My mother and I (both a little younger) at Amber’s wedding.

A couple of quick updates on an emotional roller coaster kind of day.

First, last evening Lauren and I visited the last in hunt for Texas assisted living facilities.  How do I know it is the last?  Because it was lovely, the people were kind and mom can have a room with two closets. Serious selling point for her! It is six miles from my home.  It would be hard to beat that combination. 

So, my mom will come here alone without her husband to live out her days in Wharton, Texas.  I think it will be a good and realistic decision for her and one which she will settle into and enjoy.  I will go to Denver at the end of August and together with Amber’s family, pack up her belongings and fly back to Texas with my mom.

Ally and Lauren will be busy here turning her rather industrial room into something soft, pink and comforting.  The plan will be to get her moved and settled over the long Labor day weekend.  I know it will be an adjustment for her.  She will miss her daily visits from Jim, but I hope we can offset that loss with regular and consistent visits from all of us here.  Lauren and I met a few of the residents.  They inquired if mom played dominoes or bingo.  When we said she really didn’t know how, they asked if she liked to visit.  In Texas that means chat with one another.  We told them, yes, she liked to visit.

The view from her room is of trees and flowers.  The facility is small and I think mom might be able to navigate it a little better than where she is now.  It is so big I think she is afraid to leave her room for fear of not being able to find her way back.

I wish my dear mother nothing but peace and gentle days.  I hope we are headed in the right direction.