Gathering Graces 8/22/2017

Plant received from the Sixth Street Melodrama board
 

*Paul headed up to Kellogg High School bright and early this morning to help with registration.  I stayed home, taking time to enjoy my final days of summer break before going back to work on Monday.

*At 10 a.m. I had a meeting with Cindy at Wells Fargo to talk about the process of how to handle Mom’s finances.  She was very helpful, and it helps Bill, Christy and I know what needs to be to create an estate checking account for Mom and how we proceed. 

*I finally went through some things in my office, and filled two garbage bags full of things to be thrown away.  This is a project that has been long overdue, and I am glad I made a little bit of progress on this monumental task.  It will be nice when I can finally go in and use my office again as it is intended.

*Bill has been boxing up Mom’s belongings from her basement and putting them in the garage.  He wanted Christy and I to come and go through the items so we could take anything we wanted, then we could decide what to do with things next.  So Paul and I headed over to go through things, and packed ups the car with more items.  We left the bigger items for tomorrow, when we can use Everett’s truck.  I find comfort in knowing I am going to be surrounded in my home with some of Mom’s “things”.  She had quite an extensive copper collection that I am going to put on the walls of my kitchen.  Some of her shadow boxes have already found places on the walls of our home.  The wing chairs that were in her home, then in her room at Kindred are now in my home. 

*Bill also spent time putting Mom’s clothes from the basement into boxes.  It is strange walking into her living room and seeing boxes of her clothes on the floor.  I almost didn’t want to look.  Again, we all process different.  Bill wants to get things boxed up, taken care of, and done before he leaves for Maryland.  I need more time to linger, to my hands on things, to think of things as I look at Mom’s items.  I hope to find time to do that with more of Mom’s things this week, before they are taken away.

*Getting cards in the mail is so comforting.  It is such a nice gesture to know people are thinking of you, and taking the time to write a card.  And the beautiful plant sent to us from the Sixth Street Melodrama board was a very loving gesture.  And the food people bring, and the meals prepared.  It is all so wonderful. 

*In the many wonderful messages I have received from people, part of that message is “let me know if I can do anything”.  And I never know how to respond to that request.  But there has been something I have wanted someone to do over the past few months that has not happened.  And this request in no way discounts the many prayers that have been said for me and my family these past weeks.  I appreciate them greatly, and know they are helping.  I have had many, many people prayer for me.  But what I haven’t had is someone (outside of Paul) pray with me.  To take my hand, and pray with me.  I believe that would bring me great comfort and strength.  So, to those of you who are wondering what you can do, and this would be comfortable for you to do, come, take my hand, and pray with me.

*Paul grilled some tilapia and I suggested we have fish tacos.  So he went a got the rest of the ingredients we needed, and we enjoyed some delicious fish tacos.  Yum! Yum!

*While looking at the television shows I can watch on Amazon Prime Videos, I came across Family Affair and started watching it.  Boy, was this a blast from the past, watching how Buffy and Jody and Cissy all ended up with their Uncle Bill in New York City, and his British butler Mr. French.  And how many of you had a Mrs. Beasley doll?  I think it was something I always wanted but never received.