We sprung her.  Trapped for days in the confines of a wild environment, where the smells of bodily fluid lingered through the hallways, and 100 year old people yelled from their rooms, where married couples are separated by illness and injury, and meal time means bibs and spills. We sprung my mom today from the nursing home, just in time for Christmas.

After 10 days in a nursing facility, my mother was good enough to come home.  It was a difficult reality to see my mom living in a nursing facility.  It’s not a place that any of us ever want to be or have a loved one have to be. However, I am truly thankful for the amazing staff at Cascade Park Nursing facility for their tremendous encouragement and care for my mom.

In the last 10 days, we got to know some sweet people too.  There was Mary who is 87.  Mary has no living family, and she is dying of cancer.  She was once a nurse in California and moved to Vancouver for her sister who later died.  She never married and never had children so there is nobody to care for her.   Despite her difficult and lonely circumstance, Mary showed us a lot of kindness.  She always asked my mom how she was doing and she seemed to genuinely care.

We also witnessed the tremendous love of a married couple.  We watched a husband gently care for his ill wife. We watched as he hand fed her at meal time. He was very gentle and would wipe her mouth after every spoonful of food.  The love was obvious and made me think of my wedding vows “in sickness and in health.”

Home is such a happy place to be and I know my mom is grateful today.  Julia and Mom are baking and sewing, and the Christmas tree is finely lit up at Grandma’s house like its suppose to be.  All is well. It feels good.

I was reminded this week of all the people without their families.  I was reminded of the Mary’s in the world and the couples who are separated by sickness or war.  I was reminded of those who have lost family members, I was reminded of the Driscoll’s who lost their boy this year.  I was reminded that for some, this is a hard time of year.  As I listened to Handel’s Messiah this week, I was reminded that Christ came to comfort.

For unto Us a Child is born

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.
(Isaiah 9:6)

Grandma's Christmas Tree