Willow Trees

I have always loved Willow trees. Never have I lived anywhere that has had one on the yard, the town I live in... well, you can count the number of Willows on one hand. How is it then, when I see one my heart gets all warm inside, there is laughter from children swinging from the branches,they are making their houses inside the cove that Willow branches make. I can feel them moving to the music of the wind, memories etched in my heart from something that has never been.

On March 25th my mom, Jeff and I headed to Willow Lake to see my moms family. My grandma who is 97 is not doing to well. It is a four hour drive and I would like to get to Shirley's house before dark. We are taking hiway 212, the other way has to much flooding - it is spring in Minnesota and I guess, South Dakota too. Driving through to Watertown it is still light and we have about an hour left so we stop at Perkins for a bite to eat. Heading on we go west on 212, looking for 25 South. When we find it the road is very ruff from frost breaking through the ground, it continues to be a slow but peaceful drive. On the rail road tracks there is a blinking sign telling us there is a bump ahead, we hit it going 15 miles per hour, Yowser, guess I should have been going 2 MPH! In my other ear, about 1/2 mile from the track, my uncle George leaves me a message:
"Yes, Pammie, I don't know if you are to the tracks yet... there is a bad one there... go slow, real slow, there is a bad ole bump there."
"Okay Georgie, I am over the tracks, just picking up the bottom of the car and we'll be heading down that 3 mile road to Willow"... that is what I think to myself as I smile hearing his voice in my head, trying to help - just a little to late!
...and I can hear children laughing.

We spend the night in Willow and visit with George, Shirley, Kim, John, and Kurtis the next morning over breakfast. We will grab a sandwich about 11:00 and head to see grams right after that. This house is filled with so many memories for me, I wonder how much more the walls can hold? How many more memories can be made before the house is put up for sale... before the land floods itself of love, and no more can be said?
...and I can see them swinging on Willow branches

When we arrive in Bryant we head to the door - press the alarm, 1 - 2 - 3, we are in! Grams is in her room needing to use the bathroom. She looks good, but, first things come first and we get that all situated. She knows we are there, her Pammie, Jeffie and her two favorite daughters. 97 years of memories are sitting there before us... and yet they go unsaid, her mind is not working like it was back then, her world has become that chair with wheels. I wonder how many more memories her mind can hold... before the body floods itself with love, and her voice can carry no more sound?
...and I can smell spring as the branches open their leaves.

And so, I tell her... "until we meet again grams, I want you to know how much I love you, and what a good grandma you are. If I don't see you again, I will see you on the other side..." I softly touch her permed hair and look into the eyes that can not see - and although I know she heard me, I am not sure she knows what I said. The brain has a funny way of doing that sometimes.
...and I can taste the freshness in the air.

And I remember the music of the wind as I sit beneath the Willow Tree branches. I shelter myself in the cove that my memories have made, realizing that my memories are real - like the rustling leaves of a quaking aspen on a beautiful spring day.

Three sisters

About a year ago I was in the hall of LTC (loving Tender Care). One of the clients who was living there loved Bingo and her sister had just moved in. They were both down the 600 wing. On this particular day the 3rd sister (who lived in "The Estates"), which is attached to LTC) came to play Bingo also. I was very touched seeing these three older gals together, all in their 90's, smiling...
so I asked if I could take there picture.

I showed the picture to my three girls. I told them of all the things that would make me the happiest, first would be that they continue to grow and learn in their faith in Jesus Christ and second would be that they would stay close - even in their 90's.

Through the months I got to know these three ladies and "The Estates" sister then moved into long term care about 3 months ago also. They had been from a family of seven, six girls and a boy. Of the seven kids, Lilly, Violet, and Calla were the oldest... they stayed close all of their lives. Raising their families together, playing cards together, going to church together, grocery shopping and calling each other every day.
They all three lived in the same town, had the same phone company - no long distance or skyping for them... they actually saw each other or talked to each other every single day of their lives. I think it is quite amazing that these three stayed close - and they are the only ones living out of their family.
But now... Lilly passed away with her two sisters at her side
..................and a week later
...........Violet passed away with her sister at her side...
and today when I went to work
...........Calla was very sad, missing her sisters, realizing how much time does she have left here?
Down the halls of the widows wing...
dreaming
of the days when she was with her sisters!

(Names and locations have been changed, these stories are true only in my mind)

Going home - another moment

Today in the chapel, I touched her frail skin and felt her slow pulse in my hand. I was rubbing lotion into her arms and I heard a faint sound. As I bent my ear close to her mouth I heard her say...
"I have prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed"
"What are you praying for Lilly?"
"That He would take my life on earth, let me come home"
her breath smelled of death and I was at lose for words...
how can I comfort someone that is this close to leaving me?

Just two months ago she was heading down the hall of the widows wing, giving up her apartment at "The Estates" to make her home her at LTC (Loving Tender Care) with her two sisters that were already here.
She was from a family of 7, six girls and one boy! I would tease with these sisters alot - I have always loved 3 girls. Three of the six girls stayed in the area of their birth, they got married, raised their children, worked, retired, played sheephead, called each other daily, and finally moved into LTC together. How could it be? 3 girls down the Widows wing, sisters for life coming to this place? They are going to have fun I say - really spice things up around here, giggling together and playing sheephead with the pro's out in the atrium, never missing a game of Bingo, loving devotions... but, starting to get more tired - sleeping alot -
and then her legs start to swell - they are the size of a tree stump, no telling where all that fluid is coming form - but, of course it is from her heart. They call it congestive heart failure. The fluid doesn't pump through your body any more as it should and it starts to build up around your heart making it hard to breath.
And I have slowly watched her and the love of her sisters as they struggle to make sure the right people know that this is not normal for their sister - she doesn't sleep all the time like this, something is wrong...
or is it just that she is waiting to go home?

(Names and places have been changed, these stories are true only in my mind)

Baxter finds a house

Baxter was helping his mom and dad look on the computer for just the right place. He prayed along with his grandma that what ever place they did find, would have access to wonderful lines of communication. That their house would be blessed from it's start to it's finish. All the wires, walls, lights, floors, ceilings,fixtures,plumbing, and character would be blessed by God. We prayed that it would be a place where they can always feel at home, and that it will be filled with love. That people will have His Peace when they enter and His Blessings when they leave. So when they are able to move in...
Baxter will be happy!