The Roller Coaster Called Life

I truly feel like we are living on a roller coaster these days. We have up days and down days with Pansy. Her dementia has progressed in such a way that she truly does not remember things. One day we're traveling all around the US (in her mind) and then the next day she is in deep mourning thinking that her husband has just passed away. It pains us so much to see her grieving over and over again. If we try to tell her that he's been gone for 6 years now she just does not understand how that can be or that she has lived with us now for 5 years. She will say "I just don't understand that". 

I think one of the hardest things to witness is that she knows she's confused but just doesn't know why. 

We are definitely learning how to practice patience and just take each day as it comes. My Facebook status today was: "Keep your hands and arms inside the car at all times and enjoy the ride." ...Said the announcer as we step onto 'The Roller Coaster of Life!' It just seemed fitting.

With that said...today's clipping is actually not one of Pansy's...only because I didn't have the time to search through all of hers to see if one fit. Instead I found the following to be very appropriate.

'God Bless You Today!'

Remembering Harry

It was six years ago today that we lost Harry (my father-in-law). We miss him so much! There's not a day goes by without Pansy talking about him or kissing one or more of his pictures. We often wonder if he realizes how many kisses he gets in a day. Just another reminder to not let those moments slip away and make sure that we kiss our loved one as often as possible while we still have them with us to do so.

Today's clipping is parts of the memorial notice I did for his funeral. In this case I'm so thankful that Pansy saved a few of these because as it is the computer I created it on crashed and I could not recover anything off if it. I guess you could say there's a good reason for keeping things like this :)

Harry was laid to rest at Riverside National Cemetery on June 15, 2007...the day before what would have been their 62nd wedding anniversary.

Thank you for allowing us to share our memory of this amazing man with you.

God Bless You Today!

I Learned About Jesus in Grandma's Rocking Chair

Today's clipping comes in the way of a video.

Our daughter Nichole (Pansy's youngest granddaughter) and her husband Wil come home for a couple of days to visit. While they were here I had Nichole sit down and sing a song with Grandma.

When Nichole was very young Grandma taught her the words to 'I Learned About Jesus in Grandma's Rocking Chair'. It soon became their song that they would always sing together. Pansy would take Nichole to church with her and the two of them would get up and sing it together. Nichole would also go with Grandma and Grandpa to visit the 'Old Folks Home' where again her and Pansy would get up and sing this special song.

These are very sweet memories to both Nichole and Pansy. And a reminder to all of us to take the time to sit down and create memories with our children, grandchildren and so on.

'God Bless You Today!'

Welcome to Pansy's Clippings

Welcome to this blog we've created specifically for sharing Pansy's Clippings.

Pansy is my 89 year old mother-in-law and currently lives with my husband and I in Lakeside, CA.

For 62 years she was a devoted wife to Harry (who passed away in 2007). She gave birth to 4 children. Three girls and then, as she puts it, God blessed them with a boy. She is a tender, loving Grandmother to 2 grandsons and 3 granddaughters and a Great-Grandmother to 2 boys.

However more importantly...she is a follower of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Pansy is a true 'Prayer Warrior' and will stop and pray at anytime and anyplace when she feels the need to do so. No one ever leaves her presence without a "God Bless You Today"!

For years and years (much longer than the 28 years that my husband and I have been married) Pansy has collected and clipped thousands of items. From news articles, card sentiments, and Sunday School papers, you name it...she's clipped it and saved it. She always felt that anything that she clipped and saved was something that was important enough to be shared with others.

A lot of times you'll find her at the copy machine making numerous copies of a clipping so that she can mail it her family and/or friends. Other times you can catch her pasting clippings that had a special reference to marriage into a spiral notebook and giving it to a new bride-to-be.

Anyway, age had caught up with Pansy and dementia has slowly robbed her of much of her short term memory. While my husband and I were cleaning her room and preparing for the next step in her care we came across many of her special clippings and instead of throwing them away we wanted to fulfill Pansy's wish and share them with others.

Some clippings may or may not have any meaning to you what-so-ever, however I can assure you that there will be other clippings that will speak directly to you heart and soul. Some will be lighthearted and some will be serious but I'm sure you will enjoy them all.

Thank you for joining us on this journey. 

We look forward to sharing 'Pansy's Clippings'!

God Bless You Today!!