While the Time is Still Now

Our birthday group had a Christmas lunch at Litengard. Soup. Kale soup and cauliflower soup with crusty bread.

Our purpose was for a Christmas cookie exchange. We made our family's favorite Christmas cookies. And distributed them on 12 trays.

Could we bring some Christmas cheer to the people at Maplewood?

There are 12 cottages at Maplewood. This is the new living concept for nursing homes now. It seems more like home. The dining room is just for 12 people and the food is not served on trays. People are able to have their own furniture in their semiprivate rooms, suites, bedrooms seperated by the bathroom. Some rooms had wonderful Christmas decorations. You could tell, things brought from home to remind them of Christmas's past.

It's nice. It's clean and new and a thoughtful concept.

We went for hours. We greeted and touched everyone. Some were in different stages of dementia. Others were perfectly sound mentally but physically debilitated, their families unable to care for them at home.

I spoke at length to one gentleman, 92, who had been a local farmer. He actually had 3 farms in the area, had moved out west but was visiting relatives here when he fell and fractured 3 vertebrae. This is his home now. I asked him about chickens. (Surprise, surprise) and he gave me some much information about caring for them. I enjoyed talking with him. He liked the cookies.

As we left I wondered what I had seen. And then I knew.

I had seen bravery.

I don't think any of these folks thought when they were young that they would end up in a nursing home. No. We don't plan for that. We plan for full, content lives, filled with family and pleasure, surrounded by comfort and love.

And I didn't see one angry person. I saw bravery, thankfullness, courage and dignity.

I saw this in my mom and dad. And I thought perhaps it was just because they were special. But I think it is the generation.

And I wondered......Is my generation brave?

Do we have integrity, honesty, compassion, dignity? How will we act when we get to be 90 and can not care for ourselves.

Is my children's generation brave? They been given everything.

And then I thought.....Am I brave?

I have to think about that.

Thanksgiving

What I'm very THANKFUL for......



A new RUBBER roof! Yes, even though we had a "new" roof about six years ago, it never did the job......keeping out the rain and snow. We were supposed to get it done last fall but the coumpany was unable to do it. But it was accomplished this year thank goodness. There's nothing better than a secure roof, other than a fantastic foundation. Both are imperative!

We all went out to Lexington for Thanksgiving this year. It was so great to be together. Rob and I were there for a day before everyone else arrived. In the morning we got to go over to the clinic and see a colic surgery. Rob and Jon were in the OR and I watched from the observation window. It was fascinating! Just like a people OR but 10 times the size......especially the patient.

Then Jon's attending asked if we would like to go out to some of the farms with them. They had appointments to "scope" some horses that they were watching. It was so neat to watch Jon "do" his profession. The farms are magnificient in Kentucky. The barns slone would cause some of us to have house envy. These horses are pampered and treated royally.



We had Thanksgiving dinner at a restaurant. It was different. We all agreed that turkey cooked at home is the best. My gravy is better and of course everyone thinks my stuffing is better. Lots of butter. But we all had a wonderful meal, lots of seafood, which I don't normally serve at Thanksgiving. And after dinner, Dad shared from the Word verses about being thankful, the purpose and the results of being thankful. We all shared what we were particularly thankful for this past year.





It wasn't all vacation, especially for Dad. He had to study. Some one asked me the other day.....Doesn't he know everything already? Well, almost everything but brushing up on a few things is always helpful.



We had lunch one day at the most fantastic place....Wallace Station. If you are ever in the Lexington area you must scout this place out and have lunch. The sandwiches were scrumptious. The boys and I had the "Racheal", grilled homemade thick crusty rye bread with turkey, swiss cheese, cranberry sauce, chopped red onion, thousand island dressing....I think there was more but it was so good. We had to travel about 20 minutes outside of town in the middle of nowhere, just horse farms, to find this place. And it was crowded, the whole time we were there people were waiting in line. Yum, yum! Could go there again that's for sure.




Our tour of the area took us to Keeneland which is a famous race track and where they auction horses. Jon explained the process to us. Would love to see that someday. Jen put a 2 dollar bet on some horse that was racing at that time in Yonkers. No, she bet on the wrong horse.

We also got to visit the famous "Horse Park" where they had just recently hosted the World Equestrian Games. The first time they were held in the United States. It's hundreds of acres of cross country, arena's indoor and outdoor, driving courses, and museums. Really wonderful to see.



And now we are home and preparing for Christmas. Only a little over a week and a half and we will all be together again. Thankful.