Friday, June 10, 2011

Baby diapers and other loaded subjects

“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” – Proverbs 22:6


Her Father, my Mom (Phyllis) and her Mother
Notasulga, Alabama 1925

Today is my Mom’s birthday. She would have been eighty six. We became as close as two people can be during her last ten years of life.

At first, she went to assisted living. Then her health declined and she moved in with us, creating a "sandwich family." As Mom became more childlike, she was content to do whatever my daughters were doing. So for awhile, I had three little girls: Missy, Amber, and their Gammaw.

My daughters got older. They wanted to help take care of their "Gammaw" and Missy even volunteered for trips to the bathroom. You haven’t seen everything, until you’ve seen your daughter chasing your mother through the house waving an adult diaper, trying to get her dressed.  It’s sad, and funny, and surreal - all at once.

Today on my Mom's birthday, I wished to be little again. She took such good care of me. But if time went backwards, I wouldn’t yet have my two precious daughters. And the challenges we faced as a sandwich family would not yet “be.” Now that it's past us I have some perspective. Living together in a jumble with all the challenges forced us to find new ways to show our love for each other.

It seems like just yesterday her Daddy and I were diapering Missy for the first time. Who could imagine that she would ever diaper my Mom? I try not to imagine this at all, but someday she may even diaper me!

3 comments:

  1. Wilma, I have soooo missed you. How wonderful to find you again.

    Miss Char in Michigan

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  2. Hey girl...I remember hearing/seeing pics of your Mom with the puppies.....you did good to care for her for so long. I am sure she smiles down on you today!
    Suzanne

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  3. Thank you Miss Char!

    It's so good to ge back in touch with you. I think of you a lot, and have worn the Polartek scarf you made me every Winter.

    Suzanne,

    You all were so good to me when I was taking care of my Mom. Your love helped me to love my family in all those new and strategic ways! Shows what good can be done when women are nice to each other!!!!!!!!

    I hope Mom can see me and be proud. I appreciate her more and more every day.

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