Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Four Generations




L to R: My Mom Sherry, My Niece Aubree, Grandma McCarthy, My big sister Alisa, My daughter Zoe, and me

Can I just get a WOOT for what a fine bunch of women this is? 

I gotta say...my Grandma is pushing 90 and her legs are still lookin might good.  haha.  

My Grandma McCarthy has been loosing her memory due to dementia/Alzheimer's over the past four years since my Grandpa passed away.  It's been difficult for all of us to watch, but I guess that's just the circle of life or whatever you call it.  She didn't know who I was a couple weeks ago when I came to visit her.  I'm pretty sure she didn't know who my sister was either.  Ouch.  We just chatted anyways and tried to carry on as much of a conversation as we could.  

I try to hold on to those "good ole days" memories.... not even Alzheimer's can take those away from me!  Here are some of my favorite things that take me to my happy place....
 
Grandma and Grandpa lived on a lake and Grandpa would fish with us outside.  If we caught enough... Grandma would fry them up for dinner.  =)  

Grandma SHOULD have tried out for Jeopardy. She watched faithfully EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.  In fact, if I called them on the phone between 7:30-8:00 p.m.  I usually got yelled at.  

Grandma is a great example of a supportive mother and wife.  She always kept a tidy and clean house and her love for my Grandfather was never failing.   Their marriage was an example for all of their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.  

Both of my grandparents spent a lot of time with me growing up.  I have lots of memories playing cards and games around their kitchen table, taking walks into downtown Safety Harbor for a soda, fishing in the back yard, playing croquet, reading books, creating oil paintings and crafts, playing their organ, and perusing through the many family pictures they kept out in their living room. 

I treasure these memories in my heart closely and look forward to the many more memories I will make with my family in the days that God blesses me with in the future.  




5 comments:

Michelle said...

All you pretty girls definitely look related! :)
Beautiful!
Twinkling,
Michelle

Jane said...

What a wonderful picture Windy!
You all look so beautiful. :)
I know you'll cherish those memories.
(((((Windy)))))

~Suzanne~ said...

Your Grandma has better legs than I do NOW!! Sounds like you have a fantastic family, which makes perfect since when I think about how inspiring and wonderful YOU are. Hold on to those memories...nothing can EVER take them from you!!

Bob Hawkinson said...

Time is really all we have to share...you are wise to spend it with your lovely Grandmother...
Keep going.....Cheers, Bob

Maria said...

I, too, spent a lot of time with my grandparents. I also saw the same decline in both of my grandmothers before their deaths.

More so my maternal grandmother, she may or may not have known any one of us at any given visit. The one person she always knew was her only son-in-law, my dad, however, and during those years she always called him by his first name when she saw him -- which was totally uncharacteristic of her as he grew up by (and extended family he grew up with still use) his middle name.

but the memories you are right, no one can take away those memories