have yourself a merry little christmas

I talked to my dad on the phone last night.  He hadn’t called to tell me about his father because it wasn’t really serious until yesterday afternoon.  Things are maybe (hopefully) not as grim as my step mother thought yesterday.  While I was talking to my dad, John was telling the boys that they needed to clean up their room.  Lexy was saying that his stomach hurt too much to do it, so I told him that if he was sick he could go to bed and that I would clean up for him.  He said he thought laying on the couch and watching tv would make him feel better.  My dad laughed and told me that once when he was a kid, he’d given his mother some lame excuse like that to get out of something.  My grandmother looked at him and said, "Well, Stanley, a poor excuse is better than no excuse at all."  And he knew that he’d been busted.  Without yelling or arguing.  I wish I could parent like that. 

This morning I talked to my grandmother.  She said that my grandfather has fluid around his heart because there is a valve that needs to be replaced.  He isn’t up to the surgery, though.  The plan is to get home health care in place for him and get him home.  If he takes it easy, he may live for quite a while longer.  Right now, no one is too sure how he’ll do.  All five of my grandparents children will be there this weekend.  I wish I could be, too.

5 thoughts on “have yourself a merry little christmas

  1. Dixie

    What a precious man your grandfather must be. Think of all the lives he’s touched and how many of those lives he’s made better by just being the man that he is.

    He seems to have led a good, long life and should it be his time to pass, I pray that it will be easy.

    May you and your family have a Christmas filled with peace and togetherness and love.

    P.S. How I wish I were as clever as your grandmother! What a clever line that was!

    Reply
  2. TitanKT

    My granddaddy died about a year and a half ago and he was my last grandparent. I do miss him and so does my son. He did know him and always asks about Pop. He was also an incredibly patient, generous, wonderful man. I was torn when he died because I didn’t want him to hang on if he were in pain or miserable, and at the same time, selfishly, I knew I’d miss him terribly.

    I sincerely hope you get a chance to see your grandfather before he dies. You’ll feel better about it if you have a chance to say goodbye and tell him how much you love him. But even if you don’t get a chance to do that, you should take comfort in knowing that he knows you love him.

    Reply
  3. Belinda

    What a lot of love, and such a lifetime of it. It’s richer than I can imagine, and I can only hope to live out something close to it. Thank you for sharing your family with us.

    Reply
  4. Marsha

    Jen, you are in my thoughts and prayers.

    I wish that I was as clever as your Grandma, I am better at coming up with the right thing to say about a week later. Slow brain.

    Reply

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