Thursday, November 19, 2009

Balmy

I have a huge report due by the end of the day today and I am avoiding it like a champ. My blood pressure ought to be fantastic around 4:50 p.m.

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I returned Monday from a road trip with my sisters and nephew. My youngest sister and I met our other sister in Omaha, and from there we drove to Fargo for a cousin's wedding. We had not seen that side of the family in close to 20 years. There were a lot of new little people to meet.

My grandmother was able to attend. She is in her late 80s and has been in pretty good health until the last couple of years. She suffered a stroke nearly a year ago and her speech is affected. She can still talk, but what she is thinking in her head doesn't come out quite right. She is learning how to handle her frustrations.

She actually communicates much better than I was anticipating, and we were all able to catch up. Her mannerisms are all intact, and for whatever reason that comforted me. She would run her hands through her hair when she was talking about my little nephew. She couldn't get enough of his curls. Oh, his curls!

Her funny little mannerisms acted like a balm, as I was really shocked at how frail she has become. I always thought of her as a stubborn ox. Now she looks like a little bird. It is hard to acknowledge that soon she will pass on. But as hard as that is, I am so grateful to be a part of the journey with her.

All of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren -- except one -- were together at the wedding. She absolutely beamed.

It was pretty awesome.

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Spending nearly 32 hours in a car over the long weekend was not as awesome. I love road trips, but this one was packed a bit tight.

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However! I was trapped in a car with this little cutie for 14 of those hours! 



I defy you to find a cuter kid.

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The weather in Fargo, North Dakota was wonderful. At home, however, A. got nearly eight inches of snow and temperatures below zero for three days straight.

What the hell?

Also, the mercury hasn't risen above freezing yet.

6 comments:

  1. I can't believe you were happy to spend fourteen hours in the car with a toddler! More than an hour with mine and I want to jab sticks in my ears just to end the misery.

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  2. DH - He did AWEOSME. There was about an hour of agony, but otherwise, he did great. I am well aware that I am the most fortunate passenger - EVER.

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  3. I'm glad it was fun, despite the mammoth road trip. I hope you got your report done without too much stress!

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  4. "She is learning how to handle her frustrations" is such a great sentence, because first of all it gives me a very clear picture of your grandma's current state of mind, and secondly it tells me that LIFE IS THE SAME ALL THE WAY THROUGH IT since the same sentence can be said about my 4-year-old, me, your grandma...

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  5. You are a champ for tackling that road trip. Over a weekend. Oh man am I impressed!

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