Ups and Downs

Good afternoon! Time to update you a bit!

First things first! Crispin is home from Iraq, safe and sound! He spent a week with us and just left this past Monday to drive back down to Orlando where he lives! We had lots of time to process through many of his experiences in a war zone. All I can say is that GOD was there! HE covered Crispin before and behind!

So, that's an "Up!"

We're taking care of my mother-in-law for awhile, as my sister-in-law needed a break! Evelyn is now 91 years old and we've seen a sharp decline since last year. She remembers less and less--even confuses stories from long ago--mixing in details from other people, etc. But, we've had some good conversations tucked in here and there! She is most alert in the morning at breakfast, but also in the evening about 6 pm. So, we have to take advantage of those moments by reading stories to her out of a marvelous book about animals. We read the Bible in the morning and sing hymns to start her day. Sometimes she's there and other times, she's not! Just the way it is! Not easy! Can't change a thing! Just love on her!

That's kind of a "down!" Not being able to change some things!

Now, for a very funny thing! A few days ago, she was in a huge pout all day! Nothing was right! Everything was wrong! Wrong food, grump, grump, grump! I have to help her to the bathroom, as she has little use of her eyes! So, we shuffled into the bathroom and I got her in position by the toilet. She can manage the rest of the way. As I headed out the door, I said (as always), "Now Evelyn, you take care of business and I'll be back in to check on you." She said, "Why do I have to do everything? I even have to pull down my own pants!!!"

Man oh man! That hit my funny bone. I still am chuckling to thing about how overworked she is! Even has to pull down her own pants! :-)

Another "up!"

She asked me, "Why am I still here? Why doesn't God take me home?" And I realized that she's in my life right at this time to help me grow in areas that I wouldn't otherwise! I'm being stretched to love when it might not be that easy to do, nor even remembered! I'm being asked to get up in the middle of the night for a bathroom run and be pleasant even when I just want to pull the covers over my eyes and ignore those calls for help coming through the baby monitor. God is asking me to rethink my meals that I prepare. I can't always make what suits my fancy. I have to think about another person that has very different tastes than Travis and I do!

So, that feels like a "down", but it's really an "up!" In the long run, I'll be a better person for having gone through this.

Our Bolivian friend, Adela, is here with us, as well! And she's a God-Send! She's visiting during the same time as Evelyn is with us and has been nothing but a huge HELP! She's very loving and kind to my mother-in-law and she's being stretched by having to practice English as well as step in for hours at a time when I come out to work at the airport, while Travis is giving lessons and flying!

So....that's life right now! Ups and downs! Maybe it's always like that for all of us! Some bad mixed in with the good...stretching and growing us, if we'll allow it!