Saturday treats

Today is the day that my cousin, Patsy and her son and daughter-in-law are coming to see us.  Mama is Patsy’s aunt.  Her mother and my step-dad were siblings and I grew up with Patsy since I was five years old. She’s precious and loves my mama and I love her dearly. So does Mama.

The first picture is Brian, her son, as they arrived around 1:00 PM.  Brian was pinned Major in the Tennessee National Guard in February and has served twenty-one years thus far, with several active tours in his career.  Presently, he is doing chaplaincy training.  He enjoys making a difference in the lives of his fellow servicemen and women, especially if they are struggling with one thing or another.

Just after taking this picture, I asked him, “Do I salute first and then hug you?”  We agreed that he was out of uniform, therefore, I could just go ahead and hug him and forget the salute.  I was saluting him in my heart, though.

Mama has been so excited for Patsy to arrive, having me to get her house robe and fix her hair and clean her teeth. (TMI?)  She really wanted to get dressed, but I discouraged her as it would have exhausted her and she was having a good day, for her.

Don prepared his delicious crock pot chick burrito fixin’s and we enjoyed lunch and fellowship around the table.

Getting caught up on each other’s lives.

Now it’s picture taking time.

Patsy, Mama Trudy, me.

Brian and Wendy; me, Mama Trudy, Don.

Wendy, Brian, Mama Trudy, Patsy.

Major McSpadden and his bride, Wendy.

Wendy, Brian and Mama.

Farewell time.

We just had the best time visiting and the afternoon went by too quickly.

Did I mention this was the first time I’ve seen Brian since he was a kid, which neither one of us hardly remembers.  He’s just delightful and I feel like I’ve known him forever.

Second treat.

I had just taken Mama a little Greek yogurt and was back in the kitchen cleaning up when she called me, “LaVon!”  I grabbed a dish towel and headed down the hall.  Picture this:  As I entered her room she looked at me, glowing with the sweetest smile I have ever seen and raised her arms toward me, indicating she wanted to hug me and be hugged.  Lump in my throat. As I leaned down to hug her she said, “I have the best caregiver in the world.”  Jokingly, (that’s what you do when you’re fighting tears) I said, “Yes you do.”  She said more sweet things about how much she appreciated me and that she doesn’t tell me enough, at which point I reminded her that she never fails to thank me even when she’s so sick at her stomach and feels wretched.  I told her that I enjoy every minute of taking care of her and she said, “Not every daughter would do this for their mother.” To which I replied, “Not every daughter has a mother like I have.”  And then I sat caressing her hand and fighting tears as I tried memorize every blood vessel in her tender hands.  Being the wise woman she is, she gently changed the subject which allowed me to regain my composure.

I am pretty sure that I will never forget that moment with my mama, but just in case, I’ve written it down.

I am so blessed.