Visiting Grandma

All this week in the back of my mind I was planning on making a quick trip up to Idaho today to see my grandma.  The only problem was, I couldn't get anyone to go with me.  Heather had surgery on Wednesday and she was still recovering from that.  Our stake had a huge activity that has been planned for months.  Maysen was signed up to work at one of the booths.  After I got back from my exercise class I started to get really hesitant about driving by myself.  I have driven by myself before, but not up and back the same day alone.  I talked myself into not going to Idaho and going as a family next weekend.  Saturday morning I was instant messaging my cousin Courtney and I asked her how grandma was doing.  She said that her mom or Tammi would have more information, but that her mom keeps making comments about not being able to go to California with them in a few weeks because they might be having a funeral.  Woah.  That made me a little nervous. I texted Jackie and asked if she thought it would be okay to wait a week or if grandma was getting really bad.  She wrote back, "She is pretty bad.  Sleeps most of the time.  They have put a fentanyl patch on her and are using morphine as needed.  I wish I could predict for you because we all know how strong grandmas heart is.  I just can't guarantee anything at this point."  I showed the message to Mike and he said, "You are going to regret it your entire life if you don't go up and your grandma dies this week."  So, we cancelled our obligations, packed up the motorhome and headed to Idaho.  In hindsight I will be forever grateful we did.  I texted the message from Jackie to Heather.  She decided to head up with Aubrey.  Fresh from surgery and all.

My grandparents were recently moved to an assisted living facility.  My grandpa had to have surgery and could not take care of my grandma by himself while he was recovering.  We were lucky enough to spend a few hours with them.  I told my grandma I loved her.  She partway opened her eyes and slurred out, "Love you".  It was sweet and sad.  Maysen held my grandma's hand for over an hour.  She loves my grandma so much.  My kids aren't lucky enough to have a grandma on earth. Grandma Parry has been the only grandma to them for years.  The below picture is sad, but I absolutely love it.

Grandma & Maysen

Stockton, Jorja and Preston made their own miniature golf course in my grandparents spare room.  Mostly using my grandpa's shoes and tissue boxes.  The had great fun doing that.

Stockton, Preston

After a couple of hours, Mike took the kids to the motorhome so they could play games.  They played Telestrations.  This is not a good picture, but the best one I got!

Stockton & Jorja, Preston & Aubrey

My grandpa is so cute.  He is always a missionary.  He talks to the nurses about Joseph Smith and has a pile of Book of Mormons for anyone to take.

One funny story.  Stockton said goodbye to my grandma.  My grandma looked up at him and said, "Brett?"  Stockton smiled and said, "No, Stockton".  It was pretty cute.  It was so hard to say goodbye to my grandma.  I love her so much.  I am really glad I was able to see her this weekend.  Before this weekend I wasn't ready to let her go.  After today I was.  She has such a broken body right now.  She can't talk to us anymore.  She is in so much pain.  She is the best grandma anyone has ever had.

A few of the kids were pretty hungry by the time we left.  We stopped by Sizzler.  Jorja really wanted to go there.  Mike, Stockton, Jorja and I went to dinner.  Maysen and Preston didn't want to go.  Preston loves Sizzler, but he said he was snacking all day and didn't want to eat anything.  Maysen and Preston stayed in the motorhome while we went and had dinner.  We drove for a few hours and ended up stopping a little bit before the Utah border.  It is nice to be able to stop and sleep when we are tired.  1:00 church has also been great to us this year.