7:09 p.m. Today's project was to get our grandsons ready to go to their other grandpa's home to continue their vacation. This was their best visit ever, even better than our travels around the country together in the RV. Adrian and Xavier are teenagers now, old enough to enjoy our activities, such as church, hiking with Heidi, high school youth group; visiting a State Senator's office; doing chores to earn spending money, participating politely with Steve and me as the four of us made choices of rides at Disneyland, welcoming in visitors as they stopped by for Mary Kay products, and being good guests at Pavel's family's farm. On the subject of farms, both boys worked overtime on their Facebook Farmville Farms, and with my need to harvest my FarmTOWN crops, we had a fun competition for login time!! We've even talked their grandpa Booker into trying Farmville!
Most meaningful to me was that the boys understand Steve's Alzheimers, and didn't panic or feel hurt when he lost his temper or raised his voice in his increasing loss of emotional control. It doesn't take much singing, squabbling or silliness to irritate their grandpa, whereas most adults would just tune it out--or play along, as in my case! A quick word of correction is all that these boys need--no adolescent attitude here, thanks to their strict but fun-loving mom, and our son the disciplinarian. But Adrian and Xavier patiently weathered a few tirades, and we smoothed things out together. They helped Steve without comment when he became confused while doing everyday tasks such as making toast. Adrian and Xavier are compassionate without being condescending, sympathetic without being sappy. I just love them!
I rejoiced throughout the week, thanking God for all He has done for Steve and me. Two large skincare and cosmetic sales covered our trip to Disneyland, including the ticket prices, and a third sale today covered the added costs of feeding two teenage boys, with a few meals out and treats. The Lord truly enabled me in all of these things. I love Psalm 18, where David chronicles his ability to escape King Saul through God's amazing deliverance time and again. I have always loved verse 29, the picture of sheer physical effort so reminiscent of my track running days in high school, of all things!
For by You I can run against a troop,
By my God I can leap over a wall.
This week, efforts to keep the house picked up and organized, manage the nightly decision of who sleeps in which guest room, organize evening events and activities for Steve as I normally would, but also for the boys, had me mentally "running and leaping!" But God covered every aspect of our week. We truly enjoyed one another's company and laughed a ton.
Last night, God let His artillery go full blast, with major thunder and lightning that everyone but the dogs enjoyed along with the sparse rain. Today, the house was feeling empty after the boys left, but settled back to pleasantly normal for Steve and me. We cleaned up the house and spent time with just the two of us. I was able to call some customers, set up a home assessment meeting for Steve with our longterm care insurance company's nurse while shopping at Sprouts organic market, and set up an appointment with a florist and caterer for Heidi and myself. Onward with joy to visit with my second daughter Heather's mom-in-law in the late afternoon, and then was rewarded with a righteous sight.
As I was about to pull into my driveway, I was almost blocked by an unfamiliar van, and people were walking up to our corner. Pavel had just pulled up as well. We looked up and there was a magnificent double rainbow--a perfect ending to a week that revealed God's presence throughout!
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