Love and Service

It's a funny thing when you wake up one day and realize that your children are teaching you more than you could ever teach them.

Starting Sunday I learned a huge lesson in giving everything you have and more to help someone that you love. Just when it seemed like there was nothing left to amaze me, they showed more, and just when my heart melted and swelled with pride, they took it even further making me realize that the heart of a child is far greater in size than that of most adults!

Sunday we went to Grandmas and saw that she wasn't doing well. Her eyes were filled with more yellow than usual and looked as if they were infected. They were goopy and tired. She wasn't up to moving from her bed, and a hole in her belly leaked a steady stream of fluid that her body and liver could not dispose of. Thursday she had 10 pounds of fluid drained from her abdomen and the needle hole was refusing to close. The yucky infected fluid was leaking everywhere and we finally resorted to washcloths doubled up to try to catch the liquid. Within just one to two hours they were soaked through and the process started again. It wasn't pretty!

My poor Dad was doing more laundry than he has probably done in his life as was baffled by how quickly things were getting dirtied. My Mom was upset and just wanted it to stop.

Instantly Kenna took the wheel. She sat by Grandmas side while we prepared dinner and visited with her keeping her smiling and taken care of. Carson gave her the longest hugs she has probably ever had in her life, and made sure that she knew he was there.

As the night grew later we realized quickly that she was not going to be left alone the next day. Kenna immediatly offered to stay with her and was genuinly excited at the oppurtunity to help out. Carson also begged to help. He knew that he could take care of her on his own. I told them that they would have to change her bangages and they both were confident that they could.

I knew that Kenna would be such a great help but wasn't sure with Carson. He is so sweet and full of love, but I was worried he would be a little spooked. Just then she needed to go to the restroom. I helped her up and Carson instantly grabbed her shaky arm and grinned at her as he led her to the bathroom. Once he got her there he tunred to me to make sure I saw his success. Once she was back in bed I told Carson to change her cloths. He was freaked out. He started asking questions on how to do it... or stalling as I call it. When it came right down to it he burst into tears and said, "She loves my hugs!!!" Of course! The way that Carson was helping was by showing his love, not by doing the dirty work. He then climbed next to her in bed and hugged her for a long time. She rubbed his head and told him how much she loved him. He was full of happiness and really felt like he was helping.

Kenna got the wound care down and I left them. Coren gave her his usual hugs and giggled for her, which she LOVES , and told her that she probably has an infection coming out of her belly becuause that happened to his foot too, and we were off. I wasnt sure exactly how it would go, but I wanted to give them the chance to serve.

This morning I called to find out that Grandma was doing much better. They had fed her the food that is her staple these days, waffles, and she had even had a bath. Kenna laughed when she said Grandma came out in the buff and covered herself and laughed, "DON"T LOOK!" Sounds like it was an adventure.

I arrived to find laundry going, a clean house, and kids that were very proud of how much better they had made her. Carson who is my eater was starving and when I gave him his food he said that he needed to sit with Grandma longer because she really liked having him there. He could eat later.

As I started to clean her house the kids willing vacumed, and did whatever I needed them to do. Not once did they ask when we were going, in fact they wanted to stay and take care of her for longer. Even Coren.

The fun part about being a kid is playing all day, eating popsickles, running in the sprinklers, and only feeling sad when it gets close to bedtime. Today my kids taught me that you can find joy in anything if you are making someone else happy. They taught me that you can replae sadness with joy when you give. Life is about helping people that are in need and being there for someone no matter how boring, nasty, sad, or totally opposite of what you would usually do that day. Life is about love and the happiness you feel from doing something for someone that you care about and someone that you know would do the same for you without question.

Today I learned that I need to be more like my kids because they are all amazing!