little b

One evening not so long ago, the nieces and the nephew stayed at my house.  As I was tucking the youngest two in bed, little b decided the jammies she packed were too hot.  I gave her a freshly laundered t-shirt to wear.  Her response was, "This smells so good. It smells like you."

Since then, I can't do laundry without thinking about my little b.  Those same smells of laundry detergent and fabric softner that made her think of me now makes me think of a spunky little girl who can torment her siblings, who can wear out the adult around her, who can think way out side the box, and who can melt your heart with a smile.

No one loves you like I do, little b!  No one ever will.

Roller Coasters

Less than two weeks ago, my grandmother was admitted to the hospital.  Things didn't look good the day she was admitted.  And then she rallyed and returned to the nursing home.

Yesterday, she returned to the hospital.  The same infection took it's toll, but to a much greater degree.  They couldn't get a blood pressure reading.  She was in pain.  She couldn't speak.  She didn't recognize anyone. 

Today, I went to visit her.  She was tired and slept most of the time, but she was responsive.  She was alert.  She was feisty.

And so the roller coaster continues.  We wait.  We watch.  And we wonder what's coming up ahead.

The Adventures of Summer Continue

I had the opportunity to accompany my mom and the nieces and nephew to a museum today.  While I found the musuem interesting, I had much more fun observing these four characters.

There were many props and dress up items in the musuem.  My crew decided to go outside and pretend to be locked up in jail.

Guess we know who not to call when in need of bail money.

Of course, it's the same child who claims her siblings are all adopted.

Let's face it.  It's always a great day when I get to be around these faces.

As Seen on TV

I haven't exactly lived up to my hopes of posting on a more regular basis this summer.  I like to think I've been out finding new stories to share with you. 

Earlier this summer, my niece and I took an unplanned shopping trip.  She was having a particularly difficult day and just needed to get away.  Neither one of us were particularly interested in purchasing anything.  We were more interested in finding things to make us giggle.  The titles in the book aisle were a good source.  So was the board game aisle.  But our shopping trip became serious when we found this:

That's right ladies and gentlemen!  It's the infamous item advertised on television to keep your snacks from spilling.  We grabbed it off the shelf and knew it had to become ours.  Before we had made it to the checkout, we had already come up with at least a dozen uses for this item. 

We spent the next 45 minutes testing the product, finding new uses, creating our own commercial, and laughing ourselves silly.  (It was also reported that she was the hit of the softball team the next day.)

I guess the advertisers forgot to mention the product's power to produce giggles!

Garden Therapy

Yesterday, we moved my grandma into a nursing home.

She had been in assisted living.  She knew this move was going to happen.  She had seen the room she was moving to.  The dementia made her forget.

I sat their holding her hands, sharing her tears, trying to make her understand.  Trying to make things okay for her.  Trying to make things okay for my own mother as she tried to take care of her mother. 

We found things to smile about.  The bathtub she loves.  Discussions on spunkiness.  A visiting dog.  The picture of her with her five daughters.  She seemed to calm down and relax a little.

I went back today.  I saw her in clean clothes, sitting in the main room, still confused, but not agitated.  We talked for a bit and then she sent me away. 

It's been a tough couple of days.  Wishing I could do more, but knowing I'm doing all I can.  Knowing she is confused, but knowing she is safe and being well cared for.

So I came home and planted twenty dollars worth of flowers into the ground.  I know it's too early.  There's still a good chance of a final frost.  But the time spent playing in the dirt and calming my own mind is well worth the twenty dollars I'll have to respend to replant those flowers.

Super Aunt Saturday

Things are more than a bit hectic in this neck of the woods, but I took a break on Saturday to play Super Aunt.  The nieces and the nephew had various activities going on and I was determined to get to as many as possible.

The day began at 10 am with the two little cuties pictured above on the soccer field.  Despite being different ages, they managed to be on the same team.  Lucky me!

At 11 am, it was off to another soccer field to see The Nephew in his game.  He had a double header, but I only stayed for the first game. (Bad Aunt!)

Niece #1 had to get to her softball tournament with her mother and The Nephew had baseball practice after his games with his father.  I opted to take Nieces #2 and #3 with me after the first game of the double header to make life a little less complicated for their parents.

The afternoon was spent doing the things Nieces #2 and #3 enjoy:  lunch out, shoe shopping, and ice cream.  Then it was off to the softball portion of our day.

Niece #1 played the first of three softball games at 3:00.  (Did I mention she had played soccer earlier that morning and had track practice the day before???) 

I had accomplished something that had never been done before.  I had managed to attend a game for all my nieces and my nephew in a single day!  Under our family rules, I would have fulfilled my aunt responsibilities for the entire season.  But this was not enough for Super Aunt.  Oh no!  I went back for the 6:00 and 7:30 softball games as well.

My day ended at 9:00.  I was tired, a little sunburned and WAY behind on my weekend chores.  But, I had managed to spend time with four of the people I love most in the world.  I got hugs and smiles from every one of them.  I got a little glimpse into their worlds.  Best of all, I got all to rare treat of holding my favorite six year old for almost an hour as she fell asleep on my lap. 

Next on the list, the t-ball, baseball, and track. 

Happy Birthday

Thirteen years ago, this little beauty entered our world.

She showed up with those big blue eyes and that wispy blonde hair and immediately stole our hearts.

She was first.  She was the first daughter, grandchild, great-grandchild and niece.  She had our full and undivided attention.  We were in awe of this incredible little being.  Every experience was new and exciting.  Every milestone a celebration. 

Now, she's thirteen.  She has grown into this unbelievable person.  She's a smart, gracious, creative, athletic, caring, beautiful person.  Other children have joined the family, but she is still first.  We are still in awe of her as we watch from the sidelines as she continues to change and grow.

So on this special birthday, I have three wishes for my niece.  May she always find joy and happiness in each and every day.  May she have the wisdom and courage to handle the challenges of life.  May she always know who she is and how much she is loved.

So Happy Birthday, my favorite blue eyed person!  No one loves you like I do!

Made with Love

From the day I was born, my grandmother made things for me.  She made dresses, afghans, Christmas stockings, sweaters, slippers and even doll clothes for me.  If the head of my favorite doll was coming away from it's body, Grandma fixed it.  If I decided less than a week before the school dance that I wanted to go, Grandma sew up a custom dress in my favorite color. If I needed six mini aprons made for my class, Grandma made it happen.  In my mind, there wasn't anything she couldn't do.

Eventually, Grandma's eyes made it harder and harder for her to make the things she loved for the people she loved.  I began to fear that each handmade item would be the last one I would receive from her.  That day finally came.  It was almost as hard on me as it was on her. 

Now, those items that brought joy to me can bring joy to others.  I recently pulled out the aprons she made for my class to use for cooking projects.  The kids were so excited to have aprons that were their size.  When I shared that my grandmother made them, one little girl said, "Your grandma did a good job!  These are very comfy and comfy is good!"

I am fortunate to have so many of her handmade items, particularly those that allow me to wrap myself in the warmth of her love on cold winter days. 

Family Bonds

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to spend time with my mother and her sister who was visiting from California.

My mother has four sisters.  They all grew up and moved to various places all over the country.  All of them except my mother.  She remained close to her parents and the place she grew up.  Her decision to stay close to home gave my brother and I the opportunity to get to know our aunts and their families.  Each time one of the aunts would come to visit their parents, we would tag along and get little glimpses into their lives.

As I grew up, my perspective of these women changed.  Somewhere along the way, they went from being random visitors to being real people who I enjoyed spending time with.  Listening to their stories of being directionally challenged, hearing the familiar grunts they make as they move, seeing their competitive nature during games, and watching them interact with each other as if no time has passed is a unique experience.  Sure, their antics may be borderline embarrassing, but it is a gift to be around them.

Christmas Memories--Rather Late

I love Christmas!  I love the decorations, the lights, the packages, and even the craziness often associated with the time of year.  This year, I went a little overboard decorating my house.  I collected a variety of unique items that I places in various places throughout my house for my own enjoyment.  But, with all the decorations I have, this is my favorite one:

It's a simple picture of me with my brother and grandpa out on his farm looking for a Christmas tree.  I don't remember the event, but the picture reminds me of many Christmases that would take place after this picture was taken.

My grandpa was a very sweet and quiet man.  He didn't say much, but let my brother and I know how much he cared about us with ice cream cones on Sundays, tractor rides on the farm and Whitman Samplers at Christmas. 

One year around Christmas, Grandpa came to my house with a real tree in the trunk of his car just for me.  It wasn't exactly the well trimmed tree that one would find at a tree farm, but it was the best tree ever in my eyes.  He helped me set it up right in the front of the living room window.  My grandma then took me out to buy lights and cheap icicle strands.  I was a very happy girl.

My mother, who arrived home later, was not exactly thrilled with the large decorated bush in her living room.  (After all, we had a perfectly fine artificial tree in the family room carefully decorated with blue lights, red bows and white ornaments.)  But, there was little doubt in my mind that the tree was there to stay.  After all, how could she tell her father no.

For the next few years, the tradition continued.  He would arrive with my own personal Christmas tree.  My mother admitted defeat and even helped us place the tree in it's place of honor.  I felt like the luckiest girl in the world.  After all, how many girls get their own personal Christmas trees.

Being my grandpa's granddaughter, I'm not sure I ever really let him know how much those trees really meant to me, but I'm convinced he knew.  We still never talked much, but those trees seemed change our relationship.  Special little gifts, cards, and even handwritten letters would appear randomly through the years. 

So, every year, when I pull out the simple picture in its green wooden frame, I am greeted by a flood of memories of the most important man in my life.  A man who said few words, but spoke volumes.  I am so lucky to have had him for my grandfather.

Cheese Soup Thanksgiving

I come from a family full of love.  They are strange, rarely make sense, and are rather indecisive, but there is little doubt about the love within the family.  Fortunately, they also have a sense of humor which is why I know they will be perfectly comfortable with me sharing the story of the Cheese Soup Thanksgiving.

Many years ago, my parents divorced.  While my brother and I were shielded from as much of the icky-ness associated with the event as possible, there was little doubt that the commuincation between my mother and father left a lot to be desired.  Somehow, it was determined that Thanksgiving would be a "dad holiday."  It bothered me to think of my mom alone on the holiday, but I was a kid.  There was very little I could do.

One year, we went with my father to celebrate Thanksgiving with his family.  There always seemed to be a bit of akwardness in any family gathering in those days.  It seemed as though our extended family was never quite sure of how to treat my brother and I.  Apparently, the akward feelings were not only directed towards us, but to my father as well.  For some reason, our Thanksgiving celebration ended earlier than expected and we were dropped off at my mother's house. 

Now, my mother had fully expected her two children to be with their father for the evening.  She had plans for dinner at the country club.  There was no time to change plans.  (For the record, there were also no ill feelings on the part of my brother and I.)  She tried to hide the frustration she was feeling toward my father, kissed us goodbye and went out the door.

There was just one, small problem.  We were hungry.  Yes, we had eaten, but it had been hours before.  Being the incredibly independent child that I was, I was determined I would make dinner for my brother and I.  We scoured the kitchen, but my mother wasn't one to have a well stocked kitchen.  At last, we found a can of nacho cheese soup in the cabinet.  That, combined with the chips or crackers we also found, became our Thanksgiving feast.


Thanks to my family's sense of humor, we have been able to look back at this event and laugh.  The first time my mother went out of town for Thanksgiving after I was an adult, she brought me a can of cheese soup.  She wanted to make sure I was covered for Thanksgiving, just in case my other plans fell through.

Family Gatherings

When you are young, you assume that the way your family does things is the way all families do things.  As you get older and begin to venture into the outside world, you begin to realize this is not always true.  Take, for example, a typical family birthday.

On Friday, my family gathered to celebrate my brother's birthday.  The plan was to meet at 6:00 at my parents' house, have appetizers of veggies, dinner, and birthday cake.  Those in attendance were my parents, the guest of honor and his wife, their four beautiful children, and myself. 

Here is your play-by-play:

6:05 The arrival of the guest of honor.  (He was lucky.  Once I arrived a little late for my birthday dinner to find everyone already eating!)  The munching of veggies is already in progress.

6:10  Dinner is served.  There is a table in the kitchen and one in the living room, however only eight of nine diners have seating.  No worries, Dad will sit at the counter in the kitchen.

6:35  Dinner is over.  25 minutes is a bit longer than normal for the main course, but there was a fight over remaining broccoli amongst the children.  Apparently, it is a family favorite.

6:45  Candles are lit.  It's time to sing Happy Birthday.  Unfortunately, some of us forgot to save our forks from the dinner course causing a delay as more forks are found.  We will all try to do a better job of remembering on Christmas Eve.

6:55  Cake has been served and consumed. 

Traditionally, this would be the signal to grab coats and head to the door.  The two youngest nieces, however, are still learning the process.  (They are only 4 and 6 after all.)  They begin to pull out games to play.

7:00  Game time.  Being the productive family we are, we have three games going at the same time.  Tic-Tac-Toe is happening on the couch,  Old Maid by the stairs and Dominoes in the middle of the floor.

7:10  Gathering of personal items.  Time to get those coats, shoes, purses, and anything else you may have carried into the house. 

7:15  Hugs and kisses and out the door.

That's right.  An entire evening completed in just over an hour.  I believe my parents are considering installing a drive thru to make the process even faster.