I'm thankful that I don't have to go back to Cosco and the
grocery store again for quite a while. We did that today and I'm drained! I'm
thankful all the presents have been bought. Okay, I still have a few to wrap.
Christmas really is my favorite time of the year. I love the
memories I have. When my parents became very ill, my husband and I brought them
to live with us. It was right before Christmas. I quit work and transformed my
dining room into their bedroom because it was large enough to fit Mom's
hospital bed and a regular size bed for Dad so they could be together.
Dad had end stage cancer and Mom had had a stroke that left
her unable to turn or even feed herself. They required a lot of care but I
figured I was a nurse and Karl was a
paramedic so, along with home health, we could manage. And we did.
The night before Christmas, I was still up at midnight
finishing everything that needed to get done. I had an iron skillet with
cornbread almost done and pies cooling on the counter when I heard them talking
about how good the cornbread smelled (hint, hint?). They both had this thing
about cornbread. I still smile thinking about it.
As soon as I took it out of the oven, I cut them each a
slice, poured them a glass of milk, and carried it in to them. While we all ate
cornbread, we laughed and talked. It's one of my favorite memories. Yes, I was
totally exhausted, but somehow it didn't really matter anymore.
Dad passed two weeks later and Mom lived another sixteen months.
I don't remember the times I was so tired my feet ached. I
remember sharing stories, laughing, hugging--and yes, eating hot cornbread at
midnight on Christmas Eve.
I hope everyone makes really good Christmas memories.
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Karen Kelley
www.authorkarenkelley.com
Those are lovely memories! Keep them close to your heart and have a blessed Christmas season!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I hope you have a Merry Christmas as well!
DeleteI love cornbread. I'm going to the store today and going to get some! Thank you. Bless your parents and am glad you could be with them those last few weeks and months with them.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Nora. I love cornbread, too! Mom and Dad liked to put their cornbread in milk, though. I was never a fan of eating it that way, but give me a bowl of red beans and I could go to town on that!
DeleteIt seems it's always the (seemingly) smallest things and moments that stick with us. It's like our subconscious is saying, "you're going to need this later." It's a gift to see the beautiful within the difficult, so good on you for having it!Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteAhhhh, I love the way you put that! It has been 20 years since Mom passed, but every Christmas I remember this and smile.
DeleteThose moments with your parents were golden. I'm glad you have happy memories. Nice post, Karen. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteYes, lots of good memories.
DeleteMerry Christmas!
What a blessing that time was...it must’ve been hard, but so very poignant.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely hard, but worth it. I have to say, I couldn't have done it without Karl's help. As always, he's been my rock.
DeleteThis post made me cry. I'm glad you have such beautiful memories to comfort you.
ReplyDeleteI knew I was building memories for the rest of my life. Mom went from not being able to turn over, not being able to feed herself, to helping in the kitchen the next Christmas. She sat at the table in her wheelchair and put a ready-made pie crust in the pie plate. It was really lopsided but to us, it was beautiful.
ReplyDeleteA heartwarming memory. My eyes got a bit misty.
ReplyDeleteMine do to every time I think about those days.
DeletePrecious memories. They touched my heart. Family is so important and with everything that goes on, it's good that we remember the good stuff more.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, Mom could be hmmm, rotten sometimes but those are very distant memories--thank goodness.
DeleteThis is wonderful, Karen, especially that you KNEW you were building memories. It cuts back on the "wish I hads."
ReplyDeleteDefinitely! Mom rarely hugged or gave out compliments. I think I needed that time with her more than she did, but it all worked out.
DeleteI had to wipe my eyes before I could write a comment. What a touching post, Karen. Memories warm us when we feel cold and lonely, don't they? Merry Christmas to you and Karl.
ReplyDeleteYou found the bright side in a sad and difficult situation. Wonderful that you could have that time with your parents, even though it must have been exhausting. Merry Christmas! (I think I have some corn meal stashed away around here somewhere. Hmmm...)
ReplyDelete