AUNT MARGIE UPDATE

Aunt Margie's home

We spent months and hours agonizing over Aunt Margie's living situation last year--When would it be time to move her to assisted living? Which facilities were best? Which facilities would accept her? Did she have enough money? How devastating to her would it be to give up her beloved home and belongings?... The conversations, agonizings, and prayers went on and on.

We toured facilities, filled out paperwork, had preliminary conversations with Aunt Margie about her feelings on her future. We analyzed, assessed, debated, and grieved on her behalf. Finally she was rejected (financially) by two out of our three top choices and then accepted at the third. We decided to consider this acceptance to be God's sign that it was time and this was the place.

Still, we had weeks of sorting and packing and planning--the bulk of it by GJ with assistance from Aunt Margie's nieces and nephews. The actual move-out weekend was fraught with decision making and feelings of guilt and grief--each of us assuring the other that this was the right decision and the right time.

This week GJ attended the first 6 month family review at the sheltered care facility. Proud as a parent, GJ sent us the following report:

Last week I attended the family conference with her  [Margie]. Not much new news, but it was encouraging to hear them list off all the things she does for herself: dresses, showers, no walker/cane, etc. And they told her even though she says she has trouble with her memory, she does well. They observed that she finds her way around the building with no trouble. At the end, they told us that Ella's family had been just before us and they were singing her praises. They said they feel that Margie is "God's gift to them." The last conference they said that Ella was kind of depressed and staying in her room a lot and since Margie and she became neighbors, Margie visits her and draws her out.

That's about all for now. She is very settled in there. It is so neat to be there and see her wave, talk to or walk toward certain people to check up on them. Oh! And today, I saw the "dining room hostess" come out from her past [Aunt Margie's career was as a missionary and their mission group ran camps where her primary duty was to organize the dining room]. She REALLY cleans up her table area and straightens chairs, just like the old days!

 She enjoys your letters, flowers and phone calls. And of course visits, rides and outings...
Margie told them, "I don't think I'm as great as Ella thinks I am." The staff really responded to that and said everyone notices how kind Margie is and how she encourages the other residents. I about popped my buttons...sort of like a good parent/teacher conference...

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I just have to say, God is so good! He's obviously expressing to Aunt Margie, "Well done, my good and faithful servant." Matthew 25:21