Spring Iris from My Mom

 

Hello everyone and happy spring! I've been thinking about my mom a LOT lately. Spring was probably her favorite season. She loved her flowers so and was always thrilled to have everything bloom. This Iris was the first to bloom for me this year and she gave me these cuttings. I felt like it was her saying hello and happy spring. Perhaps that seems silly but I don't think so. I try to stay aware of any little way she is still here. I have a jade plant that was in her room at the nursing home and it is absolutely thriving in my kitchen window. I'll have to share a photo!

Over the years she gave me many flowers from her yard. I have Iris, Aster, Black Eyed Susans and Lily of the Valley from her yard here at my home. I know I can't do her justice as a gardener as I did not inherit her green thumb. I wish I did! However, these perennials seem to do well.

My girls have had some fun milestones this spring and I will sometimes think to myself, "I need to tell mama." Or "I need to show mama these pictures." My youngest daughter had junior prom and my oldest daughter just got a new summer job here in Nashville at a healthy restaurant - True Food. My mom was always so proud of all her grandchildren.

I know she is with us even though I cannot physically see her.

She loved springtime and the sun. I can almost hear her telling me to go sit in the sun and enjoy it. 

 Miss Callie is doing well and loves my two other dogs (and cat...at least the dogs tolerate the cat.) Mama was not a fan of my cat but he is here to stay and I've grown attached to him.

 Hope you all are doing well. Enjoy the spring and all of its beauty!

Happy Callie Days

 

Hello everyone! This is Jamie, Ernestine's daughter.

Thank you for your kind words and comments. She loved all of you so much.

 I thought I would share a happy update and photos of Callie, mama's precious dog.

You may know that we took Callie into our home in 2018...time flies! She loves our two dogs, Zoey and Lucas. We also have a cat now, believe it or not, named Fred. That is another story for another day. Mama could not believe we took in a cat. Ha! But they all peacefully co-exist.

So it is quite a zoo at my home in Nashville but we have a half-acre lot and a a dog door and Callie is very content. When my mom had COVID at Christmas in 2020 and was recovering we were unable to visit her in person but we could go "visit" and see her through her window as she was on the first floor at the nursing home and we took Callie a few times to see her.

Here is Callie sunning herself this week on our back patio when we finally got some glorious somewhat spring like weather!

Hope you get to experience some sunny days like Callie soon, too.

 

Heaven Gained An Angel

A sweet angel from my mother's room at the nursing home...she bought this this summer at her favorite thrift store here in Nashville, This-N-That Thrift Shop, which benefits St. Luke's Community House.

 

It is with the heaviest of hearts that I share that my beautiful mother passed away peacefully late Monday night at 87 years of age.

I am glad that I saw her earlier that morning and I also checked in on her that afternoon with my youngest daughter and she was sleeping peacefully under a quilt hand-stitched by her mother.

She was such a tough lady and I truly thought she would rally as she always does but I think ultimately her little body was worn out. It's hard for me to believe that she is really gone. One of the last things I said to her was "I love you" and "I am proud of you" and "Get some rest." My sister Beth was also able to visit with her Sunday. She met her youngest and newest great grandson in the fall and we were able to see her Christmas weekend. I know she would have shared that with you! 

She was a wonderfully talented person and found beauty in the simplest things. She made everything a special occasion. She was as equally comfortable in pearls and cashmere as she was in worn denim and gardening gloves.

I miss her so much already. I may try to update her blog with some stories about her as I know she would love that. It has been comforting hearing from so many people from my hometown as they share memories of her. Some of the words used to describe her are "kind," "regal," "classy," "special," "awesome," "encouraging," "stylish," and "beautiful." I would wholeheartedly agree!

Thank you so much for all of your kindness to her and friendship over the years. She loved and missed writing and her photography so but her vision had greatly deteriorated due to macular degeneration. She missed many of the things she loved doing and her quality of life had declined. She lived an amazing 87 years on this Earth and I know she is somewhere else rejoicing, gardening, cooking, dancing, and smiling down on her family, who she loved so much. She would thank you for your friendship.

A New Year and An Update on My Mom

 

 

Happy New Year to everyone!

Thanksgiving Visit With My Mom
 

This winter has been a roller coaster for my mom. She has had so many health issues in the past year (including COVID last winter and a mild heart attack)...but always rallied. She is a fighter! I know her body is simply worn out, however.

She celebrated her 87th birthday October 9! She also started doing a Monday prayer group at her nursing home. She felt well enough to go out and get her hair done the Thursday after Christmas but began not feeling well after that and has been slowly declining. She is having difficulty swallowing and speaking. 

While she has been on hospice since last year they have primarily been checking in on her occasionally but they are now seeing her frequently. I saw her this morning and she is responsive so that is good. She knew I was there!

Some good things ...she was very coherent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and saw family. She also met her newest great grandson (my nephew Gavin's little boy) this fall. My brother was also here for nearly 4 months and was able to get her out for outings. She continued to love getting her hair done, going out to lunch and shopping at her favorite thrift store here in Nashville and TJ Maxx.

Please send her all your good energy and prayers for comfort. She asked me before Christmas if I had updated her blog and I told her I would. She loves all of you in her online community so much.

Thank you.

Jamie, Ernestine's youngest daughter

More Good Updates on My Mom

 

 

Hello everyone! My mom loves hearing from you and I read your comments. She has had difficulty reading at all lately but went to her eye doctor yesterday and should be getting new glasses in about 10 days (YEA!) I had to cancel and reschedule her appointment several times but she was finally able to go in yesterday. That will be a big relief to her.

Also, huge news. My brother will finally be visiting from Thailand later this month! And he will be staying for a while so that's very exciting. 

Keep sending your good thoughts and positive vibes and prayers as she is feeling much better. She does get extremely frustrated with her mobility issues but that is understandable.

Hi! (From My Mom)

 My mom's window at her room (she painted this little church!) She always enjoys plants and flowers in her window.

 

This is Ernestine's daughter, Jamie. Hello!

 Visited my mom today (she loves the potato soup at the restaurant where my younger daughter works and I took her some for lunch today) and also yesterday as I was out of town most of last week. She wanted me to write an update!

She was recently in the hospital a few weeks ago for a UTI and dehydration but last Friday felt well enough to get out and get her hair done, go to TJ Maxx AND go to her favorite thrift store here in Nashville. She's really doing well. I took her to get her knee injections at the orthopedic doctor a few weeks ago as well. Next up is an eye doctor appointment.

She says, "Thank you for your prayers and all the many cards I have received It looks like the good Lord is going to keep me here a while longer."

I think she is doing the best she has all year so it's great to see her up and about. She's doing physical therapy but walking with the walker is tough for her (but she can do it.) But she's in her wheelchair most of the time.

If you would like to send her a card she is still at NHC Place at the Trace, 8353 Highway 100, Nashville TN 37221. (c/o Ernestine Lawson, Room 537).

Thank you all! We are going to try an Ipad out so she can make Amazon orders and possibly blog. She tried a laptop but did not like it.

An Update From My Mom and Thank You!

Friends to my mom...sending you a big thank you! She wanted me to let you know she is doing OK and going home soon and that she is so thankful for your thoughts, prayers and cards. I know some of you have reached out to me. I haven't wanted to post publicly that she was not home but she will be soon.

She has been hospitalized twice since the end of October and also had (and beat) COVID just before Christmas. So she's been through a lot healthwise but her spirit and spunkiness are back to usual. COVID has also meant really restrictive rules on visitors, etc. She has many cards at the care facility she's staying at and she is so thankful for them. If you'd like to send her a card let me know and I can send you her home address. You can also send her a card to NHC Place at the Trace here in Nashville for the next two weeks (37221 zip code).

Thank you again for checking in on her! She tried to adapt to a laptop where she is staying but misses her home computer and camera. She's doing well, though, and the most active person where she is staying so she is ready to get out of there. She's doing physical therapy and I took her to get cortisone shots in her knees last month.

Stay tuned for some more updates and thank you again! She appreciates and loves all of you.