Yesterday was Grandma Proctor's 88th birthday. We had a memorable night in Salt Lake last week when we surprised her with a birthday party. I had arranged to arrive Thursday night and visit, so that she would set the night aside. Unbeknownst to her we had invited all of her children and their spouses to come. Paul and Peggy drove up from St. George just for the night. They arrived after I did, saying that they were just passing through. Then about 5 minutes later Lyn arrived with flowers and the beans were spilled. At last Scot came in, and since she thought he was still in Virginia, it was clear that a great surprise was afoot. When we talked to her yesterday she said she keeps bumping her head when she goes through doors--because she is feeling 10 feet tall. How fun it is to let someone know, who has done so much for you, how special they are. Scot had primed us each to tell three stories about Grandma, so we just wsent around the circle. What a remarkable person she is. Two things particularly stood out for me. Pam, speaking from all of her experience as an emergency room nurse said how calm and cool Mom was in a crisis of major proportions. When Lane was about 5, he was hit by a car and thrown thirty feet, landing on his head. The ambulance didn't come and didn't come, a grueling wait I'm sure. So, with her child bleeding and critically injured, she found a board, strapped him on it so he wouldn't be further injured by moving him, put him in the car, and drove to the hospital. What a woman. Royce also mentioneed that when they were remodeling their kitchen (can you imagine remodeling your kitchen at 88 and adding a double oven for entertaining to boot) tnhey noticed that where there had once been a set of 18 plates, now there were 11. Where there had once been 12 goblets, there were now 8. Mom said that all of the losses and challenges of life were just a state or normalcy, and we shouldn't take them as somehow unfortunate or unfair or frustrating. Life is about problem-solving. It's just a state of normalcy.
3 comments:
That is an intersting way to veiw life's challenges.. or teh road of life. Dishwear. Sets of 18 become sets of 11. Hopes, dreams, and goals, get accomplished, fall by the wayside, or are replaced with new wishes (dishes). I love G-ma's way of expressing herself. Saying I fell like I am going to hit my head on the doorway becasue I am 10 feet tall, is much better than... You guys make me feel good. hahaha. Thanks for the post.
i thought that was interesting as well. when you told us that story at mimi's cafe it really hit home to me. so much of life is how we tell the story to ourselves...
Sounds like it was a great time together. G-ma really is a great example.
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