The kids and I have been on a little road trip.  We had intended on visiting Kentucky later on this month, but this sweet little lady here wasn't feeling very well... so we moved our mini-vacation forward at the last minute.  Literally, we decided to leave one night and left the next afternoon.  The trip was 930 miles one way, and it took us 15 hours to drive it, not counting stops and one overnight stay in Georgia.  And yes, it was just the kids and me.  Daddy had to work.  But it was truly better than I expected!  My kids were such great travelers, and were so helpful to each other and to me. When we arrived at the hospital, Momaw was still in ICU.  She was moved to a regular room later that afternoon, and last week she improved enough to go home!  She is on dialysis 3 times a week now, and once on the weekend when needed, to reduce the fluid buildup around her heart.  She has suffered from diabetes and congestive heart failure for years, among other health issues, but they seem to be double-teaming her as of late.  She's literally been in the hospital more days than she has been home, since February.  I hope that we are blessed enough to be able to visit her again.  She tells wonderful stories.  I have so many amazing childhood memories that were largely because of her and my Popaw.

She was so excited to see us!  Dad and Popaw think her rather quick recovery from this week's trouble was helped along by her knowledge that we were coming in.  Melts my heart to know that.

My sweet Popaw is her strength.  He does everything for her.  Brings her a toothbrush and a cup, helps get her dressed, organizes and distributes her many medications, monitors her weight, blood sugar, fluid levels, helps her into her wheelchair and down the ramp at their back porch... he even carries her purse while the nurses transfer her from one room to another.  He just completely takes wonderful care of her.  They are so blessed to have each other.

Watching them has always been so inspiring.  The way they never minded us dragging out all of their books and shoes to play library and shoe store when we were kids.... (and always said, "ahh, we'll clean it up later!")  The way they let us help plant wrinkled pink seeds of Silver Queen in the garden, then help the crop grow to harvest and then to prep and freezing -- and eating!  (As long as I live, I will never forget the taste of their fresh garden corn every year.)  I cherish the fact that Popaw always waited to cut his grass until after Easter, so we would have something to hide eggs in.  I like the sweet way he calls her Maw and tells little inside jokes and chuckles alongside her.  The way she depends on him and trusts him wholly.  It's been so encouraging to watch them and be shaped by their example through the years.

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I'll come back to share more posts and photographs from our trip.  As timing would have it, we spent Father's Day and Lila's birthday there as well.  As much as I will cherish this particular visit, it sure is good to be home this morning.