barefootlilylady

5 Years Ago

We’re back from our Hawaiian adventure with Mia. What a grand adventure.

Now I am settling back into the comfort of life’s routine. Sleeping in my own bed with my favorite pillow. Spending Sunday with our church family. Doing laundry in my own washing machine and not having to put $7.00 worth of quarters into the machine for each load!

Today I slept in until my body woke me up….and was almost late for work. It brought me joy being in BeeHive’s kitchen baking up treats for our residents again (many thanks to Karen who filled in for me while I was away).

In the midst of my baking joy, my heart remembered that my journey with BeeHive began 5 years ago today. March 25, 2019 was the day I accepted the help of BeeHive in caring for my mother in her journey Home with Alzheimer’s.

Facebook confirmed that memory with two reminisce posts. Many of my friends and family were praying as I moved Momma out of my home and into her new bedroom at BeeHive. We arrived just in time for lunch. While mom and I ate lunch, Wayne and Beth moved mom’s things into her new room, setting it up much like her bedroom in my home. After lunch, I walked mom into her new space and she settled right in and was soon napping.

I sat in her room watching her sleep for a bit, then met with Gina to go over some move-in details. When we were finished, I was not quite sure what to do with myself. I wrote about that here…

Momma would live here for the last 14 months of her sojourn on earth. Here she would be loved and cared for with the level of care I could not provide. She had friends around her, good food, fun activities, someone to help her every hour of the day or night, and someone to help her to shower (something I couldn’t offer her at my house).

Placing her in assisted living memory care was a hard decision. And the right decision.

Thank you, BeeHive!

A Beautiful Reading Spot

It feels like a little wet weather is headed our way. Before it gets here, I am enjoying reading a chapter or two in this serene spot. Just noticed today that this pond is home to a solitary black swan.

I’m finding this to be a fantastic read. Best read with your Bible open.

Staying Keto in Hawaii

Some of my readers know I have been following a ketogenic way of eating for the better part of a year. Our grandgirl Mia chose Hawaii as her graduation trip destination. Having been there once before, I knew eating keto might be tricky. Voices around me advised me to forget about the “keto thing” while I’m on vacation. But I knew it wasn’t just about gaining a few pounds, it was about setting myself up for a setback in how well I was feeling.

I decided I would just try my best to make good choices.

This appetizer of roasted Brussels sprouts and Polynesian sausage was my choice at Kalapaki Joe’s in Lihue. It was delicious. I’m pretty sure the marinade wasn’t totally on my plan, so I left as much saucinesses behind on my plate as I could. Very filling and an overall good choice, given my options.

The Beauty of Kauai

Tropical paradise is all around me on this lovely island of Kauai.

A Prayer for Grace

Just reminding myself of a little something my sweet momma wrote on this day back in 2016. Click on the link below to read what she wrote. May it bless your heart as much as it does mine.

It brings me joy when I find a little prayerful note written in my mother’s handwriting. Seeing what was on her heart and mind at certain times of …
A Prayer for Grace

Sage Advice from my trusted ‘financial advisor’ (my husband)

I may be just a tad bit biased, but this is probably the clearest explanation of how to prepare for retirement health costs that I have read. I’m blessed to have had my husband Wayne pave the way several years before me when it came to researching Medicare options. Read on for his take on what to consider when decision-making time comes along.

Preparing for Retirement Health Care Costs Part Two

Bump, bump, bumping along

I was doing a little blog post cleanup today and came across this one from four years ago. It’s hard to believe that it has been nearly four years since my sweet momma took up her heavenly home. This felt like “just yesterday” to me as I read through it once again.

I often use my mom’s study Bible when I spend time reading and reflecting. I enjoy discovering what she marked and underlined on almost every page. Her notes in the margins are a really valuable tool for my personal study.

This little story that follows is a page out of my experience and observations as mom neared the end of her life on earth. It’s also a reminder to me of the life lesson I am still learning.

Addressing Common Environmental Triggers in Dementia Care

I have three reasons why I would make this excellent article required reading for anyone even remotely involved in dementia care:

My mother had Alzheimer’s. I wish I would have been able to read this while I was caring for my mother with Alzheimer’s.
My mom lived in assisted living memory care for the last year of her life. She received fantastic care, but this would have been very helpful training for her caregivers.
My brother has vascular dementia and currently lives in a skilled nursing facility (a nursing home). I wish that everyone who works there would read this–it would be so helpful.

Environmental Triggers and Dementia

The Satisfied Soul

When my journey on earth is drawing to a close, I hope and pray that I will have the same attitude of heart as my friend Kathy. Even though she was going through immense physical trials, she exhibited what I believe should be the hallmark of every believer – a satisfied soul.

Kathy didn’t know why God allowed this painful trial, but she trusted He had a plan. Kathy didn’t beg for mercy from the trial. My sister in Christ implored God to show mercy to those she loved who were still without Christ. Her Jesus loving heart desired nothing more than for God to be glorified in her, by life or by death.

May I live my life as Kathy did – eager to know the Lord better today than I did yesterday. May I be as generous with the resources God has entrusted to my care, investing what I have in the kingdom.

Tonight happens to be my friend Kathy’s third anniversary in heaven, and I’m listening to the lovely music of Keith and Kristin Getty. One song in particular just washed over my soul and made me think about Kathy’s testimony.

Keith & Kristyn Getty – My Worth Is Not In What I Own featuring Fernando Ortega (Official Lyric Video)

“My soul is satisfied in Him alone.”

A Keto Peanut Butter Waffle!

I wrote about my enjoyable experience making (and eating) savory chaffles here. These small cheese and egg waffles turned out to be a good replacement for anything that usually needs a bun. I don’t make them very often, as I am getting used to (and enjoying) eating my hamburgers without a bun.

With that yummy experience as my inspiration, I decided to try a Peanut Butter Chaffle next.

Oh. My. Yum!

In the event that you’d like to try them too, here’s the recipe from Paula Kish at Low Carb Revelation. I put a dab of butter and a drizzle of sugar-free syrup on mine. They made for a very nice breakfast and will definitely be on my menu again in the future.

Protein Peanut Butter Waffles