My Mom

My mom and I were always very close when I was growing up.  Life was definitely not easy in our home and considering my mom did not have a good home life herself, she made an incredibly beautiful effort to provide precious memories that I hold close to my soul.

One warmer-than-normal Buffalo winter she worked so hard to try to have an ice rink in our little backyard for us.  Another summer she helped us garbage pick wood at night to build a clubhouse in our backyard.  Oatmeal cookies were her speciality and she often had them waiting when we arrived home from school.  And she tirelessly repaired our 18″ deep little pool time after time after time. As a teenager she welcomed anyone I would bring home and before long they were calling her “mom” as well.

But the thing that stands out most in my memory is how I would get up in the night (when i should be in bed) and find her on her knees in the living room beside the couch softly praying.  And when I would get up in the morning, I would find, yet again, her beside the couch praying.  It left quite an impression and I have no doubt that God’s grace was poured out because of her fervent prayers for her children.

The prayer of a righteous mama* is powerful and effective. 

James 5:16 

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My mom moved to Arizona with us back in November 2011 but soon decided she missed her friends and decided to go back to Buffalo. It grieved my heart to have her move, but she was adamant.  Since then she’s been living in a little apartment, making her own food (although she eats next to nothing).  About three times a day my mom would take her best friend’s dog, Duffy, (who lived across the hall) for a little walk.  I always would hear the latest on Duffy when I called.

She lived like that until February 18 when she fell and broke her femur in two. I talk to her daily and the day she fell I had actually talked to her three times already, so when I heard she had fallen I was so stunned!  I had just hung up from talking to her!  But isn’t that how life is?  We just did such-n-such and suddenly life changes an instant later.

Of course breaking a femur is no small thing when you are 86 and after surgery she was sent to a senior rehab facility.  She didn’t make any progress in the 21 days allotted time and she was then moved to the senior nursing home side.  Her decline has been so alarmingly rapid, I’m heartbroken.

Then on Saturday we found that there was  CoVid19 in her nursing home and my mom tested positive!!  She has shown no symptoms and is being treated with meds.

Everything in New York is on lockdown so no one like my niece, my brother, my sis-in-law have been allowed to go in to see her in weeks…I am able to FaceTime with her a few times a week when I get an appointment and they bring the iPad to her.  But her decline has been steady.

Interestingly, my mom spent many years caring for the elderly in their homes.  She would take them places, run errands for them, cook for them, bathe them, change diapers, or just keep them company.  There’s no doubt, as I have cried out to the Lord on her behalf, that she deserves the same tender treatment she has joyfully given to others all these years.

Anyway, Dw and I are praying as we prepare to bring her back home to us.  The only time she perks up when I am talking to her is when I say, “Mama, I’m coming to get you and bring you back to live with us in Arizona!”  She responds, “Don’t wait too long! I can’t wait to be there with you.”  I tell her about the meals we will eat and the Dairy Queen we will celebrate with when she arrives!

We have to figure out the timing, the traveling-thing from New York to Arizona and how best to rearrange our home.  So… I know you guys know how to pray and I would humbly ask that if you think of us, please would you pray for my mom, Bonnie?  There are many pieces to this complicated puzzle, but we are determined and we know the Lord will make a way! My mom’s a treasure and she deserves to live out the rest of her days surrounded by those who love her and want her.

*my personal paraphrase

4 thoughts on “My Mom

  1. Praying for your mom Bonnie. My husband had open heart surgery this past Monday and of course I can’t be with him. It is very hard so I understand what you are going through. I pray that God creates a way for you to bring her home.

  2. Praying for Bonnie and for all of you as you make this transition. Trusting God to open doors to make this trip happen quickly!

  3. Oh no, I’m so sorry she fell! Yikes! Praying that all of the transitions are so supernaturally smooth, for her comfort on the journey, and remembering all the stories you have told over the years of God’s grace all over your travels…the close airport gate, the “chance” (haha) meetings, that pilot who flat refused to take off without you and Emma and Ruby… I know this could potentially be tricky logistically, but I can’t wait to read the Memorial Box stories that come out of it! Our God is an awesome God!

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