Visiting Grandma

I know I am way behind on posting. It isn't that I don't have anything blogworthy to report (cause we are always into something). I just haven't found the time to sit down and type. We seem to be rather busy these days with no hopes of it slowing down anytime soon. But, I did want to let you "meet" my grandmother, Oma Riley. I have one grandmother (mom's mom) still alive and one grandfather (dad's dad) still alive. Bobby has none left. As more and more of our relatives are passing away, I am all the more thankful for the ones that are still with us. You kind of take them for granted, but they won't be here forever.

My grandmother came to live with my dad & mom last July because she had a stroke and couldn't function by herself. She lived with them for a few months until she fell and broke her hip. Now she is in an assisted living place much to her dislike. I hate that she has to be there, but mom can't give her all the care she needs. Because she is in this home, we don't see her as often as we should (or as often as she'd like us to be there). Every time I go to visit, I always come away saying I've got to just schedule her in each week and make it a priority to go by there. But, then life gets so busy and the week will go by without seeing her. It's not that I don't want to go, but the days are way to full. But, as Mama Riley has said before, "You make time for the things you want to do." O.K. that put a dagger thru my heart, but I wanted to reply honestly that isn't always the case. I have a lot of family that live close by, and there is not enough hours in the week to give them all the time they deserve. But, I know what she means...for her who is "stuck" in a home, we are her breath of fresh air.

All that to say...we went to see her this weekend. I always take the kids with me (which isn't always the easiest thing unfortunately). She loves them so much and is so proud of them!! They are her only great-grandkids, and they always bring her a burst of energy. Trin & Zion colored some pictures to take to her which she absolutely loved. We sat and chattted with Mama Riley and her sister, Aunt Margaret who was there visiting too. They grew up in a time where people actually came over just to talk. It was a slower pace of life back then. So, they love to sit and catch up with what is going on in your life. Now people hardly ever just drop in for a visit...too much going on. I miss the days of going to visit with my grandparents...we always got an icrecream cone (orange sherbert to be exact). I love all the memories!!

The next day after seeing her this weekend, we went by her home that she lived in to just look thru it. Oh the memories there! I could spend hours just looking at things. She kept everything under the sun (I actually found a stack of newspapers from the early 1970's). It was just neat to quickly look at some things and remember the times that Papa & Mama Riley had with us there. I miss him tremendously! He'd loved the kids, and I wish they could of met him and heard some of the stories he could tell. I am thankful Bobby was able to get to know him before he died. He was a guy who would do anything for anyone...give you the shirt off his back or spend all day helping you out if he could--just a self-less man.

Oh, the joys of grandparents. They hold special places in our hearts. I'm glad I've got the opportunity to now be a help to mine after the years of helping they did for me as a child & adult. Now, if I can take the time to visit with them like I should...that would mean more to them than anything.