Mother's Day

I'm learning how to live in the tension of plans and flexibility.

Rob has been planning this trip to Italy for over a year. He and Cookie and one great secret-keeping child of ours have been thinking about this birthday gift of mine months before I knew anything. Since I learned in March we would be going away, I've paced myself and gradually checked off my to-do list many things I felt were important, things to help make the trip more enjoyable for me and Rob, our home to hum along without us. My goal was to be able to go away with my Hero and not worry about all that we leave behind.

It looks like we may travel more than we expected. We may need to go to Florida this week. My sweet Mother-in-law is dying. She's been frail for quite a while, but the Hospice nurses think these are our final days with her.

I can't begin to tell you all the emotions we are feeling right now. I'm sure you can imagine. The last time I saw Donna was March of this year. We took everyone to see her. It looked like a parade marching through the normally quiet nursing home! Our youngest daughter, Mille, had never met her Nana. Donna has had few words for the past several months, her medicines keep her asleep more than awake. But when all seven of us plus Cookie surrounded her little bed, she smiled. I took her hand and she called me by name. It was music to my ears. This precious woman recognized me. She blessed me.

Everyday I am privileged to live with the fruit of her faithfulness. She was forty when Rob was born. She had waited many years to have her children, and she loved them with her whole heart. Several years ago when we were sorting through things at her home in preparation for her move to the nursing home, I found a book with her handwriting on many of the pages. She had written notes in the margins, prayers for Rob and me, dated while she was pregnant with him, seven years before I was born. She cared for me and prayed for me long before I ever knew her.

She taught me many things like how to cook some of Rob's favorite foods, how to fold a fitted sheet, she altered my mother's wedding dress so I could wear it. I was always asking her how to spell, so she gave me a giant Webster's Dictionary for Christmas one year. She shared dress patterns with me and beautiful fabrics. More importantly she taught me how to die to myself and give to others. She was patient and so kind to me. I never heard her speak unkindly about anyone. She adored her husband and her children and grandchildren brought her much joy.

So on this Mother's Day we talked alot about Nana, not Naples. I've set aside my planning for a little while. It's time to ponder much more important things than birthday gifts and trips abroad. We'll be going down Memory Lane for a few days, and the views are spectacular.

"Her children rise up and bless her; Her husband also, and her praises her, saying: 'Many daughters have done nobly, But you excel them all.' " - Proverbs 31:28