mamaw + papaw:

Yesterday Laura and I drove to Ohio to visit family for a while. We’ve been to Waynesville more times than we could count, but this time is a little different. Our Mamaw went to stay in a nursing home a couple days ago due to a fall back in February and other complications. For the first time in 57 years our Papaw is living alone. But don’t worry, Operation Cheer Up is in full effect! We plan on taking him out to his favorite restaurant (probably more than once) and watching some baseball and eating lots of Oreos with him. We may even get his photo album out from when he was in the Navy during WWII and listen to all his stories again. Because, really, those stories are incredible. Funny how time passes and things change. Sure, everyone knows they do, but when it really hits home? That’s when you begin to understand. My grandparents have been some of the most influential people in my life, hands down. I won’t go into too many details but they are two, crazy-awesome people. Trust me on this. It’s just difficult to see Mamaw not know where she is or who she’s with due to her dementia. It’s ridiculously hard to see her stuck in a bed due to breaking her arm. Life is so short, isn’t it? Would seem we have no hope, but yet we do! As Christians we have assurance that the one who Created us knows exactly what’s going on. He knows us better than we know ourselves. And He loves us more than we could ever imagine. How incredible to know we have this assurance in Christ!

Many of you have probably seen these pictures of my grandparents before. They were taken less than a year ago. Much has changed since then and it makes me treasure these sweet memories even more.

Side note… My papaw is blind. And right now he is outside cutting the grass on his riding mower. Haha! Maybe I inherited my stubbornness from him?