April Activities 2015

Easter 2015 was supposed to be at my house but I bailed a couple days before. With a family vacation commencing the day after (look for that in the next post!), I knew I couldn't handle the stress of hosting a meal, packing for vacation, and continuing to deal with Lizzy who was no easy baby. My sister-in-law Holly stepped up and volunteered her house. It all turned out fine and we were blessed with some beautiful weather too.

Spring Fair at the Puyallup Fairgrounds was once again a huge hit. Ben cracks me up with his intense concentration and seriousness at new tasks. :)  As was typical at this time, my mom came with us to help as Kevin was busy with work and I still wasn't comfortable going on big outings with my foursome alone with Lizzy's continued nursing problems.

Toward the end of the month, we got the call that my Grandma had pneumonia and it looked like she wouldn't recover this time. My headed down to Oregon that night, and Kevin and I and kids headed down a couple days later on a Sunday to say goodbye. It was really hard for me. I was just starting to feel like we were coming out of the fog of new-baby difficulties and I felt sooooooo incredibly bad that we hadn't visited my Grandma since Lizzy was born, with the exception of Christmas. However, I am forever grateful for our last visit together. Grandma was alert and obviously glad to see us. It was very, very hard to see her in so much pain, and most especially to see her suffering with no way to communicate (she had lost ability to speak for some time and could barely even nod or move her arms). But I could tell she loved being surrounded by her family, and that little Lizzy reaching out to her and smile brought her joy in the midst of her suffering.

My cousin Jayne and her children stopped by for awhile and brought us all lunch. My brother and kids and my sister Rebecca were able to come from Olympia as well. My other cousin Kim and her fiance dropped in. My nephew Stephen drove up from Corvallis, and of course, both uncles and aunts (my mom's brother and sister and their spouses) were there. My Grandma was surrounded by her loving family and for that I am so thankful. We talked to her and we visited with each other. We sang hymns to my Grandma. While I sat next to my Grandma and Lizzy chewed on my fingers, I noticed that Lizzy's first tooth had just barely poked through - kind of a neat and memorable way to chronicle one's first tooth (which came much later than my other children's!).

Abby with cousin Priscilla

Taking a break for lunch in the family room.

You can see how alert she was - it seemed her brain and memory were fully functioning until the end; she was just trapped inside her deteriorating body the last year or so.

This last picture below was taken shortly before we left. Everyone ended up leaving the room so I could have a few moments alone with my Grandma. I knew she was tired out and didn't know how much she was understanding what I was saying. I was holding her hand and saying my last goodbyes to her with tears in my eyes when she gave my hand a slight squeeze. That was precious for me and I'm so thankful to know she responded to me in the only way left she could. The next day my mom called to say that my Grandma was significantly worse and no longer responding (we were so glad we went when we did!), and then the following day she went to be with her Savior. We grieved, but also rejoiced that she was no longer suffering.

As the weather warmed that week, the kids spent a little more time outside. The boys got into some of Kevin's crab gear he he had lying around. They are so funny!

Lizzy enjoyed watching all their antics!

Abby and Jake "assisted" Kevin in changing the oil on my car. :)