My two sisters and I went to our folks’ for the Father’s Day weekend to enjoy one anothers’ company and pitch in with chores around the house. One sis was lamenting mom’s forgetfulness issues.
I acknowleged her sadness seeing someone you love “slip”. Without saying it out loud, though, I told myself, “It’s not that bad.”
At 60, I still have both my parents. My husband lost his dad when he was 14. My dad lost his dad when he was only 5. My mom lost her dad before she turned 50. Mom is still with us.
What I think is cool is that with her memory loss comes a sort of sparkle. Don’t get me wrong, she also has those frustration times and temper that comes with the condition, but most of the time, she talks about what is really important to her. I see the essence of who she really is.
So this past weekend, I really paid attention to the topics of interest to her. She is absolutely batty about the grandkids and will beam while telling of the moments precious to her when they were little. “Emily Elizabeth, Emily Elizabeth,” she sing songs, “how are you? How are you?” I can just see her doing that “back in the day.” Way better than a scrapbook.
She often sits and just watches dad as he naps. She gets the coffee pot ready for breakfast. And the funniest thing of all is how much she likes her bathroom wallpaper!
Whether she bought them or received them as gifts, mom ended up with 3 whimsical tin birdhouses. 
This is one of them
Because of these 3 birdhouses, the bathroom wallpaper became this:
It’s been up for decades, and I assure you, she is anything but bored with this decor. I think this silliness should be memorialized as a quilted wall hanging or table topper. And the blue winged angel nightlight in there is also inspiration for a project.
I tend to be an “in the moment” person. It’s just my personality. Handy because I don’t have to remember too much myself, either.
But I have to say, weird as it sounds, that I am enjoying my mom in these days. I cherish her quirkiness. I love when she plays her favorite hymns at the piano.
After all, what is the alternative? My grandpa Ralph, picture of health in his mid-70’s and just home from his morning run, literally dropped dead at the kitchen sink pouring a glass of water. Yep. I like this Alzheimer’s stuff. It creates a sense of urgency for me to enjoy my mom and to get a project done that she will delight in before she passes.
ForeverQuilt 