mom how to play Avocado, Avocado. Mom even did a little shimmy as she and Zola sang the song. 

Truman challenged her to a glove battle. Truman had no idea he was going to meet his match with his G.G. (G.G. is for Great Grandma) He thought she would be this nice sweet little old lady who would give in....NOT!!!! He met a ruthless player who doesn't give up. {Look at her smile!!!}

I've not see my momma laugh and smile and have so much fun in a very long time. She had a blast playing with the grands and I had joy watching her.

This is what I know.

She might be losing her memory, but somewhere still inside her is the bully. 

Though they had fun, as she played, at times she was mean. {hair pulling, pinching...etc} I'd have to say "We don't do those things." Her response was, "Well, I do!" And I'd have to say, "But, that's not being kind. We teach them to be kind to others." ...and she would roll her eyes. {MAN..is she good at this!}

Every day presents something new.

Some days are easy. Some days, hard. Some days I want to run away.

But this is our new normal and we will figure out the balance.

Is this easy? NO!

Would I change it now? NO!

One thing holds true.....

I can't do this without the Lord.

He has changed my heart towards my momma. I've carried bitterness and anger for so long. He's breaking it all away.

I will be strong and courageous and be the vessel HE wishes me to be.

~bo