The Gift of Being…

Forgive me, will you, for taking a whole week to write this post? I’ve been dragging my feet about doing so because it means dealing with matters of the heart…

…and my heart is tender when it comes to these two.

In my heart, I am still their little girl, and this little girl doesn’t want to lose them.

 

First, though, the fun stuff! Because I am all about using humor to deflect from hefty themes.

Thanks to your very generous donations, we were indeed able to spend the night in a hotel.

This hotel:

 

The AmericInn in Wahpeton.

That has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?The AmericInn in Wahpeton.

(It rhymes, you know, if you say it right.)

(And being from Wahpeton, I know how to say it.)

We had two adjoining rooms and it was priceless, really, to see the looks on the faces of my two little men, who are too young to remember such a luxury setting. “It’s got big comfy beds!” my six-year-old said. “And a coffee maker! And a Bible!”

And a great North Dakota view:

 

You can take the girl out of North Dakota, but you can’t take North Dakota out of the girl.

 

 

Nor can you blog about it without getting teased by one’s husband.

The memories we made over the course of our stay–just one night, from Thursday to Friday–are precious to me and to my family. I can say that without sounding “precious” because look:

 

Now you know that I’m speaking the truth. When I saw this complimentary set-up, I knew we’d chosen the very best hotel and that I could die in my sleep and be no less content.

Not really, probably.

Though it was, in truth, a perfect stay. 4 Stars, even! The service was great.

I have to share a really quick story because it’s a wonderful example of how God works.  I was chatting in the lobby with a beautiful young mom and said, “Are you from Wahpeton, too?”

“No,” she replied, “But my grandma is.”

Her grandma, as it turns out, was my mom & dad’s next door neighbor. I hadn’t seen her in years but got in a hug and a good visit.

Three of the Four Generations I met! God is so good. 

 

It was great, and totally unexpected.  A free gift! Compliments of the hotel and God. : )

And by the way, I don’t mind disclosing my hometown online. I am from the same little town as the writer Louise Erdrich, and maybe one day you’ll be writing about me.

Margaret in from Minnesota? No.  Margaret from Wahpeton.

Ha.

I’m speaking in jest (and rather boastfully, when I think about it), although my momma did say I’d write a book one day.

Does a blog count, Mom?

(Probably not.)

 

In any case, I could write several pages about the significance of this trip–about how every visit could be the last because my parents’ bodies are giving out, and how when I look at them, my heart breaks. It breaks in a good way, because there’s so much love, and it breaks with sadness because of their aches and pains.

Say a prayer for my daddy, could you please? He has a new set of dentures and his gums just hurt. He has dentures because his teeth were in rough shape, and the dentist suggested that he get them pulled.

(Okay there’s a little bit more to the story. One of my sisters had brought them some taffy, and two of Dad’s teeth came out in the first bite! “What kind of crap taffy did you give Mom and Dad?!” we demanded, but it was in jest and how we laughed.)

We laugh a lot, my sisters & I, and we cherish the days that we’ve had as a family, because you never know what the future holds. You just don’t–not today, not ever.

Ninety-three years, my mom’s been given! And 92 years have been given to my dad.

He brought out this Advent wreath while we were there, arranging it carefully as he’s done for years.

The hands are old but the heart is young.

I love you, Daddy!

I love you, Mom. ♥