Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Nana-Joy


Most of you know
how hard this past year
has been on my mom.
She lost her husband this Fall
and almost immediately
began caring for her mother
who is suffering from Alzheimers.
It is such a sad disease.
Over the past several months
my grandmother's mental health has
deteriorated rapidly
and the demands on my mom
have grown just as rapidly.
Although exhausted and emotionally spent
almost every day,
my mom has taken on this responsibility
with such a great attitude
and a caring heart that could only come
from God.
She just takes every single day
as a new opportunity to
do the right thing
no matter how it infringes on
her own grieving/healing period
or personal desires.
My mom has always been like that.
Investing herself into other people
and making their world warm and loving.
She's an amazing person
and I am in awe of her example.
Mom really needed to play in the Gulf
this month with a little boy that adores her
and I'm so glad she was able to do that!

We spent our nights at a quiet beach house
and our days running around with Zane or
snuggling with Easton
or being with family.
It was so therapeutic for my mom.

Zane calls my mom
"Nana-Joy".
That is such a perfect nickname for her
because she loves to give
joy to others
and tries to have a joyful outlook on life.


There is something about
digging your feet in the sand,
letting the waves lap at your legs
with their chilly arrival
and then quickly retreat taking
tension and stress with them.



Something is so calming
about being on the Ocean or Gulf shore.
It soothes the soul and balances
life's struggles for a little while.

The same can be said for holding a
new life in your arms.
It kind of puts things in perspective.
Balances life's ebb and flow.



And there's my mom.
Caught right between life's Spring
and life's Autumn season.
Loving both so intensely,
opening her heart to both,
accepting and caring for both
in such gentle ways.


If Spring is the gentle pastels of
new life,
Autumn is bursting with color in
celebration of a life well lived.
Grandma is in her Autumn now,
but soon it will be Spring again for her!
If you pray,
please remember her as she goes in
for an operation this Thursday morning.
She's having surgery on her elbow.
She has a severe break and needs
surgery if she will ever use her left arm again.
She's been very weak these past few days
so please pray for strength to heal.

My grandma is so blessed to have three
daughter's who love and care for her
very much.
I hope when I'm in my Autumn years
that I'm surrounded by such love.
I know Nana-Joy will be!

1 comment:

Laura said...

I dunno if its my headache or your blog....nope its defo the blog making me cry again. Nana-Joy I agree with little Zane, perfect name for your mom. Im not even sure what words I can say that will make the words in your post express how close you make me feel to you and your family every day. Every word is the pure spoken truth and shows the world how truly blessed you all are, even during the heartache. Love is always around the corner and someone there to bring a smile to your face.

Im glad your mom was able to be with the family and get to spend some much needed fun with Zane and Easton.