Someday was Tuesday

My Facebook status from Tuesday February 21st, 2012:

"That day is finally here, the call came that Grandpa Bob made his final journey home this morning. Scott and I are grateful for the time we got with him, and that his suffering is no more. The last thing he said to me was 'Thanks, Babe!' and I hope he knows how thankful we all were to have known him."


Ironic how I just posted on Monday, thinking the whirlwind was over and that Grandpa was 'settled' for a while. No doubt God has a sense of humor, since now Bob is at such peace. It happened so fast (again I acknowledge the irony of that statement given his illness), and just like that he was gone. With one phone call to us, that part of our journey was over.

I'm sad. Not upset, not angry, not confused, just plain sad. I'm sad that his last days were in a nursing home, not because they didn't take good care of him. It was a great place, he was very well taken care of. I'm sad because there wasn't a better way to help him. The comments I could make about Medicare and Medicaid and http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifthe hoops you have to jump through just to get the RIGHT care - let's just say they are best kept to myself right now. http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

I met some great people along the way. Amy at the 4th Frog kept me hopeful with her forwards about Aging Care. Lorraine at Horizon Hospice - who we never got to use - talked me off the ledge and told me more about the health care system than any doctor or nurse did over the last four months. The ladies at the Cancer Center in Avon, who are the most caring and loving group of people you could ever wish to be a part of your grandpa's life. The nurses at Hendricks Regional Health, the doctors at IU West Hospital, and the doctors/staff at Westview Hospital did the right things at the right time to help us along our way.

Services are today, we're heading out in a few hours. I'm most proud of the flowers we picked out for him, I think he'd really like him. He was very generous man - sending Scott and I to Hawaii for a wedding gift so his flowers are built around a tropical theme. We're taking Connor - it's hard to explain it all to a two and a half year old.

God Bless you Bob - three bells for you dear sailor.

Scraplift Challenge #54 now open

I just posted the details of Scraplift Challenge #54 over at Mousescrappers, I'd love to have you play along! I've put together this mini kit for anyone who participates between now and March 4th.


I'm finishing up some bonus elements to give away here on the blog, as I've been practicing so I can participate in the first ever Design Challenge at Mousescrappers. Here's the swatch we've been given to work with:


So, what do you think? Any elements or kit items you think I should do? I'd love to hear your suggestions - feel free to leave me a comment or send me an email to meejay33 (at) gmail (dot) com.

Slacker posting apology

We all have one of these right? That first post that you write when you haven't updated in a loooonnngggggg while, and you keep putting it off because you don't want to admit defeat? *Sigh*

The best way to overcome that fear is jump in and start writing again. It's been a long road between that Disney trip and today. Yes, the trip was AWESOME, but just two days before we came home things starting to go awry with Grandpa Bob. You see, we take care of the hub's Grandpa, we're his only family. Shortly after we got home, the strokes happened. Then it was a whirlwind of hospitals, specialists, picking a nursing home, moving units in the home, more hospitals, more strokes and oh yeah, the holidays and a little event I've been working on for two years, the 2012 Indianapolis Super Bowl. Where we are with Grandpa Bob today:


Credits: Connected through Caregiving, Ties that Bind Add-On: Father & Son by SuzyQ Scraps and Template by Little Green Frog Designs (now at Scrap Orchard!)

This layout is part of a program I'm participating in this year - Project Love, Me by SuzyQ Scraps. I'm still loving being a part of her CT, and I've got to play with some awesome products over the last six months.

Things are picking up at Mousescrappers - I will be hosting a scraplift challenge starting tomorrow! They've also started a design challenge that I'm going to participate in, and it's a great way to build your Disney-inspired stash and support the site as well.

So welcome back if you've been around here before, and if not, welcome to my scrapbook journey! I'd love to have you follow along. I'll be back tomorrow (post is already done!) with details on the scraplift challenge, hope to see you around!