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Best Girlfriends Take a Saturday Drive

My mom is my best girlfriend. I found this quote for her and it made us howl with laughter:

“Maybe our girlfriends are our soulmates and guys are just people to have fun with.”
― Candace Bushnell, Sex and the City

We laughed all the way to the Dairy Queen when I picked her up that Saturday to take her for a drive. There is something so true, and so funny about the statement at the sametime. Mom and I are soul mates, we're girlfriends, we're mother and daughter and we're sisters of the heart and of the faith. We finally settled down because ordering ice cream is serious business and you have to have your wits about you! It was the first weekend in October and the end of ice cream season almost. Although, truth be told. we've been known to find a DQ open anytime anywhere! I ordered mom her medium twist cone and I had a small lime Mr. Misty float -- something I use to order when I was 16. We found a spot among some beautiful fall trees a block down from the Dairy Queen to have our ice cream -- and then headed down to Lake Harriet.

We found a lovely place to park and watch the sail boats:

We held hands and watched the boats and reminisced about mom's childhood summers and mine spent on the lake. We talked about the big party coming up the end of this month for mom's oldest grandson who was just that day getting married in Florida. We were all invited to their reception and my mom and I were anticipating the excitement of the big party.

Finally it was time to go back to her house. It was almost dinner time and the afternoon had flown by. When we got there we played in her room awhile. I put one of the scarves I had given her and a necklace I had made. We were like two girls playing dress up. My friend Dave Reynolds Skyped from British Columbia and my phone took the call since I was logged out of my computers. Mom and I both spoke to him and mom called him honey in the spirit of the day and because she immediately took to him. He was tickled! We had so much fun! We had one of the caregivers take our picture to mark the day. You can see the happiness, love and joy of this wonderful day together in our eyes and in our smiles! Love you all, honies! Bubsie and Lib

Sept. 11: Women's Hockey Scores Big With She Skates Minnesota

Sept. 11: Women's Hockey Scores Big With She Skates Minnesota

My Mom is Back!

Here is my mom and the four of us when she was in her 30's. I'm posting it because she is doing so well right now! And to think she's 81 and had a stroke or something in March! She is walking with a walker...and great at it. Her memory is as one would expect for someone who has had dementia for a while. Short term is very difficult for her. Our job is to make her present and beautiful as possible because that is where she lives. She and I had an outing last weekend and she asked me to write about it, which reminded me to write on our blog.

We went for a drive around some of the city lakes by her house: Lake Harriet and Lake Calhoun. Lake Harriet especially is so nostalgic. It's a stones throw from where I grew up. Such a beautiful day with a blue sky and white clouds. The water was so blue and there were sailboats on the lake! Mom and I stopped and parked and watched the sailboats and talked. We talked about God and our love for each other and gave thanks for Him. His goodness has permeated both of our lives. We are best friends, mother and daughter and also sisters in Christ! With my High School reunion the weekend before and that I my mind we spoke of the greatest reunion of all: Heaven. We talked about how fun it will be to spend eternity together...endless time for worship and fabulous conversations! Reunited with all old friends and family!

She thought it was smart of me to call Heaven the Grand Reunion. She is my biggest fan. I was raised by the praise method: constant uplifting reinforcement of her love for me and praise for good steps taken and accomplishments in life. What a treasure she is and a blessing to me! I will miss her so for the short time it will be between losing her and the Grand Reunion! Love you my dear mom! Libby

Mom's 81st Birthday And A Turn In The Road

My beautiful, wonderful, intelligent mom turned 81 two days ago. Unfortunately, she did it in a wheelchair barely able to speak, unable to walk. Two nights earlier she'd had some pain in the night. Maybe she fell, but how could she without anyone knowing and get up by herself? Was it a stroke? They don't think so. Perhaps it is just another step in her illness, a sudden decline rather than a gradual descent into immobility and inability to communicate. She's still trying though! Smiling and trying to make herself heard. Focus on her speech and force it out! Even talk on the phone with me a bit when I am not there. What a trooper. All I know is that I will miss her so much. Miss our long talks on the phone. Sometimes we talked for an hour. They got the residents their own line sometime after mom moved in. I liked to think we were responsible for it! :) What a beautiful mind and sense of humor. She is still there. That is the main thing. For how long I do not know. She still knows me and wants to talk with me and loves to hear me read to her and to especially tell her of our adventures! And my adventures out in the big world she loves so much. So, unless there's a change, my role will shift. Instead of living to be busted out of her confinement to explore the big wide world with me, I will bring the great big world to her!

Here is a picture of us taken at her birthday party:

We Took Mom To Dinner!

Photography by Heather "Hetty" Siebens

My dear friend from Twitter @AliveinMe and Facebook, Heather "Hetty" Siebens was staying with us from Philadelphia for the week and she was eager to meet mom. She and mom had met while she and I were Skype-ing over our webcams and microphones, following our two major surgeries about a year ago. Heather and I had grown very close recuperating together over Skype and even before on Social Media due to our strong faith in Jesus and passion for life and family. Also, we had many interests in common: blogging, photography, drama, laughing and as it turned out once she taught me how: jewelry-making! :)

So it was time for Mom and Heather to meet! We drove over to the lovely residential home where she lives in South Minneapolis and brought gifts from Heather and a necklace from me. Actually a necklace from Heather as well. Mom and Heather hit it off in person as well as they had over the phone/computer! They loved Jesus and loved each other, like sisters? No more like mother and daughter, love newly recognized and strong!

This picture was taken by me at the restaurant where we took mom to dinner. I have not seen her quite as animated in conversation for a long time as she was with Heather that evening. They talked about their faith, their lives, Heather's life and husband and daughter. My mom gave her advice. It was so beautiful. Mom wasn't just lucid she glowed. I'm sure she and I have moments like these, but it was so wonderful to be able to be the observer of such a fabulous time and participate as well! But, to get a feel for the life and strength, the intelligence and insight still in my dear mom. It moves me to tears to write about it.

Heather is my best friend. So is Mom. To see them so happy together, a true mother daughter team was a beautiful evening for the three of us! God is so good! He brings people together from all walks of life and parts of the country and creates family. It is such a blessing to see. I wish more people could have seen it, but I guess that is what this blog is about! God bless you all, may you have more blessed moments like this evening in your lives as well!