It is hard to bounce back when you are 86 years old from pnuemonia, or from any illness for that matter. Mom has been very blessed with good health thru the years! Actually, this is the first time she has been in the hospital, and not took home a "baby"! That was 51 years ago, when she had my youngest sister! Pretty incredible, I'd say! But, oh boy, she was really ready to go home after eight days in the hospital battling pnuemonia! As we all know, you do not get much rest in a hospital, what with all the interruptions from being checked, poked, and prodded! So being home now Mom, is getting a little stronger each day as she heals.
What an incredible inspiration she has been in all our lives! My sister, Donna, that lives in Wyoming, was here for a visit just before Mom got ill. We made the trip to the cemetery in Rosevine, where our Dad, 2 brothers, my daughter, my grandparents, and many other family members are buried. It was a gorgeous sunny day and this is a photo with Mom and all five of us girls and our brother, Don, while we were standing at the graves of Lyndon and Roger, two more of our brothers.
I am so incredibly blesssed to still have my Mom with us! It's been almost five years since we lost Tom's Mom and we still miss her and think of her often. She too was a wonderful inspiration in Tom's family, so kind-hearted and always had a cheerful smile and a kind word for everyone.
My "walking buddy", Mary Ann. and I began the new year with a "long walk"! Several of our other Saddlebag women friends joined us for all or part of the 15 miles that we walked! I was amazed by Lanette and Louise who went the entire distance, and Shari, who didn't think she could do but 4-5 miles, ended up walking 11.5 miles!! And Gill, who was our Trail Angel and support crew, walked over 5 miles, and had lunch waiting for us at the end! It was great fun on a splendid, cool day! Our miles walked were sponsored by friends and family, raising almost $1000 for a local charity, Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society. Our walk was dubbed the "1st Annual Saddlebags Stampede". I suppose that means we will do this again next year! What a great way to begin 2013, getting out and staying active! Life really is an ongoing adventure!
Lanette, Louise, Mary Ann, Shari, Erma
