It wasn't the fanciest Thanksgiving meal we've ever had. But it was everything I wanted it to be. Actually, it was more.
Things that made this trip great:
-Having Mom & Dad all to ourselves for a few days. This included watching Mom scroll endlessly through Facebook, so frustrated that she couldn't find her email. Then I showed her how to search for a particular email using the search bar and she still couldn't find what she was looking for. After half an hour someone said something about a text ans she shouted, "Oh! A text! Maybe it was a text!" The she asked me why I unfriended her on my blog. About this time, Braden overheard Elise telling Maisey to "just go check on dotcomww". I think my Mom shares their confusion over the world wide web and technology in general. We laughed heartily at their expense, knowing full well that we will be in their shoes in forty years. Although I hope not literally because their shoes come from Costco and have Velcros.
-Watching Anabelle show Grandma so much love and compassion. She talks to her and tells her she looks pretty, she brushes her hair and asks her questions.
-Braden and I got to go Black Friday shopping together for the first time. It was fabulous. Unfortunately, we basically gave away all of our dollars. BUT, we came out with the world's most amazing vacuum. Take the dollars, what do I care? The sand is out of my carpets and I don't have to sweep. I literally dance and jump around my house like a fool every time I vacuum. Anabelle actually told me she didn't know I could jump that high.
We were planning on going home on Saturday because we both had youth lessons to teach. But I just couldn't leave yet. The rarity of the situation combined with the fact that Mom got an abnormal cancer pre-test back, made me feel like I needed to soak up that time with them. Dad had an MRI on his chest that day and Mom was concerned about it. The doctor said she may be calling over the holiday weekend to check on him. I found myself really thinking about losing either one of them and it really broke me up inside. I'm really not ready for that. I want my kids to have more of these weekends building a relationship. I want to hear them both laugh uncontrollably when Braden tells them questionable jokes. I really don't have any idea how many of these opportunities we have left
but I intend to capitalize on every one of them.
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| She and I made contact while she was shoveling sweet potato casserole into her mouth? I stared at her questioningly and she replied simply, "Don't want to get this dirty", while holding up her spoon. Then she promptly returned to her eyes- closed- deeply-loving-this- butter-coconut-sugar-moment. |
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| Catching a child's real smile makes me supremely happy. |
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| kissing the corn we put out for the deer |
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| snowflake making for Grandma's room |
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| I will bet you five dollars Dad's making Emmett watch Fox news and warning him about the d@#$ liberals. |
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| Now this is good old fashioned fun right here. Am I being too simplistic when I suggest that the death of creative outdoor play is at the heart of our current national bratty kid epidemic? |
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| These two have lived through a lot together over the last 50 years. And it hasn't all been pretty. I've seen some of their hardships and struggles and the rest I can only imagine. When I look at this picture I see resilience. I see strength and grit and faith that will not quit. I see gratitude in hard times and an ever present rejoicing in Father's goodness. Their influence combined has made me who I am. It gave me the foundation of wonderful life with deep gospel roots. They taught me that I can do hard things, and I can do it gratefully. Plus Mom gave me her scarce body hair trait so a big salute to her for that one. I've got a little beef with Dad for giving me what promises to be an ever widening nose, but all around the guy really did his best. |
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| Braden's Salt Lake temple snowflake. |
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| Braden trying to pull Lila's tooth. |
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| Emmett literally begging Grandad for more candy. It doesn't have to work very hard. Emmett quickly realized that all he ever has to do is take candy to Grandad and he will open it for him. Their relationship really flourished this weekend. |
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| We got Grandma on ornament in the shape of Texas, with a heart right over Longview. |
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| Since we hadn't planned on staying for Sunday, we had no clothes for church. Dad and I went to WalMart Saturday night to look for something, but the cost was too excessive. It was however a good chance to putter around with Dad and chat with him. We were sitting in Grandma's room on Sunday morning when her home teacher came to bring the sacrament. It was the most unusual sacrament experience I have ever had. I considered what it must mean for Grandma not to be able to go to church anymore. Not counting on somebody else to bring you the spirit through word or song. I thought about this busy man who was keeping his covenants by helping me to renew mine. As he blessed the bread, Braden passed around a tray to everyone in our family. When it came time to give Grandma water, my Mom stood up to help her drink it through a straw. Braden told her that he had it- it seemed like he wanted to be the one to do it. I sat in the corner watching this simple and beautiful scene- Braden carefully holding the cup for Grandma while she drank. It was a powerful moment. I wanted to take a picture it was so beautiful and meaningful to me. Since that wasn't appropriate, I took one just after, with her smiling at her home teacher, gratitude shining in her face. That vision of Braden administering to Grandma is dear to my heart. As time passes, I hope that memory does not fade. In movies and books romance and love are often portrayed in beautiful extravagant settings, where a scene has been perfectly orchestrated. I have found that those moments are real- where your love for someone is profoundly deep and raw and real. But more often than not is has been in a circumstance like this. Born of service, sacrifice, or considering anothers needs before your own. I feel so blessed to have been a part of that sacrament meeting. Being outside of a normal situation allowed me to truly reflect on the importance of that covenant. Looking around Grandma's room, covered in snowflakes made of coffee filters and the desire to buoy up the sick and lonely, I recognized that this was the perfect start to our Christmas season. |
