Warning: Sweet, but Sad

My grandmother joined us for Christmas this year at my parent's house this year. She seems to be with our family for every holiday, but I think she enjoys it. I think she loves watching her great grand children run around. I think it exhausts her, but I think she really enjoys it. It makes her happy to be with her family and makes her smile. I wish our ENTIRE family could get together and spend some time with her. I think it would make her smile and it would be good for everyone else to get to see her. She is so very sick and I'm not sure how many more holidays we have with her. I could be wrong...she might have 20 more years, but she just seems tired.

It is so sad to watch her like this knowing there is not a thing you can do. Remember.... I'm not her favorite and never have been, but none of that matters now. She needs us more than ever. She needs us to listen to her ramble, a hug, hold her hand, dress her, walk her and most importantly we need to let her know she is loved. Of course she is and we tell her, but she has Alzheimer's for God's sake people...she might need to be told that more than once or several times. She also needs people to be patient with her. She tries SO hard, but there is a lot she can't do. It can be frustrating, but as she always says "Patience is a virtue and virtue is a grace. Put them both together and get a smiling face." She is the matriarch of our family and none of us would be here without her. I love her so much and what she is going through breaks my heart.

Here is her Christmas gift to Declan that she made for him...






A pen, toothbrush, Halls, and a paper cup with a Christmas napkin taped to it. If that doesn't bring tears to your eyes I don't know what will.

What a sickening disease. Please continue to pray for gma and our family.