Party of Five

Hospice people are an amazing group of people.  That much I know.   Mom is not in any pain, but she's also not very aware either - but there are moments. She knows I'm here.   I'm praying over her and talking with her every time I'm in the room with her.  Sometimes I can only say the name of Jesus while I lay hands on her disheveled short white hair and hold her tiny hand.   She smiled in her sleep after her brother in Oklahoma talked to her on speaker phone. She opened her eyes and said her other brother's name when he came to visit.  Those little moments are beautiful to see.  I had a dream last night that I was in this house, I turned around to see my mom upright and walking, not in a nightgown, but jeans and a sweater, and looking her very best with every hair in its perfect place, and her eyebrows drawn on perfectly.  I don't ever want to forget how amazing she looked standing tall again at her 4'11" self without a walker and without pain, and smil

 4:37am I woke up naturally, no alarm, picked up my phone to see that it is a terribly early 4:37am; 23 minutes before my regular alarm is set to go off to awaken me for work. Suddenly I remember that I'm not going to work that day. I'm going home. 6:09am I texted my brother to let him know that even though I had hoped to leave earlier, I should still arrive by noon.  7:00am The smell of coffee is filling my car.  I don't drink coffee.  I realized it was just a skunk in the area, so that's how random my thoughts were as I was driving.  Or maybe that's how much I really don't like coffee. 10:00am My Inner Self gave me a reminder while I was driving. This is the last time you'll make the drive to visit your mom. Thanks a lot for pointing out the obvious, Self. 11:43am One last bathroom stop on this never-ending drive; stopped at a Taco Bell.  The employee behind the counter smiled at me and said "Have a great day!" as I was walking out. That's an

89 days    left to serve as an officer with my local PTA unit.   42 days   left to serve as I finish my work with New York State PTA. (Give me a minute.  That was just as hard to write, as it was to say when I began to tell my PTA friends that I would not be returning next year.  For the record - PTA friends are some of the BEST friends you will ever have!!) Let's be real - THIS IS GOING TO FEEL WEIRD - I've been PTA-involved since my very first meeting when I volunteered to be a committee chair, and yes, I still believe in the mission of PTA.   I will still pay my membership dues, and I will continue to be involved, just in a smaller capacity at the region level.  PTA Leaders get into this and do what we do for one reason.  It is because of our kids - they're our  #PTAWhy .  All of the committees, events, meetings with school leaders, and local, state, and federal legislators...every single one of them that I was honored to be a part of and to serve.  It was all because o

It  has been a rough week for many of us who lost a friend this past week. But last night I heard Jim’s   own words on an old podcast, when he was talking about a  terrible loss in his own life.  So today I am reconciling that Jim has finished the work God created him to do and he has been called home to heaven.     There are soooo many people, very literally, all over this world that he introduced Jesus to over his entire lifetime, and so many of us still here who were challenged and changed by the example he lived.      A personal story - Our oldest son's middle name was given in honor of Jim, because of the impact and relationship he had with our family and most importantly, with my husband.   We spent a weekend with them in Indianapolis when Derek was still just a baby.   Jim was determined that he could make me a cup of coffee that I would like.  It was a mocha something-something...that still tasted like coffee.  On our recent family trip to Florida we were blessed to be able

WHEN I WAS A CHILD - I would spend hours going through the Christmas catalogs and then very carefully drafting my list for Santa in my very neatest handwriting (because neatness counts!) Even when I was "old enough to know better", I still longed for the magic of the season, so the list was still written and in a very stealth manner left on the kitchen table. CHRISTMAS 2020 - My children draft their Christmas lists in 30 minutes or less, and ask me if they should just text them to me. WHEN I WAS A CHILD - I don't remember how they would disappear for an entire day, but my parents would most likely travel to the closest small city to take advantage of shopping malls and toy stores, obviously without us in tow, to go Christmas shopping. CHRISTMAS 2020 - Tonight, Mr. D. and I sat here in our family room, he on his phone and I on my laptop, tap-tap-tapping away on our devices ordering items off of the previously mentioned texted shopping lists, and some additional pieces that

My oldest son has just voted in his first presidential election. His younger brother, although wise in his 14 years, is still an impressionable young teenager who is watching how his parents and siblings react to current affairs. At 16 and a junior in high school, my daughter has become very opinionated about what she hears about or reads with regards to politics and social justice issues or sees on social media from the influencers that she follows. I don't mind her having a different opinion than me, I just prefer it to be an educated opinion that she has fully researched for herself to form an opinion, rather than what she reads and hears from social media, which is what I see her doing. My kids aren't oblivious to the reactions of people in the world: they've seen the protests, riots, and demonstrations on the news along with the phrase coined after the 2016 election of "not my president". Last night, Lil' Dude asked me how I would react if the candidate

Winter Break. A rather odd week, that even after 20 years with kids in my school district, I have no idea what this week is for and why my kids get it off from school.  But there were no plans for the week other than pure relaxation.  Possibly assisting mom with who knows what project might come up, but really just a time to unwind from the daily norm. Our last full day there was pre-planned with two doctor appointments for mom.  Two doctors Two appointments Two reports that her blood work looked perfect Two reports that she was looking great T-14 days until her next PET scan.