There is just nothing like it!
Dad was so wonderful to pick me up late Friday night from the airport. As soon as I arrived home and gave Courtney a big hug…I peeked into Mom’s dark room and snuggled right into bed with her. I said, “Momma, guess whose home?!?” And then I heard that giggle I love SO much. Courtney and Dad weren’t too far behind me and turned on the light. Mom looked up at me and smiled, then buried her head back in her pillow, then looked up at me and laughed and buried her head back in her pillow again. We all laughed and chatted for a few minutes and then let her get back to sleep. SO happy to be home for the weekend!
I couldn’t sleep past 6:00am, so I decided to go back upstairs and snuggle with Mom. (For those of you in Florida who aren’t used to basements – they are usually quite chilly – and I wanted to warm up upstairs as long as I was awake!) Mom was already waking up, but she lifted up the covers and invited me in to hang for a few minutes. As she got up, she showed me how she peeks into the guest room every morning (where Courtney has been sleeping – JUST in case) and wakes her up. Dad follows us all and then Mom and I made coffee together. She did a great job for her first time since the stroke, although she rolled her eyes at me when I made her do EVERYTHING! It felt so comfortable to have breakfast with the family Saturday morning J I really noticed an improvement in her initiating conversation a lot more than before and she understood much more of what was being said. We then all headed out for an early morning shopping date with Mom to find her a new Easter outfit. Talk about OT overload trying on a dressing room FULL of options! She did great!
Aunt Joan stopped over for lunch (she drove up all of the way up from Omaha). It was great to see her and she was able to notice a great difference in Mom’s improvement as well. With food still pouring out of the fridge we had a hodge-podge of leftovers for lunch. I think we finally made room for Mary’s lasagna! Aunt Ericka popped over next and brought an extra treadmill from the cabin. This will be great for Mom to work on when the weather isn’t ideal and Dad even said he was going to get on it, too!
As the evening rolled around, it was time to tune into Chris’s game. Puck-head Lynn had a great time watching the game and his team won! (Dad’s convinced that we have to eat Chipotle every game until they lose because we had it the game they won in double overtime back at the hospital!) We do love Dad, but he does account for the big nose, long toe and weird Besch attributes we’ve so lovingly learned to accept! So yes, we had Chipotle for dinner!
After the game we were happy to have some friends over for wine and coloring Easter eggs :o) Great combo…haha! I have to admit it was the first time I’ve ever boiled eggs (I know!) and it was a success! We all had a great time catching up!
Sunday morning Courtney made us a delicious breakfast and us girls all had our Easter socks on that the Easter Bunny brought us J Aunt Linda and the cousins met us for church and Mom was dancing with the music. Then as we walked out of church, she proceeded to spill her frappachino all over her new yellow top! We all laughed about it and she grabbed my coat to cover the spill as we walked out to the car. We had a few hours before heading over to Gary and Ellen’s (just enough time for a lunch of more yummy leftovers and to wash Mom’s shirt…we can’t take her anywhere….haha)
We had such a blast with the family for Easter. We had the whole crew out on the deck overlooking Lake Minnetonka – beautiful day catching up with family. We met Krista’s new boyfriend – juries still out if he has Gary and Dad’s official approval, but he managed to make it through the first family gathering. Mom continued to surprise us with phrases throughout dinner and we laughed and cried as we shared all of the stories of Mom’s hospital stay, driving to Minnesota from North Carolina and her stay at Sister Kenny. It’s still just so hard to believe that three weeks ago we received that call.
As I reflect back on it all, reality has set in that our family will never be the same post Mom’s stroke. As much as I want my Mom ALL the way back RIGHT NOW, I also realize how much we have to be thankful for. God didn’t take her from us, we pulled together as an entire family (way beyond blood-relation) working together to put Mom’s needs first, and could not ask for her to be in a better place. I like to say she is in her “happy place.” When I want to cry, she is the one making me laugh (how does that work??) And every task put in front of her – she takes on with a positive attitude! She works SO hard and when she makes a mistake…she just laughs. MAN do I love that giggle.
As we had our last family lunch before leaving to take me to the airport she had us all rolling in laughter. She was working on saying my name and continued to make the funniest faces at me as she said, “JES-SI-CA!” over and over again. And for those of you who know my laugh…it all snowballed from there and we were all laughing so hard we were crying!
It wasn’t any easier to leave this time around, but I am planning to be back for my birthday in a few weeks. I am SO grateful for my new position at work and for all that God has provided for me in Florida. I look forward every evening to our video calls and Mom’s funny expressions when I call her in the morning on my way into work. She continues to be an inspiration to me every single day and truly an example of God’s grace. I see it in big ways (how He is using her story to show how amazing He is) and I see it in the small ways (the fight in Mom's eyes when she is frustrated as she connects more with how much she realizes she did know, but has to re-learn).
I could NOT have picked a better Mother if God would have given me the choice! Momma Besch, the one and only!!! J I am so thankful for her and for all of you who continue to fight through her recovery with us.
Lots of love,
Gordy, Lynn, Courtney & Jessica