Traveling and visiting friends or relatives is exciting and we often spend a great deal of time anticipating the fun, the fellowship, even the challenge–depending on our plans. Sometimes we leave home for less exciting situations such as tragedy, funerals, medical situations or hospital stays.
Our daughter needed gallbladder surgery in January. Not a crisis, but a medical procedure that needed to be done for her health and wellbeing. Once scheduled, she turned to us for help. She’d been told that after surgery she couldn’t lift much and that included her wriggly, growing baby girl. At 11 months, Ellery was an armful. Kurt would be with Cassie the day of surgery but otherwise had to work.
We were, of course, ready to help out in anyway possible. We would be staying with Cassie and Kurt so no hotel reservations were required. I did pack some food products for our tastes and allergies to supplement what Cassie offered. Had to decide what to bring and what to leave in food and clothes, etc. After all, it was Winter and who knows which way the weather would turn during the week away.
We stepped into the open dining-living room area and focused in on our youngest grandchild’s smile. Ellery has a smile that just doesn’t quit. She brightens up a room better than sunlight. We didn’t view helping out as a chore but as a blessing. We were getting to spend not minutes, or hours, but days with our little baby girl.
Cassie had her surgery and was home the same day. Kurt brought her in and she promptly went to bed. The next few days while we took care of Ellery and often got our own meals, Cassie rested, slept and did what she could. She made sure to spend time with Ellery who simply lights up in Momma’s presence.
We slept in the basement and, with the storm that blew in midweek, I wished I’d brought warmer sweaters or more clothes for layering. We were thankful for a firm mattress and warm blankets. We loved spending time with our daughter and family and helping out. But when Sunday came, we packed everything up.
I stayed home with Cassie, while Kurt and Keith took Ellery with them to church. They brought home lunch. Hard to leave and yet Cassie was on the road to healing. Time to say our goodbyes and head home.
No matter the reason for leaving home, there is something special about coming home again. However nice the accommodations, nothing is as satisfying as entering the house and relaxing in the comfort home provides. It is realizing home is not perfect, but we’ve made it ours, our own comfortable nest. However nice another bed, there is nothing like snuggling under your own covers and, after a long day of traveling home, going to sleep.
Traveling, vacations or visiting for fun or to help out, make life interesting, but as we discovered once again, “There’s no place like home.”
Published by Kearney Hub 2/26/2018
By Carolyn R Scheidies