Nurse Cinderella in Chicago

I finally got my mini-vacation!!! Well, at least I got away for a day or so. Mom and I went to Chicago to pick Grandma up from Aunt Sally's house. Grandma has been in Chicago, very sick, back and forth between the hospital, a rehabilitation center and Aunt Sally's house for the last 6 weeks. Mom and I drove down Saturday morning. We stopped in Battle Creek to visit my high school friend and see her new baby. Then we stopped to check out exactly what the chocolate garden was. Let me tell you. It is a small building that charges a lot of money for a very small amount of chocolate. We immediately left telling ourselves that we were diet coke and m&m girls, not truffles and wine ladies. So onto Chicago we went. When we first got there we "checked into" our accommodations. We stayed at my mom's cousin's house. She was so kind to let us crash there despite her being away. THAT was a treat. She has a MEGA-mansion. OK, she has a quaint 20,000 square foot home. Yes - I said 20,000! It was so beautiful. Totally not for me - who could clean it? (3 cleaning ladies.) But, oh.....what a wonderful place to visit. I can hardly wait to go back!! *hint, hint* I felt like Cinderella (without the housework) in my bedroom. The bed in my room was so high, I could have used a ladder to get in. The top of the bed was at the line of my belly button. I mean this was REALLY TALL!!!! The bed was beautiful, every piece of furniture in the room was beautiful, there were floor length draperies that totally reminded me of Cinderella. I lay in the bed, snuggled in warm covers, head resting on fluffy pillows, and watching "The Dukes of Hazard". Could it have gotten any better? My kids were totally impressed by the flat screen on my bedroom wall. They wanted one too. Too bad.

However, I have gotten ahead of myself. I had much more night before bed. After touring this amazing home, we got back in the car (also spoiled by driving Grandma's Lincoln MKX) and drove to Aunt Sally's. After a little "old lady confusion" we were finally let into the building. Mom was on the building phone with Aunt Sally and her cell phone with Grandma, who were both in the same room. Oy vey! Grandma looked much better than I expected but she still didn't look well. The MSU game was on TV, in fact, it was on 3 TVs (2 of which were nearly in the same room - from the chair I was in I could watch both). Aunt Sally cracked us up by pacing while she watched the game and talking to her dog, Sadie, about the plays. Later we ate pizza and played cards. It was so much fun to watch Grandma and Aunt Sally together. They would talk about some random obscure thing, then get back into the game and talk smack to each other. Aunt Sally "knew" Grandma would always collect 4s and Grandma "knew" that before Aunt Sally sat down she would make sure she had the scorecard and pen by her. I loved watching and listening to them. Later, they would bicker back and forth about Grandma's pills (I even got this on video). I am smiling now just thinking about them. I love old people!!!

Coming home this morning we had a bed in the back of the car for Grandma. I was driving and Mom was tending to Grandma. We stopped for lunch, but had to eat on the run - no getting out. Mom had just handed Grandma her lunch and I was trying to get back on the expressway. I realized quite late that the entrance was on the opposite side of the road from where I thought it was and had to "quickly" get over. Grandma rolled around the back of the car saying "I'll remember this when you are in the back of the car with a tube sticking out of you". Can you picture it now? Laughing hard again. Then we had to pull over on the side of the expressway so Mom and I could switch, because Grandma wanted me to rub her back. That was fun - the switching. It made Grandma laugh a little. As I rubbed her back I prayed for her. I just want her to get better. To feel strong and healthy. I was so honored to be able to be there and to be able to do something that helped her. After I rubbed her back, I climbed back into the front, grabbed my Bible and started reading - out loud. Not real sure why - maybe because it was Sunday and we did not go to church. I read a Psalm, then a Proverb. Then Grandma asked where I was reading from and when I told her Proverbs, she asked me to read another one. That made me so happy. I love God's Word. And I love to read it out loud.

Although it was a short trip, it was great! I totally expected my family to be happy to see me. Grace greeted me at the door. Greg and Jacob completely ignored me when I walked in. And Jadyn and Grant were sleeping, and when they woke up really didn't want anything to do with me. I was a little bummed. A little bit ago, I was talking to Mom and she said Grandma said "I wish Michelle was here". Mom asked why and Grandma said she wanted her back rubbed. At least someone wants me.