Observations from watching my grandma

This is my grandma's favorite cartoon and my mom calls her Maxine!

So things have kinda change around our house. For the last month or so, I started to watch my 87 year old grandma during the week. In the short time, here are some of my observation:

1. I realize that I suck at history. My grandma shares stories about the cowboys and Indians and her family ,99% of time I play it off like I know what she is talking about. The wars, the movements etc. Confirmation I should NOT home school! And I thought Mayflower was just a trucking company..Im kidding.... well kinda

2. Walking canes are not safe with a toddler and an infant around. Yup we have had a few minor accidents.

3. Older people take the best naps, so much so I have found myself doing the mirror under the nose trick, to check for breathing. You never can be to sure, you know.

4. Actors in those novela's or "sobelas" as Noah says are TERRIBLE! but I will give them props for their passion!

5. If it takes me longer than 2 hours to separate my medication for the month, oh Lord take me home.

6. My grandma's family was a family of 11, 9 kids and 2 parents. ( oh Lord take me home) and were really poor. They ate the same thing for dinner every night, beans, potatoes and tortillas. A doomed diet handed down from generation to generation. No wonder why I love carbs!

7. Noah doesn't stop talking and my grandma cant hear so they are a match made in heaven.

8. Flatulence's happen! Period.the.end

9. I am the perfect wife.. Grandma said so, although anyone that was cooking my meals, snacks and giving me pills, Id say the same thing!

10. I've taking a liking to Jello, must have hot tea with my lunch and those ensures are not bad ;/ What?

11. Grams walks gansta, with a cane and really slow, but let a smoke alarm go off by accident and she can give Carl Lewis competition.

12. I never have to worry about being out of condiments, because chances are she has it in her purse. Splenda, mustard, crackers, lemons in a napkin from breakfast. Grandma, really? " I said next time take ALL the condiments from your menudo.

13. I think that when she gets tired of listening to me she takes out her hearing aids and pretends that she left them at home. Uh huh, I know that trick..Im on to you lady.

14. Its a good day when she is cracking jokes. The other day, she asked if I was having a garage sale? I said " No why" she said " then why do you have so many shoes down here in this basket" she's all jokes when she is feeling well. Quite the comedian!

15. I now talk louder than I used to.. The other day, sal said "hey why are you yelling" I said huh? and took my grandma's hearing aid out ;)

All kidding aside, caring for my grandma has its challenges. But the blessing totally out weigh those. The boys have become so close. Asher is a great helper, Caleb has learned that if he yells she will come. I have learned so much about my family history. Ive learned so much about adversary. My grandma was poor, she picked walnuts, made tortilla for dinner everyday. Her and her siblings didn't have shoes, they would go to the market and wait for fruit to fall off the trucks. The only veggies they had were the ones that would grow in the wild.

At the ripe old age of 87 she talks about her dad like it was yesterday. Still a daddy's girl, how do I know? because her face lights up when she talks about him. "He could do anything, everyone came to him for everything" she says. A daughter still proud of the man he was. Her favorite memory's were around the dinner table. She painted such a amazing picture how a family should be. Dad at the head, mom next to him holding his hand, and siblings around the table. No one took a bite till dad said grace and took the first bite. After dinner was done, they would sit there for about an hour or two while, dad told stories of his childhood.

As she told me the stories, she still laughs as though the story just happened yesterday. So sad that today the dinner table is to busy. Some family's don't eat together, and children don't care to know what it was like when their parents grew up. We eat quickly and rush to the tv, ipod, ipad, and in my case the treadmill so times :?

My grandmas life didn't get easier as she grew up. She went through the depression, was a single mom of three. She worked in a warehouse and drove a fork lift (woot woot) when only men were allowed to. At times money was so tough that after bills were paid there was only 15.00 left for the month to feed the family.

The other day, she was having a bad day, her breathing wasn't good. Her chest was kinda hurting and she said she was just tired and weak. As she sat there doing her rosary, bead by bead, tears flowing down, I sat there and just looked at her. A tough life for sure, but lacks no love or bitterness.

I am not sure how much longer we will have my grandma, but it is a blessing and honor to serve her in my house. The time spent I will never forget, and I know my boys wont either. Is it easy? No, is there days I'm spent? Yes, but I tell you this..

Its better than, picking walnuts and waiting for fruit to fall off a truck!

Have a blessed week friends..Love you all!
Moni