Thanksgiving 2009

I can't believe that it's been two months since I posted anything here on my blog. I've become a facebook junkie and as a result I have really neglected my blog which really is my first love. This is definitely the easiest way to keep a journal. Problem is . . . you have to write in it too.

Thanksgiving came and went and what a great time we had. Bob and I traveled to Calgary and visited with family there. We stayed at Cyndi and Kevin's even though Cyndi was in Hawaii with Kandice furnishing the new condo. Kevin and Brett took good care of us and were great hosts. Thanks to them for that. Their new house is going to be amazing. They always do such a great job when they build or remodel. I can't wait to see the finished product.

One evening while Kevin was at a dinner meeting we went to dinner with Pam, Cherri and Mike. We had a great time at Smugglers and laughed until I thought I was gonna be sick! I sure love my family. Someone once asked me if I'm close with all my sisters and brother and I'm so happy that I can say that they are more than my family, they are my very best friends.

Then we went down to Cardston to surprise my dad and spend his 80th birthday with him. He was surprised and we spend four great days with him and my mom.

Mom is living in the Care Center at the hospital and is finally settling in. She has a wonderful roommate finally and now she worries, not of not being able to leave and stay at home again, but rather how long she will be gone when we check her out because she doesn't want her roommate to get lonely. I am so grateful that she is happy there. It was so, so hard for my dad to take care of her and they both look better than I've seen them look in a really long time. We did check her out everyday, and everyday she was thrilled and surprised that we were there. It's hard to see her not remembering things from one minute to the next but at least she always recognized me this time which was nice.

I gave my dad a DVD with a slide show of his life from his birth to this latest great-grand child and also a scrapbook with most of the pictures (all 487 of them) in it. I thought it would be easier for my mom to look at and it was but about every half an hour she would notice it again and ask what it was and where it came from. Somethings are easier for her but this wasn't one of them. Cherri and Pam and their families came down from Calgary on Friday for dad's birthday and we cooked our Thanksgiving turkey to celebrate with them. It was so nice to have that many of us together. I have such a great time when I am home.

It was hard to say goodbye and I think I cried till we were well across the border. Every time I say goodbye to either one of my parents could be the last time I do. I hugged my mother a long, long time and kissed her check again and again. I told her how much I love her and watched her carefully as she put on her coat and went out the door with my dad to go back to the care center. I know that I need to embed those memories deep into my soul so that I can find comfort in it when the time comes that I need it. A teacher at school was saying just the other day that her birthday is on Saturday and she had to hurry and order her mother some flowers. I asked her why she was sending her mother flowers on HER birthday instead of her mother sending her some. She said she always does and has for many, many years because if it wasn't for her mother, she wouldn't be here. I thought that was such a neat idea and it made me sad that my birthday isn't until April so I could do that for my mom too. Then I realized you don't need a special occasion to tell someone how you feel. Everyday is the day to tell them you love them.

My dad stood in the kitchen window waving goodbye as we drove away the next morning. That is also a memory I mentally and emotionally put right here in my heart so it too is easy to recall. I just couldn't hug him enough before we left. He is such an amazing man. I remember when I was in high school and college and my mom would always tell my sisters and me that we should look for a man just like our dad when we look for a husband and that we should be so lucky to find a man exactly like our dad. When you're sixteen or even twenty, you don't think of that but I am so grateful. When my dad first met Bob he turned to my mom and told her that he had known that young man before and that they were very good friends. How blessed I am! I love you dad, thank you for all you do!