Retail Therapy

After two weeks of recovery from the generous sharings of my runny-nosed grandbabies, I felt like setting a shopping date with Mamaw. We had several shopping expeditions before Thanksgiving, and she was itching to go again. I went to pick her up Sunday afternoon and Papaw came out to see us off. He looked bad--red-rimmed eyes with dark circles around his eyes. She admitted to me that he had been "trying to fix" the ceiling fan over their bed and had fallen from standing on the bed flat onto his back, hitting his head and back hard against the floor. They did not tell anyone. He was afraid they would send him to the hospital and check him out and he said he wasn't going to go. After two days, they finally told the nurse there because he couldn't sleep or eat because he was in such pain. She looked at his back and it wasn't bruised, so she just gave him pain medication and didn't send him to the hospital. He finally slept Saturday night and was able to eat a good breakfast and lunch Sunday. Mamaw and I went to Dillard's where she bought three pairs of shoes and to WalMart for groceries. She has lots of energy when shopping, and I think it really helps her frame of mind--and she hates going anywhere on the bus. When we got back to their apartment, Aunt Martha (Mamaw's brother Roy's wife) and her daughter Jean were there. They had been trying to visit with Papaw but he wasn't very informative. They were asking who the people in the digital photo frame were, but he said he didn't know, that he couldn't keep up, but that Mamaw tried to. When Mamaw and I walked in, they looked at me and laughed. They said when they had asked him where Mamaw was, he said she had gone shopping "with some old lady." Thanks, Papaw. He's clueless, but he's happy, which is more than I can say about Mamaw. Martha was so complimentary about their apartment and asked Mamaw if she liked it there. She said it was okay, but that it wasn't home (in a pretty pitiful tone). Papaw spoke up from his recliner and said, "This is our home." I know it's hard to get them to answer the phone, but keep trying to call. Mamaw went on and on about the last time she talked to Allison. Thanks, Allison, it meant so much to her. Maybe we can get her past this funk she's in. We'll go over and see them next week and she knows we're going to get them Christmas Eve for dinner and Santa. Between shopping, chatting, eating, and watching little ones play, I'll bet her mood lifts. I know mine will!

Thanksgiving Memories

Seems like a year since I posted. We had an incredible Thanksgiving here with all my incredible family. The little ones are a joy to watch when they're together. And it makes my heart happy to see my big ones back together again. We had a huge feast Thursday with much less left over than usual. Funny how that happens...the bigger the family gets, the more I cook and the less I have to put up afterwards. Friday was girl's day out, with all of us getting a pedicure and lunch away from the rowdy fellas. Audrey joined us, and I can tell she'll fit right in with the ladies of the family for future outings. Saturday we started dragging out the Christmas boxes, and began the long process of tree assembly and ornamentation. What fun! Dade and Luke helped me set out some of the International Santas, and I explained what country each was from and what Santa is called there. I can see lots of teachable moments in the future with a globe and stories about how Christmas is celebrated in other countries. We had so much fun all the long weekend! Then it was over, everyone went home, and Pa Pa and I sighed in the peacefulness--and then sneezed. Our widespread progeny left us happy memories while sharing the bounty of their coughs and runny noses. After my second trip to the doctor, and two shots in the rear, I'm finally feeling somewhat renewed if still coughy. It only took one trip for Rodney. Now it's time to get ready for the next big get together--Christmas! I can't wait!