These weeks here at my sisters house are flying by. These moments will be cherished as I go
because, go I must.
Not quite yet. There are still three more days to knit and sew and cook and eat and smile and reflect.
There are still three evenings to sit when our “work” is done. Funny how, when you are old and your life is mostly behind you, the habits of that lifetime stay close.
Once the sun sets and the dishes are done it’s time to sit. Even if you have been sitting all day because really that’s all you have the energy to do, the evening is welcomed because the work is done.

I won’t try to deceive you. Ever!

It isn’t easy sitting with a 92 year old for days on end. There are moments of frustration and the caring and helping and listening and yes, obeying, become at times tedious.
It is tiring, this caring.
It is sad and even hard.
The one who for so many years has cared for me is now in need of great and urgent, no it can’t wait until later, care.
She is my loved one. Her thoughts, concerns and interests have been some of the tools with which God has molded me.
He is so wise.
HE has spent HER lifetime teaching her and I have seen over 50 years of it. She has balked and expressed her confusion and disappointment to Him. He has listened, of that we are certain. He has wrapped His arms around her and sent many and varied loved ones alongside to cherish her.
Life has not been easy for her.
There were those first years as a preachers wife, living in a room attached to the church, with no running water and a rain barrel and a little stove to keep them warm and then there were three. They had nothing, quite literally, but one another and HIM.
They learned to trust in a way that many of us have never done.
She has memories.
I listen as she shares some of those with me. These are the moments that are especially precious. Listening as she relives and remembers.

Yesterday we were there, in that room we like so much and we needed tape and where would we find tape?
She made her way, slowly, unsteadily to the desk at the end of the room and opened a drawer.
I looked up
and there she was
sitting next to the desk.
She did not find tape and actually we forgot all about tape because what she found was so much more important. Had been placed there how many months ago, by her other daughter. My sister.
Not unusual since this is my sister’s house.
Actually, it wasn’t just an IT.
It was THEM, pictures and words.
A newspaper clipping of this mother of ours. In her high school graduation photo. There were only 12 or 13, lovely young ladies and boys. She commenced to tell me about the different ones. What happened and who married who.
Memories.
From the picture she moved on to read from a journal.
She has been keeping journals since 1976
Not long enough
She wishes and I wish she had kept them earlier. Those years way back would have been fascinating to read about.
She opened that book and began to read to me.
Precious.

The year she made 36 dozen muffins for her dear friend Wil, for the Blueberry fair.
They were blueberry muffins.
She had it all written down. Muffins and squares by the dozens and the pans full.

She has lived well. Much sadness but so much joy.

She has been diligent. Attempting to bloom where she was planted.
Just tonight as we finished the reading part of “reading” (Check Papa)and then the praying part of “reading”
and as I said good night and tucked her in and turned out the light and said “see you in the morning”

She said,
Yes, we all have so much to be thankful for. Thank you Lord for a good day.