A promise I made...

While myself and the siblings were caring for Mommy,

there were many things that we each talked to her about.

One of my things were if she had any regrets.

She had none except for one, the habit that humans have

of always saying, "lets get together"

"This summer, lets plan to do something together"

She spoke of how too often we say these things

and really mean it but it never happens.

Mommy spoke of how, living at the manor, she

has had so many people visit and loving her.

She spoke of how so many of the elderly are alone

at the Manor without family or visitors.

She always considered herself so lucky as she always

had so many visitors.

I promised her that from then on, I would not just say I

would visit with people. When friends asked me to visit,

or offered me a place to sleep, I was going to do it.

I had already spent times sleeping and visiting with

Bestie, Laurie and the bestie babies, visited with her Mommy

and her in laws who I had not seen since high school.

On Sunday I made my way down the bayou.

My first visit was to my dear old Mrs. Gus who my kids

grew up calling MaMa goose. She had cooked lunch

for my dear godson, Ricky who was down on leave from 

the Navy. There I visited with dear old friends,

Sue and Foe, Connie and TEdi and all their children.

I then made my way to my friends, Stacy and Thomas,

her dear parents and her sister, Liz who is also a wonderful friend

of mines all visited. Camille and Greg and most of their family

as well as Cam's dad, Mr. Norman was my stopping point 

for supper, what a wonderful visit.

That night I spent quality time with my sweet Abby,

Thomas and Stacy's little daughter. As we colored that evening,

we spoke of many things. We spoke of her hair cut on Tuesday

and her donation of her beautiful hair to Locks of Love.

She was amazed of my story that when I was a child I had

cancer and was teased because I was bald, how if 

children such as her had donated their hair back then,

maybe I would have not been teased.

She was amazed by this story. I love this child.

I slept in their guest bedroom which is now officially called

the Auntie Lil room.... lol

I have never slept that good in years.

I almost missed bringing Abby to school, not waking until 7:15!

The best nights sleep I have had in years.

The next morning, a quick visit with bestie, Lauren and the babies.

Visited with the Manor in Thib. all my elderly friends, some of them

the same ones Mommy spoke of that never have visitors.

I know I can not ever not visit that place, the place that

my Mommy called home, the people who became family to me.

I ended my day with a visit with the Albert's.

Faith and Maggie, Sara and Mal and little cousins.

Faith thought of me when having to clean out the home of 

their grandfather, so many treasures given to me,

so many hugs and kisses from lucky, lucky little girls.

A wonderful few days but it's not over, it is my new mission,

my promise to the Mommy, not to just speak of visiting 

those I love but to really do it.

Thanks, Mommy for the gift of remembering those I love

and to actually spend time with them.