If this isn’t a great commercial for Cool Whip, I don’t know what one is!
Mom and I can’t get enough of this crazy stuff.
So what are you waiting for? Get yourself a bowl of Cool Whip, a spoon and join us in doing the Cool Whip!
It’s the delicious, new hand dance that’s taking the world by storm!
An email from my oldest daughter, Tovi
Dear Dad,
On the ride back home to Wilmington from Richmond … I did what you know I often do…I cried and was sad pretty much the entire four hour trip.
Since I left Richmond to attend the University of South Carolina in 1990 it’s always the same. Richmond was our home, the only home I ever knew growing up and no matter where I have lived since, coming back makes me remember how much I miss it. And that why the sadness and the tears.
So my boys asked me what was wrong and I said I always get sad leaving you, grandma and Richmond and that this time was particularly hard because grandma never once called me by my name. I don’t think she really knew who I was. She did tell me I was beautiful, amazing and she was soooo excited to see me. But, like I said, she didn’t really know who I was.
I keep telling myself grandma is 91 and has dementia, but that does not offer a lot of comfort.
Anyway..so I asked the boys which would be better: to be Ms. Mary (the elderly woman that I am a caregiver for in Wilmington), who knows her family and is grumpy and sometimes mean when they come for a visit, OR Grandma who doesn’t know who is coming to visit or for how long or what purpose, but is always so very happy? With grandma, everyone is her favorite … family, friends and strangers alike!
The boys immediately answered that it would be much better to be like grandma … to be happy is so much better!
Boy do they love her and her happy spirit, as do I. But, I grieve over her not remembering me and not knowing just how much of who I am and what I stand for is because of her.
Scene:
My mom, Helen, is going to have a birthday this month! She will be 92!
Although her birthday is Christmas day, I thought it would be fun to start getting her excited about it now.
The following conversation occurred this morning in the car on the way to Circle Center, mom’s adult daycare provider.
Tom: Mom, there are two people who were born on Christmas Day that you have known your whole life. Who are they?
Mom: I don’t know. Who are they?
Tom: Mom, one of them was born in a manger and has a first name that starts with a J.
Mom: Jim!
Tom: Nope.
Mom: Joe!
Tom: Nope. It was Jesus, mom. Jesus was born on Christmas day!
Mom: Oh. I was going to guess Jane.
Tom: And, who was the other person who was born on Christmas Day that you have known your whole life?
Mom: I don’t know. Does it start with a J?
Tom: It starts with an H.
Mom: Well, I don’t know anybody who has a birthday on Christmas with a name that starts with H, but I know plenty who have one that begin with J.
Tom: Who, mom?
Mom: Jim, Joe, Jane and what’s-his-name.
Tom: No, mom. It’s you.
Mom: Nope. It’s Jesus! My name starts with an H.
Tom: Mom, you and Jesus have a birthday on the very same day … Christmas Day!
Mom: I don’t know about that, but I sure do know who Jesus is.
(Mom starts singing and clapping her hands)
Jesus loves the little children,
All the children of the world,
Red and yellow, black and white,
They are precious in his sight,
Jesus loves the little children of the world.
When I opened the envelope addressed to Family Laughon the receptionist at Circle Center cheerfully handed me, I was not expecting the surprise that was waiting for me inside.
It was a card and the cover read, A Season of Thanks.
After opening it I found myself captured by the picture of my little mom in that big old chair, the printed message and most of all, mom’s signature!
It reminded me of when I would get cards from my daughters, Tovi and Lissi, when they were in pre-school, kindergarten and lower school. I could see their drawings, their messages and their signatures flash before me.
Those cards were priceless and so is this one from mom.
Thanks and hugs go to the magic caregivers’ at Circle Center, mom’s daycare-extraordinaire castle, club house … world.
Like I said, I love mom’s signature!
Oh, and did I also mention, I love my mom!
These are special times, make the most of them!
Make sure you give thanks to the people who are meaningful in your life.
Happy Thanksgiving … A Season of Thanks!
If you haven’t realized it by now, mom loves to sing. She always has and our family has, too.
So, it was not unusual for one or all of us to break out in song anytime, night or day. And today, at breakfast, it was no exception.
Mom transformed the spoon in her right hand from a utensil for eating cereal to a drumstick for beating on the table and started singing, “he’s got the whole world in his hands, he’s got the whole world in his hands, he’s got the whole world in his hands, he’s got the whole world in his hands,” to the beat of her own drum.
Needless to say, I was singing harmony and clapping my hands to mom’s beat. It was a great way to kick start the day!
Minutes later, we were in the car heading to mom’s adult day care when she started singing again, and frankly my mind was on an upcoming traffic light and so I wasn’t paying attention to the song she was singing. But, when I realized she was singing He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands, but with a new twist, I was fully engaged.
She was singing at top of her lungs, “he’s got the whole world in his pants, he’s got the whole world in his pants, he’s got the whole world in his pants, he’s got the whole world in his pants.”
I don’t know if the traffic light was red, green or yellow. And, before I could say anything, mom stopped singing, looked at me and said, “that’s funny.”
That’s when I started to laugh.
All I could say was, “Lord only knows, mom. What goes on in heaven, stays in heaven.”
Age does not make us childish, as some say; it finds us true children. – Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
Tom: Mom, tomorrow is my birthday!
Mom: That’s thrilling!
Tom: Guess how old I will be.
Mom: Two years old!
Tom: That is exactly right! I will be two years old tomorrow.
Mom: I know that. I have been with you all of my life and I just love you! I love you. I just really love you!
Tom: I love you, too! By the way … how old are you, mom?
Mom: Two. I’m two, too! Two, two, two.
PS – My birthday is November 16th. Mom’s is December 25th.
I can’t wait for mom to be three. Being the same age is just way too hard to explain.
And … I love it!
Mom, who is God?
He is the guy up there (both of her arms shoot skyward).
He’s always got a whole lot of stuff going on.
He knows what he’s doing.
He’s got the whole world in his hands.
I’ve seen his picture so many times, I feel like I know him.
Mom, what is Heaven?
Never been there, but I’ve heard a lot about it.
There is something going on up there all the time.
That’s why they are always needing extra helping hands.
What does a 91 year old mom dress up like for Halloween?
Well, here she is!
And, if my 91 year old mom knocks on your door, please don’t give her any more candy.
Send her home immediately.
She is out way past her bedtime!
My grandson Fisher, granddaughter Livi and Fisher’s friend Miller were riding in my daughter Tovi’s car earlier this week. This weekend, Tovi and her crew had decided to come to Richmond to visit Mom and us. However, because Fisher had a soccer game and a birthday party, he would stay back in Wilmington with my youngest daughter, Lissi.
Fisher said, “Mom, since I’m not going to Richmond with you can I send a letter to Helen?”
Tovi answered, “Sure, gram-ma loves when you guys write her. What would you like it to say in your letter?”
He said, “I’ll put in one of my class pictures and will say, Dear Helen, I am broke. Love, Fisher.”
After the laughter stopped, Tovi asked, “Why do you want to write that?’
Fisher said, “Helen always tells me I’m her favorite and if I ever need anything, that she owns everything, so just ask for it and it’s mine.”
Miller said, ‘’Cool, then ask for a million dollars!”
Tovi, “Do you want me to deliver your letter in person or mail it?”
Fisher, “Mail it, mom. Helen loves to get mail.”
The rest of the discussion in the backseat revolved around wishing that they had a Time Machine right now so they could jump forward to see if Fisher really got the million or not. And, if he did, what did he spend it on.
If I had been in the car I would have gone straight to the nearest FedEx, with the letter … overnight delivery guaranteed. Sure, it may cost a little more, but who cares with all the money Fisher will be getting.
Scene: Me holding on to mom’s arm and guiding her to her bathroom.
Mom: Where’s the light switch? I can’t find the light switch. It is way too dark in here. I am going to fall down.
Tom: Mom, I’ve got you. You are not going to fall down on my watch. Besides, you know exactly where that light switch is. You’ve been turning that thing on and off for over forty years.
Mom: I didn’t know I was that old.
Tom: Mom, you are even older than that. Did you know you are close to one hundred years old!
Mom: Well, that is really something, isn’t it? I thought I was twenty-two.
Welcome! I'm Tom Laughon (Lawn), the primary caregiver for my 97 year old mom, Helen!
I guess you could say my mom taught me the values, mindsets and skill sets to get where I am, and now I am using all I have learned, and continue to learn, to show my gratitude and love for her at this stage in both of our lives.
My mom has sure been my champion, cheerleader, teacher and "primary caregiver" for as long as I have been on this planet. She is an amazing, joyful human!
I invite you to follow our journey ... we would love to have you hop aboard for what promises to be a ride of a lifetime!
Buckle up, and welcome!
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My 91 Year Old Mom 