Mom

     Two weeks ago today, I flew to Chicago and spent a wonderful few days with our daughter and her husband.  One of the things I promised Elise that week is that I would write again. I was reminded of that promise this morning when I looked at my Face Book page. Face Book will often show what was happening in one's life in previous years. They did that to me today. This is a picture they put on my page from two years ago - December 27, 2014. It was the first entry I saw this morning, and it brought back a flood of memories of a day that I will never forget.  This is a picture of my Mother with her youngest great grandson, Andrew. It was taken at her 95th birthday party and Andrew is showing her some pictures that he took on my phone! This was the last day any of us would ever interact with her again. Later that evening, after she went to bed, she had a stroke and never regained consciousness.

     Mom's birthday was on Christmas, so we held a small party for her two days later. It was a happy afternoon where she was surrounded by her family and friends - a low-key "Open House" where people could stop by and visit and share a cup of coffee and a piece of cake with ice cream. Mom was content to sit and people would come and sit by her for a while and then move on. I remember going in to that day and she was a bit apprehensive. She was one that liked to be in control, and since her family made most of the plans, I don't think this felt like she had a handle on what was going on! But at the end of the day, when she was back in her apartment, she said over and over, "That was really nice, wasn't it!" She was so happy and content. She sat in her chair and carefully re-read all of her cards and cherished the sentiments. She went about her nightly rituals...setting out her water and pill that she would take at 5 am, helped my daughter pack up dishes she had given her, made sure Tommy had something for his upset stomach, and told me to come to bed soon before I fell asleep on the couch. And then she walked away with her walker towards her bedroom, giving Tommy, Elise, and I a final wave goodnight.

     Much later, we were able to find such joy in those final moments of her 95 year old life - spending her last hours with her family and friends - knowing she was loved and appreciated - and drifting off to sleep with a heart that was content.

                                                          

 Eleanor Kloet Rodenhouse

December 25, 1919 - January 1, 2015

The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?