Apparently I am Spoiled

As many of you know, I suffer from clinical depression and mild OCD. Heavenly Father has blessed my life with a great doctor who is a member of our church, a great nurse practitioner who has greatly blessed my life, and a therapist who has helped me try to deal with life. I am not ashamed of telling you all of this. If I had diabetes or arthritis or some other disease that needed medication, I would not be ashamed of that either. We all have our trials in life. Our Savior endured the biggest trial of all when he atoned for each one of us in the Garden of Gethsemane. So who am I to think that I am better than He and should not suffer? I am just one of His daughters trying to do what's right especially with my callings as a wife, a mother, and a grandmother. From day to day, we don't know what will happen to us or to a loved one. Eric's mom found out a few weeks ago at the age of 80 that she has breast cancer. At times, we tend to want to ask the question "why", but we all know that our Heavenly Father has everything planned and knows what he is doing. Let me jump to another thought for just a minute.

My heart goes out to Holli and her family right now. What a shock to first of all find out about all the clots that have developed in Holli's mom's lungs and leg. Then what a shock to find out how truly blessed they have been by a Father in Heaven who loves Melinda so much and has spared her life. Melinda has such a positive outlook on life. Someone else would be in that hospital bellyaching about the whole mess and what an interruption this is in their life. Not Melinda or her family--they see the positive side of all of it. What an example to me--so much for me to learn. I wish you all could know Melinda. I am sure her husband, Robert, would agree with me that she is one of a kind. I have never seen anybody be as dedicated as Melinda is when it comes to being a wife, mother, and grandmother.

I truly believe that our grandchildren are the ones who get us through so much of our down trodden days. If I could ask Melinda right now, she probably would say that Gabi's conversations on life can lift her out of the darkest day. She would say that one of Sammi's drawings can make her appreciate the beauty in life (Sammi is one talented young lady--she can draw on an etch a sketch--unbelievable). I don't know the names of Melinda's other grandchildren, but she probably could go through each name and tell you why they make her day.

Ask any grandma, and they will tell you the same thing. We should have had our grandchildren first!! You can't help but love them especially when they bring you out of a duldrum, a day or week or month of anxiety, sadness, feeling like there are a few people you would like to bop on the head, etc. Today was such a day. Maren had to work today, so I had Braydon. I would have had Gabi, too, but with her being sick, Holli stayed home. I had a zillion errands to run and we are still having 90 degree and above weather with high humidity, ya know, one of those days where the car never cools off because you are in and out, in and out. There are things going on in my life that aren't very pleasant right now; and when things like this happen, even though I have my meds and journals, I still have the downer days. But when the grandkids are near, the downer days can easily become smiling days. Today, Braydon kept talking like he has never talked before. The one that is named correctly is Gabi--and I am pretty sure that Kyle and Holli would attest to that fact. Gabi loves to talk, and she can talk about anything. It cracks me up. Sometimes she doesn't even finish her thought because she has to get to the next thing she wants to say. I laugh, but you can't laugh too loudly because that hurts their feelings (did I know that when I was just a mother of five children? I don't think so). But, Braydon usually doesn't talk as much; however, today was a different day. I can probably quote you every line that the Transformers say when the autobots transform. I can even tell you the names of some of them. And did you know that transformers don't go to the doctor when they are hurt? They go back to the autobots' headquarters!! And supposedly, there is only one girl transformer because transformers are for boys.

But, here is the line of the day. We were getting out of the car collecting packages and I said to Braydon, "You got spoiled today". (OK, so I gave in and bought him a little transformer that is about 3 inches tall). I told him about the transformer and I told him he got new shoes for church that mommy and daddy needed me to pick up for him. He says, "Yeah, I am spoiled; but you are too Grandma. You got shoes today, too!!" Out of the mouths of babes.

So, Melinda, while you are getting well up there at Baptist Hospital, you keep thinking about all of those funny things that Gabi says, and all the other things you have heard from your other grandchildren. Remember all the fun things you have done with them, the things that they have treasured because to me, you are one special Grandma. And I am not the only one spoiled. The Hillin family is truly spoiled (and now the Petersens, too) to have such a special lady in their midst. You get well soon.