Memories....

So much has happened in the last few weeks". Richard went home from the hospital after 5 days on a catheter. They never found what was causing the bleeding but they changed blood thinners and that has helped. He sees the urologist on Monday and will probably schedule a cystoscope.

My Great-Uncle Gene passed away.  He was my grandmother, Nana's baby brother. There were 7 Goodridge siblings born to my Grampy and Granny Goodridge. They came from Robstown to Alvin when my Uncle was just 2 years old. The rest, Annetta, Marjorie , Harriet (Nana), Bea, Richard and Ross were born in that order I believe. I kept thinking they were all waiting  with my Aunt. Frankie to welcome him home. There was surely a big party to have their baby with them. Each one of these siblings had an impact on me growing up. Our family was Methodist and church and Sunday's were family time. Before I can remember, I was told about Granny's fried chicken lunches at the old homestead in Alvin. After church you were required to be at Grannys. One story I remember is after my mom and dad started dating. Dad invited mom to a Sunday lunch. Of course she was nervous. Just think how many people were there on any given Sunday. So my Mama Poke made one of her famous Chocolate meringue pies for mom to take to Grannys. Mama Poke was very proud of her pies. Dad had the pie as they walked to the car. As he  went to put the pie on the back floorboard for safe keeping the pie flipped over and landed splat on its top on the floorboard. Mama Poke was standing g on the porch waving goodbye and mom said, "just get in the car and wave."  So off they drove with a ruined pie In the back. Mama Poke never knew the Goodridges didn't get a taste of that beautiful pie. I have so many memories that flood my mind when I think about these aunts and uncles and their families.  Aunt Netta and uncle Dewey were the sweetest most loving, Aunt Marjorie and Uncle Cliff would invite me to their home and we would spend hours baking her famous cookies, Aunt Bea and Uncle Lester had a load of kids that I loved seeing and playing with, Uncle Richard and Aunt Bernice lived in a high-rise in Houston during the oil boom, Uncle Ross and Eleanor were so much fun and they had the best personalities and Uncle Gene and Aunt Frankie had a parrot on their front porch that we were in awe of. So many memories from childhood that I will forever have in my heart.

I haven't spent much time doing anything the past few weeks except sit, assist, listen and love Richard. I have started having a lot of memories of our life together. It's so hard to watch my tall, dark haired, blue eyed love of my life detioriatating. He says he feels ok but I see him struggling to breathe, walk and eat. Easter Sunday is one of the few times a year he goes to church with the kids and I. This year he had just been let go from the hospital and he wasn't sure he could make it.  So we went without him. It was an emotional decision for us. I am so glad my friend, Janet made us a delicious lunch so I didn't have to cook. I haven't cooked a lot during this. I pray that we can get through the next three rounds of chemo and we can make some more good memories.

Philippians 1:3. I thank my God in all my remembrance of you.

Dear Lord I pray that the memories I hold so dear will stay in my mind. I ask that your will be done with Richards health and he is healed enough for the two of us to make many more happy memories in Your Name, Amen.