Worth the Wait!

Getting out of the house with my parents takes a bit longer these days.  First my dad has to get into his coat, walk with his walker to the garage, then go down the lift, get into his electric wheelchair, get buckled in, then drive the wheelchair up the ramp into the van, then buckle the wheelchair inside the van.  And we're off like a herd of turtles!  

All buckled up inside!  Ethan and Maya's first trip in the "new" van! Off to the store we go...

It was all worth the wait because after shopping, while Oma was waiting in line to pay for her items, Ethan and Opa were in the parking lot doing this.....

Worth the wait?  Absolutely.  With my dad, it is always worth it because when he's around, something fun will happen.  Seriously though, dying of ALS and he has a smile on his face, and is doing "burnouts" in a parking lot, in December, with his 5 year old grandson.  Unbelievable.

And as our boy whipped past me today, on the lap of his Opa, just beaming and yelling "Woohoo!!" I was struck by his obvious love for his Opa.  I was also struck by the brutal reality that one day it will not be just us adults who will grieve a loss, and how much our children will miss their Opa.  I wish I could shield our children from any pain but I can't.  Yet, our children, who often say it in the most simplest but truest of ways, are quick to inform me "Yes, but if Opa dies, he is going to heaven and if we love Jesus we will go to heaven too, and we will get to see Jesus and Opa someday again, so we won't be sad!".  

Today we don't have to imagine life without him, though. Today we can still do burnouts with Opa in his wheelchair.  Today we can still laugh with him and love him.  And for this we are thankful. 


I was struck again by the changes my dear mom has had to face in the past few months. She truly does so much. She takes each change and just "rolls" with it. She is a strong woman and we all love her dearly. I know that some days (or nights) are tougher than others, but the manner in which my mom has dealt with it all amazes me.  

I was there today, and she was smiling, putting up a few festive touches around the house, chatting, making coffee, all the while helping my dad with whatever he needed.  Ethan was playing in the living room and randomly commented (while my mom was taking my dad to the washroom) "Oma has to do everything now right? She does a lot of stuff!".  He is correct!  And she is doing it all as God wants her to, with love in her heart and with joy in her eyes.  She truly is doing what we all promised to do when we get married... to be faithful in all things, even "in sickness and in health...till death do us part...as long as we both shall live".  

Today, my mom showed me, by her actions, that through tough times she has chosen to accept God's way, to continue to live each day with happiness, and to walk on this path with joy.  Today, my dad chose an everyday moment and made a memory out of it for our 5 year old.  These moments are precious little gifts and we're going to take every single memory we can get. 


~SB.