random thoughts from the past week.....

i will warn you that this post may be a little lengthy, but i hope it will be read, make others think about some things in a different way and possibly make you laugh...if nothing else it gives you a little glimpse into what goes through my head, goes on in my life and what i long for....

as many of you know i work as the director of social services at a nursing home - that is what most people call it anyway - let me give you the newest politically correct name - living center - at first i thought this was odd...but i thought about it - it really is a living center - most people view "nursing homes" as a place to go and die...in some instances it is but more often than not it is a place that people have found themselves only because life has dealt them a bad hand...i have several residents who are under 55 and some over 100- many of them are pretty independent but just need some serious medical care...we had a christmas party for the residents on tuesday - santa and mrs clause came - thanks ralph and monta faye - those residents absolutely loved it - it brought back the magic of christmas - something they had long forgotten - it helped of course that santa played the accordion too...some of the other things we do are go out to lunch at cracker barrel, that is their favorite, a group of them like mexican so we go out to eat mexican sometimes, we have spa days - manicures and pedicures, aroma therapy, crafts - not coloring books - actually make stuff, movie days - old black and whites and modern movies...we have two weenie dogs, bubba joe and sissy lynn that live there...i say all this to say, i hope that people will begin to look at nursing homes, extended care facilities, skilled nursing facilities or whatever you call them as "LIVING CENTERS" not the death dorms...i am not about to say that we don't have some sad things that go on...yes we have hospice patients, we have some psych patients and we have some very young patients who are completely helpless...but that is not totally what we are all about...so if you find yourself looking for something to do in the new year either as a volunteer project, expanding your knowledge or teaching your children how to serve others...a LIVING CENTER is a great place to start.....

jacob is in boy scouts...this has been a wonderful experience for him and he has learned so much...we were at his pack christmas party and they had a visitor...santa...well on the way home jacob and i have this conversation:

jacob: momma, i don't know about this santa clause thing
me: what do you mean
jacob: well i am just a little confused
me: why
jacob: you mean to tell me we are nine days from christmas and santa stopped what he was doing at the north pole and came all the way to lincoln, alabama, to see some boy scouts
me: well jacob, i know that is hard to believe, but santa has helpers because i just don't think he could do it all by himself

it breaks my heart that the magic of christmas may soon be leaving my youngest...but i hope that when he does figure out the truth that he does not lose the excitement of christmas morning

jacob and aubie were watching a movie the other day and a little boy was making his christmas list on a sheet of paper...he ran out of room so he got another sheet of paper and stapled it to the first sheet and when he ran out of room on that sheet of paper he got another one and repeated the process...jacob said to aubie...you know that is a good idea...i think i will get me a scroll for my christmas list next year....

jamie has grown up into a young lady that i am so proud to say is my daughter...she is beautiful, thoughtful, tender hearted, caring and on and on i could go...both she and jacob have been around elderly people all of their lives because of the kind of work i do...jacob is okay with it in small amounts but jamie is the best about it...she went to work with me the day of the christmas party...she worked all day...she helped on the alzheimer's unit by ironing table cloths, setting the tables, making bows for the tables, coloring happy birthday signs for resident's doors, helped a resident wrap christmas presents for her grandchildren, fed the puppies, took pictures, handed out christmas gifts and cards, helped decorate the dining room to get ready for the party and so much more...at the end of the day she said, "momma, i won't ever fuss at you again when you say you are too tired to go to walmart"...i thought this was precious because she saw first hand that even on the very best days when things are fun...it is alot of work....jamie wants to be a nurse...i think she will be a great nurse...she has the background to know what it is like to be sick...she has had cancer, lost her hair, has only one kidney, has to follow a special diet, etc....i think she will find her niche of people to work with and they will be blessed to have her taking care of them...

if you let satan, he will steal your joy...i have never been really good at buying my family gifts...i can't ever seem to ever really find that "perfect" gift...or if i do they figure it out before they open it...well this year was no different as far as presents go...we will discuss the rest later...my mom had been talking that she wanted an electric stand alone mixer...well i knew momma would never buy one for herself...so i found one and was so excited...i had found the perfect gift for momma - besides this meant she could whip out those chocolate cakes faster...anyway i get it home and wrapped...well my sister comes out to my house and says, "what is that big box", and i tell her...she says, "daddy bought that for momma friday." i about fell out...first of all...those of you who know my dad know that he does not listen nor remember anything...or so we thought...he had heard momma say that and well the rest is history...i was so mad...well i ended up getting momma an outfit and the kids got her a gown...later on i told momma about what happened...she laughed and told me "it is better that it turned out this way...cause you know what kind of clothes i like...you buy them in the right size and you always get me the perfect gown" that made me feel better, but i thought, what are the odds that my dad would listen to somebody, would remember and then buy the very same thing....i guess miracles have not ceased....

speaking of telling people stuff...i had told my family that my new year's resolution was going to be to cook better for my family - not necessarily cook better as in healthy but being better about cooking supper - well they took me seriously...i got a 5 qt tfal skillet, a bagel / bread toaster and a new cookbook...i was real excited about the cookbook because it is one i have been wanting....

finally, i told a friend of mine that somewhere in my mind i have a norman rockwell nostalgic idea of what christmas should be like or what i want it to be like...it has never been this way and i doubt it ever will be...but there are little pieces of it that i can pull out and make happen...one part of that is sending christmas cards...i sent out many cards, but there were so many more i wanted to send...i did not send them because i did not have addresses..so if you are reading this and i don't have your address please send it to me...even if you are a cyber friend i would love to be able to drop you a card in the mail throughout the year - this is something small that i really like to do...

i guess that is enough for now - aside from the fact it is 230 in the AM...just had some quiet time and wanted to blog...it is therapeutic...love to all and blessings for the new year