Reminders & Updates

Family Motto

Thee lift me and I'll lift thee and we will ascend together.

“Be happy. Let discouragement be a challenge, not a defeat; an opportunity & a privilege.

March 14, 2018

Dear Family,

OF FIRST IMPORTANCE; Read Julie's beautiful Reunion Update carefully. When you do endowments you can then save the sealings for our Family Reunion sealing session.

I am smiling broadly every time I receive another family picture of your family to go on my picture “clothes line” in the hall. You can either send them in the mail or email them and I can print them.

WHAT'S NEW HERE AT 519 Hawthorne DRIVE AND AT “GRANDPA'S HOME”.

First I will report on Grandpa's latest falls. Last week he fell twice and the week before once. The last fall required medical care. He has a pretty big area on his right upper arm that bled a lot and required special bandaging. The report finally came back from the first fall that he does have at least two broken ribs. That can only be treated by time, letting it heal on its own.

He stayed pretty positive with the broken ribs, always saying, “I'm just fine. No it doesn't hurt.” And smiled a lot. But with the injury on his arm he really got frightened. In telling about it he says, “I thought I would die.” That is not like him. He has NEVER EVER said that before in all of our married life. His expression is sad, he sits kind of slumped, and his walk is more of a “shuffle” than it was before. But still he tries to be happy. When we visit him he will play his harmonica for us and sing with us. He loves to go to church. I went with him last Sunday and that was a real treat for me as well as him.

This was a most amazing experience for me. As I sat down by Wendell he was asleep and when the worker said to him, “Wendell your wife is here,” he opened his eyes slowly and peeked out through half open eye lids and said, “There is my wife. Look, there is my wife.” Speaking to those sitting by him and right in the middle of the Sacrament Meeting preparations. Then he pulled my head close to his and gave me a nice kiss. Everyone smiled in approval – the residents, the Church visitors and the workers. (It gave me a sweet feeling of acceptance.)

Then the sister who leads the singing came to me and asked if I would be willing to say the opening prayer, assuring me that they would bring me the microphone. I said that I would. So already I knew this was going to be a very special experience today.

When the sacrament was passed I noted that the one sister resident sitting just 3 seats from me was not able to take of the sacrament herself, but simply opened her mouth and the priest carefully put it in her mouth for her. That touched my heart deeply as I thought about how both she and the Priest must have felt, and how The Lord felt. I could feel a very special spirit there as the meeting went on to the special solo before the talk from the Stake President. His words were inspirational and uplifting and full of hope for any congregation. By the time it was my turn to give the closing prayer my heart and mind was so full of the spirit of the meeting that I hardly know what I would say. I just asked Heavenly Father to help me to say what He wanted me to say. I don't know what I did say, but it must have been the right things, because at the end of the meeting the sister who asked me to pray came to me and told me that she felt the spirit so strongly when I prayed that she felt like she wanted to be just like me. Now THAT IS REALLY HUMBLING!!! My tears had already been dampening my tissue, but now they began again.

After all the Sacrament things were put away and everyone had said their “Good-byes” Wendell and I talked a bit. He was happy that he got to wear his Sunday suit and tie on this day, wanting to know if I was going to stay. He asked that many times as we walked to his room to visit until lunch time. We had a delightful visit as I shared with him what was happening at “My place” with Grace and Chris and asked him to play his harmonica for me. He liked to do that. Soon it was time to go into the dining area for lunch. I walked with him there and got him seated at his table. Then a nice kiss and I was off to my home with my heart filled with the feelings of closeness to The Lord and my Heavenly Father.

Today I was lucky enough to make arrangements with Jannie at The Gables to come and get the walker I ordered for Wendell, put it together and get it to his room. I happened to call him when the therapist came and he assured me that he would teach him how to use it. Yea!!! So things are looking up :).

My birthday celebration went on for three days. Julie and Monte came first on Friday night the 9^th and we went to The Gables to take Wendell out to lunch for my birthday. He was a bit confused at what we were doing, but he went along with everything. He was simply glad to get away for a while. After lunch we took him back to The Gables for a nap and then picked him up to go see the movie “The Greatest Showman.” He enjoyed that quite a bit. I liked it a lot and Julie and Monte loved so much they want to see it again.

Julie and Monte went with me on Saturday to see Wendell before they had to leave for home – Monte had responsibilities for stake conference. This is when we found out that he had fallen. The worker at The Gables had put a pretty good bandage on his arm, but the Dr. was going to come and check it out. I stayed with Wendell to get him settled in bed for a nap. After he was asleep I went home with the promise that they would let me know when the nurse came to change the bandage.

They did and I went right away. It turned out to be a male nurse named Josh. He checked the wound and said that she had done a good job of cleaning it and dressing it. He left most of the original bandage on it, added a little more protection and taped it up again. I asked if he also cut toe nail's. He does and he did it for Wendell right then. (smile.)

So that's the news, now for the pictures.  Peggy came on Monday and did so many things to help me with getting my pills sorted, arranging my Budget forms, sorting through Wendell's computer desk, taking things to the D.I.   Going to see Wendell.  She was quite the tonic for him.  She got him singing and we got him playing his harmonica.

I even got a snuggle with him.          This is the gift that         Wendy and Jerusha sent me for my birthday - gorgeous roses, and a Teddy Bear &  me holding the Teddy Bear with the roses. 

 I had so many cards, phone calls, helium balloons that floated in the air that two of my young friends brought.  The picture is after they sat down on the chair.  

Love, Gr. & Gr.