April 27, 2006
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Michael and the girls here in Stephenville. We are doing well. We get to try to talk to Lorena in a few minutes, so I will prepare to present.
We had a super visit with Lorena again. [This month, our phone bill is going to be outrageous. Lorena spelled to Angie on our last call, so we were on the phone for about an hour. Then tonight, the girls, especially Lya, were manic; she read her autobiography to Lorena that she has prepared for school, and its presentation is very close to real time...] However, the call was great.
Roberto was Lorena's nurse tonight. He told us that Lorena can now roll both her arms around on the little therapy skateboard. [This is a little skateboard-like device to which one of her arms is strapped as she sits at the table. She can now move both arms (probably pulling them in toward her because that is easier.) That, again, is great news.
He said that she is doing great and has been laughing constantly. Roberto is a great one to know laughing, and he will be a wonderful companion for her. Extremely personable and with a great sense of humor, he will keep her on her toes mentally, and laughing has to be great exercise for her as well as being good for her spirit.
We were blessed by a load of laughs tonight. One of Stephanie's friends is very gay. He is a really nice guy, president of his class, etc., but definitely of a different persuasion. Anyway, as class president, he is expected to go to his senior prom, so he asked Steph if she would be his date. She quickly agreed, and she and Lya had a blast with Mommy telling stories about Taco (his nickname.) [I was rewarded with a huge laugh from Lorena when I suggested that he was a soft Taco. I probably got some demerits in my book of life as well...] The first time Lya met him, he had brought Stephi home and asked Lya if they had some hairspray. Lya couldn't find any, but he found a can of conditioner, so he tried to spike his hair with it -- without success. Lya found some other goop they use, so he tried it, but, again, it didn't meet his approval. He told Lya that what he really needed was some hair gel.
Aha!!! Lya went and got the get they had bought to spike Max's mohawk. [My mouth was hanging open throughout this discussion. I certainly did not know that I had paid for gel to spike a stupid poodle's mohawk!!!] However, she brought the gel, which apparently fit the bill perfectly. The girls were whooping and hollering throughout the story, and Lorena's laughter was a beautiful accompaniment. Apparently, at first Taco was reluctant to use poodle gel, but the girls pointed out to him that it made Max look GREAT and Max really liked it -- and Max is a boy, too...
Both of the girls started reminiscing with Lorena. Both of them had to tell Mommy what reminds them of her. Stephie said the big Mommy reminder for her is dill; it reminds her of Mommy and spring. We always raised dill in the garden and in planters in the kitchen, and Lorena used it constantly. She would make Turkish cucumbers in yogurt with dill on it, tomatoes with lime juice and dill, salsa with lots of dill and cilantro, dried shrimp salad with plenty of fresh dill -- and I am salivating so that I can hardly type.
[I told Lorena that just the smell of good cooking reminds me of her, and the girls quickly and very graciously pointed out that I sure don't get many of those mnemonic triggers around this house. Brats!!!]
Lya started then on White Diamonds perfume (Lorena's favorite.) My little raconteurs then started remembering all different kinds of things and discussing them with Lorena, and I just had a roller coaster ride down memory lane. It really was great to remember the good times and to hear Lorena -- and my girls -- laugh so hard and so much.
Roberto told us that some day he will come to Texas to see us. We told him he had to bring Lorena with him. We reminded him again that our house is his. We owe him and all the nurses and therapists more than we can ever repay.
Lya then began reading her autobiography. Interminably. It was great, but it was LONG. Finally, I told her it was going to have to be a serial, with the next installment coming next phone call. Lorena and we really enjoyed the conversation, though, and she is sounding better each time we call.
Lorena would definitely appreciate this obituary sent by Herb and Marion Wooten. (Herb, I apologize for never posting your D-Day photo. It has gotten mixed in with some of our other photos, and I am going to have to find it again...)
Obituary:
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Mr. Common Sense.
Mr. Sense had been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how
old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic
red tape.
He will be remembered as having cultivated such value lessons as knowing
when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm and
that life isn't always fair. Common Sense lived by simple, sound
financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable
parenting strategies (adults, not kids, are in charge).
His health began to rapidly deteriorate when well intentions but
overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a six-year-old
boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens
suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher
fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
Mr. Sense declined even further when schools were required to get
parental consent to administer aspirin to a student; but, could not
inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an
abortion.
Finally, Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments
became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received
better treatment than their victims.
Common Sense finally gave up the ghost after a woman failed to realize
that a steaming cup of coffee was hot, she spilled a bit in her lap, and
was awarded a huge financial settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust, his
wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He
is survived by two stepbrothers; My Rights and Ima Whiner.
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.
Comments (5)
Michael,
This is cousin Jean again. Thank you and everyone who has prayed for our grand nephew, little J.E Davis. We got a call from his grandmother, who is Dave's sister, that they were going to Little Rock to take J.E. and his mother home for the week-end. He has to go back on Monday to see if one place has grown back together.. We hope and pray that it has. He had bright yellow cast put on and is getting around with a children's walker. I believe in miracles and in a God that produces miracles every day.
Love, Cousin Jean
Michael, how I love this post! First, the reminiscences of happier times with Lorena, then the great humor with which you and your daughters still conduct your lives ( and Lorena too, she must have always had a great sense of humor, if she can laugh so much at a time when life may not be such a merry companion, for her).
Second, the take on common sense!!!! Hilarious! And true, unfortunately.........the last line hits a really hard punch.............!!!!!!
:):)
Thanks for all of your encouraging words. I hope Lorena continues to improve and come home soon! I too have learned to ignore what the experts have to say.... they don't take in account personal motivation. I'm sure Lorena is motivated to get well and get back to the daily tasks we take for granted...like cooking with dill and making memories for her children.
Keep the Faith
AMY
I am so glad that you all are still having so much fun with life. You and your family are a continual inspiration to me...
You write very well by the way. You seem to get through the very feelings of what is going on in your life...
I loved the comman sense thingy also!
Sorry i havn't posted in a while. Busy with getting one into college and one out of college. I don't know if I am coming or going anymore. I am glad to hear of your great converstaion with Lorena. I use to wear white diamond perfume too. Now it is usually Red Door. Common Sense is definantely a thing of the past. Poor kids these days...not too many examples to go by so they make up their own rules. My last lesson I gave in church included reminding them to think of something they stood for and why...It was so sad that most of them could not answer this question. I am thankful to have fairly intelligent daughters. sometimes they make questionsable choices but usually after thinking about things they make the right choice. They having me sweating it out until the end sometimes though. I am proud of them as you are of your girls. You are a great example to them. God Bless you all. Extra hugs for Lorena.
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