Thursday, May 19, 2011

A Family Affair



Happy 90th birthday Grandma! We absolute have been blessed beyond measure to still have her with us for this day. For the last few months of 2010 we found ourselves caring for her more and more in her home. She would ring and say that her lunch hadn't been delivered, I would hear a ding of the microwave, tell her to check the microwave & that I would be straight over. She was confused, afraid and very unwell. After a terrible fall which left her with head injuries and a broken pelvis (in 3 places) she was admitted to hospital. She was in organ failure & absolutely not expected to live. Hospital was where she stayed until the miracle of getting her into a wonderful nursing home so near to us all. As I said previously the three of us were ruled out by the ACAT team to have her live with us which made me really sad, but it's a reality.



My Aunt was home from having her second round of breast cancer surgery. Now does this look like a women with cancer. AMAZING. She isn't so old that she needs to carry her handbag with her everywhere she goes , the yellow strap is in fact her drainage bag that has a drain attached to her breast. She looked so wonderful & my Grandmother was so relieved to have her with us on Sunday as well.





Lucy was having seizures everyday for the previous 3 days. Poor little one. All she could manage was 1 piece of cake and plenty of attention. She did also get to wear her pajamas to church which she proudly informed her 'other' family the Fulchers.





The newly weds had returned from their trip around Australia honeymoon. Now what are the words I'm supposed to use. Matt is a highly esteemed Corporate Lawyer, who attended Oxford. He is all that and so much more. Kirsten is one of my 3 cousins and I love her to bits. Their wedding was amazing and when the photos are in I will be blogging about that. They had Marcus Bell as their photographer & for those of you who don't know, he is now listed as one of the top 10 photographers in the world. Kirst & Matt are now back 'home' in Abu dhabi and we miss them already but not nearly as much as her mum does. Got to love Skype.



I just love having all my babies, yes I said babies even if you're 22 & married, so close to me. That is a real blessing. I must add that it is 16 more days until those mission papers go in, then 1 baby may not be so close!










My mum made the cakes, prepared the platters and did so much again in the food department and as usual making the setting so special. What makes the cooking so special is that my mum was never a baking mum. She was a single,working,just trying to keep 3 kids feed and clothed & educated kind of mum. She recently married a man that she loves very much and now has found the joy and luxury that I have always taken for granted in the kitchen. So two weeks in a row mum has excelled in providing the environment for a perfect family affair.






I had prayed and pleaded with God to take Grandma home to Him because it seemed so cruel to just linger like she was. I love my Grandmother very dearly. But God had other plans, plans that now I see so much more clearly. If she died months ago she would have left a broken family and a family full of disenfranchised grief. This opportunity of working together has given us the chance to begin to heal as a family. The time we have left with her has been so healing for us all and such a blessing. I'm so grateful to our Heavenly Father and His wisdom. I'm also so grateful for my whole family!

2 comments:

Andie said...

Looks like you had a ton of fun! Wish your grand the best for me. 90 is the new 70.

Anonymous said...

I sooo agree with you Donna, Famiiy is EVERYTHING. Something I have learnt. WOnderful photo's too.