September 4, 2015. I was out in the front yard laying sod down with Leon. I had taken a break to come inside and call my Mom to check on her and Dad. There was no answer. I didn't think much of it as sometimes she is otherwise occupied taking care of things for Dad.
About and 1 1/2 hours later my cell phone rang. I thought that she had noticed that I had tried to reach her and she was returning the call. I answered the phone and on the other end, in a quiet, but peaceful voice, she said to me "Jenn, I think your Dad is gone."
I remember feeling weak in my knees and short of breath and crying to her "no, no, Mom, he is not gone, he can't be gone, not yet."
My Mom had spent many years in the service of my Dad and she was the best nurse, cook, cleaner and bed maker there ever was! We always laughed and told her she earned her Ph D in nursing, taking care of Dad all those years! He had had a stroke about 25 years earlier which started a major decline in his health, although slow.
I think of how my Dad silently taught me many things: Respect my elders. Never judge someone by their "covers". Never, ever be late. Don't be idle. Be strong and independent. Don't talk bad about anyone. To put on panty hose, scrunch up the whole leg in your hand and start at the toes!
He also taught me lessons that weren't so silent. Stay at the table until everyone is done eating, then ASK to be excused. Do not burp, or toot or blow your nose at the table while others are eating. You will have 15 minutes on the phone and then you will be done!
Dad lived so many years in a broken body, but he never let it break his spirit. He tried his hardest to be happy and pleasant, although some days he just couldn't do it, so instead, he would stay in bed.
Although his passing was more peaceful than we could have imagined or asked for, it is still hard to think that my Dad is gone. Some days it just hurts. I want so badly to call him on the phone and hear him say "what, honey, I couldn't hear you."!! And I would repeat 3 more times!!!
I am so grateful that he is no longer confined to a bent, and worn out body. How beautiful to know that he is free and able! What a blessing! I love you Dad and I miss you more than words! Until we meet again!
Jenn
Monday, January 11, 2016
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
A wee one
Last Monday, August 11, 2014 at 10:01 in the morning a new little was born into our family. Her name? Morgan Mae Sikora. Her game? Getting us to love and squeeze on her 24/7..and it's working..her game plan is a good one!
I am so in love with that little! She is the cutest, smallest bundle of joy! I know that I am a bit partial, but really, she is perfect. It's true.
Jordan and Hannah are proving to be wonderful parents and they are so in love with her, too. Imagine that. They keep saying how they never thought they could love someone (besides each other) so much. It's true. I remember feeling the very same way when all of my babies were born. And then the grands come and you love them just the same! What a great circle of love!
So that is the good and exciting news on my home front! Always such a wonderful feeling to welcome a new one to the family!
5 weeks until another little joins us! Man, this is the life!
Thursday, July 24, 2014
A man and his scooter
This man I call "Dad", his scooter, "trusty". He has been without legs (not in the literal sense) for about 20 years or so. A person might think that after that long your wheels become your legs and you adapt accordingly. But not MY Dad. He likes to challenge that scooter and his legs and my Moms patience!!!
2 days ago, while my Mom was gone to the doctor, he went outside to water the lawn (which is a no-no, being outside while Mom is gone...it's been a battle for years....). As he was rolling along to get to the hose, he noticed one of their turtles moseying along and he swerved to miss him, and an overcorrection later, his trusty scooter dumped him out like a bag of rocks onto the hot, hard and non forgiving cement sidewalk. Luckily ( if there is any luck to be had here) he was dumped face up and not face down!
All the while, my Mom is waiting at the doctors office feeling anxious and nervous because it is taking a lot longer than it should and normally does. After about an hour, she finally gets called back into the room. And waits. And waits. She askes the nurse if anyone has walked out because it was taking too long. The nurse assures her that she is next. 45 minutes later the doctor comes in to see my Mom. 20 minutes later they leave his office another 20 minutes later, they are home.
My Mom goes to look for my Dad and sees my Dads trusty out in the backyard but does not see my Dad. She peers out the kitchen window only to see him laying there, still. She runs out the back door and yells to my niece to call 911.
My Dad had been "dumped " for about 3 hours in the hot 100 degree sun, waiting, waiting and more waiting for someone to get home to help. He was barely responsive.
Heatstroke, bad sunburn, blisters and a badly bruised ankle were the first to rear their ugly heads. Then came the fever, chills, lethargy, hallucinations. Diagnosis: Pnuemonia.
Today he is responding to treatment, but I am not sure that he will be able to fully recover from his injuries. My Dad is a great man who has had many a difficulty in his life. He has had many challenges to overcome, many battles to fight. I know that his body is tired. I know that he has put up a good fight. If it is the Lord's will, I hope he can continue to fight, if it is not the Lord's will, I hope that we can find the courage to accept his will and continue to live a life Dad would be proud of. I love you Dad!
2 days ago, while my Mom was gone to the doctor, he went outside to water the lawn (which is a no-no, being outside while Mom is gone...it's been a battle for years....). As he was rolling along to get to the hose, he noticed one of their turtles moseying along and he swerved to miss him, and an overcorrection later, his trusty scooter dumped him out like a bag of rocks onto the hot, hard and non forgiving cement sidewalk. Luckily ( if there is any luck to be had here) he was dumped face up and not face down!
All the while, my Mom is waiting at the doctors office feeling anxious and nervous because it is taking a lot longer than it should and normally does. After about an hour, she finally gets called back into the room. And waits. And waits. She askes the nurse if anyone has walked out because it was taking too long. The nurse assures her that she is next. 45 minutes later the doctor comes in to see my Mom. 20 minutes later they leave his office another 20 minutes later, they are home.
My Mom goes to look for my Dad and sees my Dads trusty out in the backyard but does not see my Dad. She peers out the kitchen window only to see him laying there, still. She runs out the back door and yells to my niece to call 911.
My Dad had been "dumped " for about 3 hours in the hot 100 degree sun, waiting, waiting and more waiting for someone to get home to help. He was barely responsive.
Heatstroke, bad sunburn, blisters and a badly bruised ankle were the first to rear their ugly heads. Then came the fever, chills, lethargy, hallucinations. Diagnosis: Pnuemonia.
Today he is responding to treatment, but I am not sure that he will be able to fully recover from his injuries. My Dad is a great man who has had many a difficulty in his life. He has had many challenges to overcome, many battles to fight. I know that his body is tired. I know that he has put up a good fight. If it is the Lord's will, I hope he can continue to fight, if it is not the Lord's will, I hope that we can find the courage to accept his will and continue to live a life Dad would be proud of. I love you Dad!
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Bones
Today I heard a great saying at it goes like this:
Everyone needs 3 bones to get through life, a backbone, a wishbone and a funny bone.
Do you have all those bones covered? (and I don't mean with skin...)
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
My life in 2 words: whirling derbish...
I wonder just exactly what I would give to go back to the days when I worried about dirty diapers and feeding schedules, changing sheets because someone was sick all night. Up late rocking babies to sleep, singing lullabies and reading them stories. Getting minions to school and karate and piano and basketball. To the days of having our littles gathered around our knees at night to pray and to read scriptures and to feel of the spirit that was strong in our home. Our lives were intact and they seemed almost perfect!
Those days are gone and with them the pure faith of children and the innocence of youth.
Even though life seemed much more simple back then, and I wish that I didn't have to endure some things, the lessons that have accompanied the last couple of years have proven to be invaluable to me. I have learned that true growth comes only through hard trials that make us work to understand who we really are, and what we are really willing to do to become like our Savior. And as the silversmith who works with his refining fire, he is not done until he can see his reflection in the silver. So it is with our Master, he is not finished with us until he can see his image in us.
The derbish continues to whirl but I will continue to hang on! I'm stubborn like that!
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Violating...should be a violation!
Last week I had to go for a mammogram...otherwise known as a "boob squish"!! Oh the joy! Us women have it good when it comes to body parts, don't we??? I think in the next life there will be justice..I am counting on it!
After returning home from Kileen, I was having extreme tooth pain in the back molar area. Oh geez! I am still having such fun! So early in the morning they "squeezed" (little pun for above goodness) me in. Dentist fishes around and numbs and prods and pulls and pokes then says "you need a root canal" Oh is this fun EVER gonna end??? NO!!!
Same day: Another bilateral mammo and ulatrasound! So, prodding in the mouth and squishing and pulling and cold gel down there on those things...
The only word that kept coming to my mind was ....violated! Yes, I had been violated! An attitude check would say that is is all for a good cause! Need to keep those teeth and....those things....healthy!
After returning home from Kileen, I was having extreme tooth pain in the back molar area. Oh geez! I am still having such fun! So early in the morning they "squeezed" (little pun for above goodness) me in. Dentist fishes around and numbs and prods and pulls and pokes then says "you need a root canal" Oh is this fun EVER gonna end??? NO!!!
Same day: Another bilateral mammo and ulatrasound! So, prodding in the mouth and squishing and pulling and cold gel down there on those things...
The only word that kept coming to my mind was ....violated! Yes, I had been violated! An attitude check would say that is is all for a good cause! Need to keep those teeth and....those things....healthy!
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
I see London, I see France....
Not really...BUT... I did see someones underpants...
And here is how the story goes.....
We have a good friend ( who is really Leon's good friend, adopted by me) whose name is Mark. He is a helicopter pilot and has degenerative disks in his back from flying for 32 years. Because of the pain, he requires an epidural shot to his back every 6 months. Before the shot, they give him Valium and because of that he is not allowed to drive home. Now the stage is set....
He called me and told me that his wife was going to be out of town and asked if I would I be willing to take him to the doctor. Of course, I would. Act of service. Friends help friends. He would do the same for me. You get the picture.
Mark arrived at my house and he drove us TO the doctors office. In the waiting room, he informs me that I have to go into the room with him...............uh, excuse me????
The conversation went something like this
Mark: You have to go with me into the room.
Me: Uh, why?
Mark: In case I faint
Me: What if I faint?
Mark: You won't
So I think by now you get a little idea about where this story is going. We get escorted back to the "room". A male nurse ( murse, as we loving refer to them) comes in and THAT conversation went like this:
Nurse: Can I ask the relationship here? I ask because Mark has to undress
Mark: Looks at me
Me: Look at Mark with bugged out eyes
Mark: Uh......
Me: Pals, we are pals
Mark: She can turn her head
Me: MORTIFIED
The guys face was priceless. I think he felt so awkward but let me assure you that he wasn't the only one feeling that way.
The "murse" hands Mark his little paper gown and out the door he goes.
I promptly turn my head and cover my face with my book (thank you John Bytheway). I hear crinkling and tugging and rustling and then Mark announces that he is done. He jumps up on the table and I guess now I am supposed to have a normal conversation with him while he lounges in his "gown". Oh boy.
They finally come and get him and take him to another room to administer the shot. I think hard about running out of the room before he returns. But I am too late. As quickly as they had taken him, they returned him!
Same scenario only in the reverse. Paper rattles, wrinkles and crinkles and finally he is clothed.
As we walk to the car I gently tell him that I think our relationship has risen to a whole new level...and that he owes me BIG!!!!!
As my Mom said, "who but you, Jenn, who but you?" I agree.
And here is how the story goes.....
We have a good friend ( who is really Leon's good friend, adopted by me) whose name is Mark. He is a helicopter pilot and has degenerative disks in his back from flying for 32 years. Because of the pain, he requires an epidural shot to his back every 6 months. Before the shot, they give him Valium and because of that he is not allowed to drive home. Now the stage is set....
He called me and told me that his wife was going to be out of town and asked if I would I be willing to take him to the doctor. Of course, I would. Act of service. Friends help friends. He would do the same for me. You get the picture.
Mark arrived at my house and he drove us TO the doctors office. In the waiting room, he informs me that I have to go into the room with him...............uh, excuse me????
The conversation went something like this
Mark: You have to go with me into the room.
Me: Uh, why?
Mark: In case I faint
Me: What if I faint?
Mark: You won't
So I think by now you get a little idea about where this story is going. We get escorted back to the "room". A male nurse ( murse, as we loving refer to them) comes in and THAT conversation went like this:
Nurse: Can I ask the relationship here? I ask because Mark has to undress
Mark: Looks at me
Me: Look at Mark with bugged out eyes
Mark: Uh......
Me: Pals, we are pals
Mark: She can turn her head
Me: MORTIFIED
The guys face was priceless. I think he felt so awkward but let me assure you that he wasn't the only one feeling that way.
The "murse" hands Mark his little paper gown and out the door he goes.
I promptly turn my head and cover my face with my book (thank you John Bytheway). I hear crinkling and tugging and rustling and then Mark announces that he is done. He jumps up on the table and I guess now I am supposed to have a normal conversation with him while he lounges in his "gown". Oh boy.
They finally come and get him and take him to another room to administer the shot. I think hard about running out of the room before he returns. But I am too late. As quickly as they had taken him, they returned him!
Same scenario only in the reverse. Paper rattles, wrinkles and crinkles and finally he is clothed.
As we walk to the car I gently tell him that I think our relationship has risen to a whole new level...and that he owes me BIG!!!!!
As my Mom said, "who but you, Jenn, who but you?" I agree.
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