Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Hard Times and Blessings

We got home at 12:30 this morning from a very long week in Stonewall, Mississippi.  Stonewall is a tiny little fomer mill town in East Central Miss.  My grandmother lived there her whole life until recently, and my mom was reared there, moving to nearby Meridian when she married.  My grandmother was in extremely poor physical and mental condition, and had to be placed in a nursing home last Dec.  My mom and dad took care of her in their home here in Tenn for several months, but my grandmother was literally grieving herself to death because she wanted to be home.  She would not eat, and lost down to 88.4 lbs. when she entered the nursing home, which is in Miss about 15 min from her home town.  Her sister is in the same home, and they enjoy visiting.  In the last 10 months she is now up to 123 lbs., and some of her other physical conditions are under much better control under the care of the doctors there. 
   This past week my mom, Ashley and I worked to price my grandmother's things for an estate sale that we had Friday and Sat.  The rest of my family and my sister came down on Thursday to help out.  Wow!  That was a yard sale.  There was a ton of stuff, especially since my sister and I also took down some things.  But, the Lord blessed it and we sold an amazing amount of her things.  I estimate we only had about 10 or 12 medium size boxes left, plus clothes, which is nothing compared to what we started with.   On Friday between 7 am and 6:30 pm, I think we only had one short time period (maybe 5 min.) where there were no customers.  Most of the time we were swamped and couldn't keep up, and that was with 6 of us working the sale.  In the 2 days I'd say only about 4 people left without buying something.  I am exhausted!!!!!  Oh, and I made $130 off of my junk! 
    I was able to bring home my grandmother's dining room suite that I have always loved.  Only the china cabinet is actually in my dining room.  We have a large table that we just bought in the spring, an eating bar, and a pathway to the back door, so there is not much room left in a small area.  We were able to put the buffet in my living room, and I think it is going to look really pretty there.   But, the table,   hmmmm.....  I didn't want to use it right now when we still have little ones.  This is the dining room furniture my grandmother has had at least my whole life.  I'd like to try to find out when she bought it.  So for now, the table will be in.....my bedroom?!  I may cover it and use it for a scrapbook table.  Thankfully, I have a large bedroom.  I also brought home an old, beautiful chair.  It does need recovering because I don't like the material (at all!), then I hope to use it either in my living room or in the corner of my bedroom, along with an beautiful old round side table I brought also.  It was difficult leaving her house yesterday, knowing that would be the last time I ever went there.  The house sold while we were there, and that is a good thing and a burden lifted off of my parents, but it was sad.  My mom never lived in that house, but it's the only house I ever knew my grandparents to live in, and I have a lot of memories there. 
    Last Tuesday after Ashley, Daniella, and I had already left with my mom and dad, Marissa found her 7 year old cat outside her bedroom window crying.  He had been attacked by some kind of wild animal or dog.  His front leg was ripped open to the bone about 7" long.  They rushed him to the vet.  Poor Marissa was so upset, but I think Briana did a great job of comforting her and helping her get through it.  He was in shock, which the vet said probably saved his life, b/c it kept him from bleeding to death.  He did live through it, and had surgery the next day.  The worst case scenerio is that his leg will have to be amputated, but after a week in the hospital (and you don't even want to know the bill!) they are 95% hopeful that he will regain full use of it.  For now, he has to stay in a kennel for the next 2 weeks.  We borrowed a huge dog kennel from my sister, which can hold a litter box, food/water bowl, and plenty of room for Shadow to lay down and even move around a little.  He can't quite make his leg go where he wants it to, and doesn't put it down much, but the vet says he's putting more weight on it the last 2 days and they are hopeful.  I'm sure he will have to stay inside much longer even after he is out of the kennel, even if he does fully recover.
   It gets worse, though.  When we came in early morning this morning, we found Ashley's cat had died.  This is just unbelieveable.  I guess it's just the timing that makes it that way.  She had had Pepper for 16 years, so it obviously wasn't a complete surprise, but then again you are never ready for it.  She loved that kitty so, so much, and her heart is breaking right now. 

Pepper, our sweet, old friend 

We will miss him terribly. 

I had a few things written down for Marissa to do, such as math, while I was gone, but the morning after I left was her cat's attack, and she was so upset, then had to pack that she ended up not being able to do it.  After coming in so late last night, all the trauma going on with pets, my house ransacked with all this new furniture and rearranging furniture, and pure exhaustion, I doubt we will do any bookwork this week, either.  I'm not worried about it, though, because I know we are learning all the time.  We will get some reading done probably.  She also spent some great time with James' mother while I was at my grandmother's house. ( James and the little ones slept there the 5 nights.  It's about 30 min. from my grandmother's house.)  And, she has certainly had and will continue to get an education as she has watched her kitty go through this and she cares for him. 
   I am so thankful we are all back home safely and the Lord is caring for us even in our storms.  I am also thankful that we homeschool, so that taking this trip and learning life's lessons are possible. 

Letitia

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