The Lord Was At McDonald's

Yes, the Lord was at McDonald's today...how do I know? Because Ella said so..after all, she got a cherry with a stem on it in her chocolate milkshake (which apparently is not common).
I took Mom on a little field trip today... We loaded her up in the car after getting permission from the nurses and proceeded to take her to her favorite places...Ella was sure that the Lord was going to be at the McDonald's today and sure enough...the traffic parted..we got on the lot, the line moved faster than usual, and for our picnic there was one lone parking place and it happened to be the shadiest spot on the lot...If all that is not enough to convince you that the Lord was there...our sandwiches were extra delicious, the fries extra salty and hot and the most convincing evidence of the Lord's presence....the cherry with stem in the chocolate milkshake...what a wonderful day with the Lord, Mom and Ella.

Mom

Well, I talked to mom yesterday on the phone.....
"Sharon, they said I could go home today,,,,there aren.t many people here and they don't have any activities planned so I'll just come on home"....... that tiny hand covering the receiver....."hurry before they change their mind."

The nurse on the other line calling..."Tracy, you know she can't come home, right?"

Girls, another 2 weeks and Elise will be back at the Landing.....last time I visited she said...."I believe we should get our money back....I'm not having that much fun". I said "Mom, you don't want to hurt VANNA White's feelings do you? After all , this is all expenses paid, all inclusive meals and gym time here at the Plumley Vacation Resort And Spa...you won all this playing the home version of Wheel of Fortune...she thought a minute, looked me straight on eye to eye and said...."I miss Bridge...(daddy)."

Oh girls..this is hard.....

Passing Pleasing People...part 1

People I met in Louisiana

My all time favorite...the cab driver named Carl who lost his wife 3 months ago and is raising a 17 year old daughter...we sat in his cab ( my mother-in-law (Christine) and David's auntie (Doris)...first thing out Christine.s mouth...you.ll need to turn that rap music down..I just can't stand all that African beat beat beat in the music....Carl promptly turned the volume down and apologized..."sorry" he said. "I didn.t get to church this Sunday, had to work, so my pastor records his sermons and I listen as I work". Love me some Carl....then Doris accused him of driving the cab slow to run the meter up...Carl explained to these white women that it didn.t matter what speed he drove they would only be charged the actual miles...Love me some Carl....he talked a little about Jesus, his pastor, his daughter, softened these old ladies up a little but they still tried to stiff him on the tip...I fixed him up..he gave me his card and said he would be honored to pick us back up after we toured the museum...it was his cell number and he came back for us...

Next the museum volunteer at R.W. Norten's ...he greeted us at the door, gave us our maps, read the rules about no touching, no flash photography, and no gum chewing....Christine promtly told him she could.t chew gum because it stuck to her partial....Now this dude was probably 90 years old....He looked at her and said TMI....we exploded knuckles and did a dance.....he was probably the coolest dude...

Then there were the bingo ladies...love the bingo ladies....we played with other wives and mothers of fishermen Thursday morning...just a

little time filler, get together pastries, coffee and fellowship...as we are playing (about 50 of us) we are not winning.Christine says, I don,t think they are really binging..they need to check their cards....she's won 3 times....I don't think she cleared her card...I stand up between games...announce that my mother-in-law has not bingoed yet and for the love of all that is holy could they just let her bingo...the heavens parted, angels sang...Christine bingoed...Yeah..right?....well noooo..she didn.t want to bingo that time and win that beautiful candle and holder...she wanted the light up screwdriver...good golly...then Doris did not bingo...stood up made the announcement again...low and behold Doris bingoed...angels are singing.....nooooooo...it.s a flashlight....she wanted the stadium chair.....I need a drink....

Oh...and the waitress in the bar at the Hilton...she was so cool...she also worked our banquet....she helped Doris and Christine collect all the sweet and low their pockets would carry that night..never batted an eye...kept dropping it off to them like it was some covert operation...she was a real sweetie...said her Grandma and auntie were just like them only black..we both laughed til we were sick...

Mother

I spent my entire visit with Mom today telling her not to cross her legs, not to lean forward and not to point her toes together...technically these are the things that will destroy the surgery on her hip...then she wanted a note to help her remember cause the whole time I was telling her all this she was leaning forward and crossing her ankles under the chair....I wrote it on paper...she promptly lost it....I wanted to scream at Mother to just be still....I guess my frustration was showing because Mom came out to play..."Sharon, I just can't remember". So I wrote it on the palms of her hands...then I told her they were going to issue her a card before she came home which stated that she was bonafide crazy and it would get her a discount at McDonald's and Subway....she laughed...looked at me and said " really?". I looked her straight in the eyes and said yes....Mom I can hardly wait for you to come home..
Before we left Mom's room today Ella prayed for her....this was her prayer..

Dear God,
You know we love you...Please make Elise well again so we can take her home....we love her so much and I want her to go roller skating with me. I think that would be great therapy. Amen

Mom...

I don't know if It ended the day yesterday,or began the day today....it happened at 12:15 a:m...Mom came out to play...
in a very small still voice I heard...."Sharon...are you there? I love you and thank you...I miss Bridge..Is he ok?"

I answered in my small still voice "Mom..I love you too....I.ve missed you too and yes Daddy is OK"

Once again these pesky tears....Hope eventually to be able to write and with no tears..sorry girls..

I.m going to call it the beginning of a good day...yesterday was grueling..today is already better...

Grits...my new favorite food

Do you know if grits stand in a bowl for a while they take on that shape and if you turn them upside down on a plate they will come out and stand up like jello....am I the only person out there that thinks this is a great invention...I've never seen them do that on food network....you could decorate them and dye them and besides that they are good....I didn.t know they were so versatile....I don.t know why you could.t have grit dip....grit sauce....grit filling...grit icing....grit smoothies......the list could be endless.....

Draft 3

This morning Mom woke up and said "Oh, what a wonderful night...I am so glad we came.". as I pried myself up off the couch I said oh yeah...nurses, technicians, nursing students,therapists, janitors, food service, more nurses...."can you believe how many people have come to see me? I didn.t know everybody but I hope they all come back.". I do too Mom...

Then the heavens parted...angels sang and in walked Dr.Gulish....he is a saint....he said..I was going to see about sending your Mom over to Plumley like about thurs. Or Friday..but she is doing so well, I'm going to give her 2 units of blood and send her by ambulance Monday...Hallelujah.......Hallelujah.........Hal............le............lu......jah........I was so shocked...he said she was his most successful patient and he saw no reason to keep her in the hospital....I love that man....Maybe Kathi will let me build a shrine to him in the place where her willow stood....

She is so excited about her glorious 6 week vacation at Plumley Resort And Spa,,all inclusive, fun and games..all transportation and meals. I told her she won it playing the home version of Wheel of Fortune.....and she said...wait for it...wait

I ALWAYS WANTED TO MEET VANNA WHITE..I AM SO EXCITED,!


I had a nice long day today with Mom......Mother is here as well..
P.s. hospital red jello is the best all it needs is Anne.s whipped cream

Mom Continued......draft 2

Mom is back for a while , even though it's drug induced...we got her lips painted and a little blush on her cheeks....drank some apple juice and ate some lemon jello....she smiled for photo and I promptly posted on facebook...I'm not practicing the DO UNTO OTHERS right now...I'll just have to ask for forgiveness later....speaking of, in the waiting room I all but stalked some Pentecostals that were here for a friend of theirs...you know those Pentecostals have a pretty strong hotline to God...I was hoping some of their showers of blessings might fall on us....I even took pictures if them ...David assured me I was still driving the bus so at least I haven.t lost that seat....
I feel pretty good about my prayers but just don't feel like I'm one of those prayer warriors yet...still working on that...I keep making demands even though I end each prayer with Thy Will Be Done..but does it count if you are saying that but thinking...but this is what I want to happen...???? anyway, back to Mom...she's here today....in glimpses and Mother is doing well also...

I hope when I finish this Lee can put it together for me...now it is coming in installments....I could send a pic of the Pentecostals to Lee.

More Prayers

Just a little morning reminder ... Sharon's Mom is having surgery this morning and they both need our prayers .... as I know you all know. 

It seems we've been doing a lot of praying this spring for each other and I'm so happy we all have each other to share the tense moments in life and the prayers.

Sharon ... we're here for you.  I just wish there was something we could do to make it easier for you.  Keep in touch and let us hear from you.

Love ya!!!!

Mother Has Left The Building....1st draft

My Mother has literally left the building.....I haven't had time to grieve yet as when she left, she left someone else here...I'm going to care for and love this person because there are times, brief times, that she resembles Mom and she shows me glimpses of Mom that I know...this person still knows my name and remembers Ella above all of us...Ella is her dearest friend and they play and pray together...this person, I will call Mother, is having surgery in the morning..she seems very fragile and looks very pale....I'm sharing this with you loons because I know each one of you know exactly what I am saying...you are all very wise and can relate to this boat I'm in right now....3 days ago I asked the Lord to move up to the front of the boat....I keep putting him in the back and telling him when I need him I'll tell him...I can do it...I can fix it...I can handle it...I'll let you know......I received a peace and an understanding of this dreaded disease, Alzheimer's, when I moved to the back of the boat....I did try to stay in the front and just let him co-pilot but decided real quick I needed to make him the pilot....

I'm going to post this but I'm not finished yet....it has taken me a couple of days to get it written...it's swirled around in my head and I feel so much better getting it on "paper". I can hardly see through my tears..love to all

Makin lemonade

Mom thinks she's getting a facelift....actually we are in the hospital with her broken hip....
I took her for a ride yesterday to see the flood waters at the marina...when we got home she promptly jumped out of the truck like she usually does and broke her hip....
Dr. Goulash is absolutely amazed at her spirit...she's having a wonderful time..meeting all these new people,,,her room is just gorgeous ....the food is to die for......and they were so nice to give her this gown....not her favorite color (it.s hospital blue) but nonetheless they were so thoughtful to give her this gown so she won.t be saying anything....and those medicines....unlike anything she.s ever had...she believes she.ll have some more of those and wants to share them with me (oh that she could)
She's been in quite a bit of pain but they don.t let her hurt long...she has decided to ask the doctor when he puts her under to do her face lift if he will look at her leg because it hurts and maybe while she.s out he can fix this too....
I will keep you Loons posted on Mom's progress....she is a hoot...
So as you can see..yesterday we were handed some lemons...today we are makin lemonade....ME AND MOM....