WHEN YOU BECOME THE PARENT

This blog will be a little different from any I have done. It's 2am in the morning and my insomnia is worse than ever but my author mind is sharp!

I have been a parent five times over and loved every single minute of it. OK; well except for the potty training, the projectile vomit and the flu running rampant in the house for three years in a row. Except for all of that; I loved every minute of it.

This time it is a little different. I'm a parent, to MY parents. My dad is a strong, and strong willed man but he is now 79 years old. My mom is a vibrant and sassy woman; who just happens to be 87. (Yes, she was a cougar back in her day)

Now they need more. More than I or even they, thought they would. My mom has lost 85% of her eyesight and 70% of her hearing. She has had both hips replaced and suffers with circulatory problems in her feet; which cause they to swell like stuffed sausages.

My dad just recently had to have eye surgery and suffers from severe neck pain; caused by a fracture in four of his vertebrae about three years ago.

So, they depend on me for a lot and at first I didn't' think I could handle it.

Let me explain. I'm an author; I do that very well. I know how to market and I know how to push myself to the limits. I know how to publicly speak and I know how to get things done.

When my father asked me to accompany them to a DAV (+Disabled American Veterans) function this past week in  Atlanta, I didn't hesitate to say yes. After all, spending time with my parents is always great.

What I didn't know was that they would need LOTS of help. My mom needs assistance standing, walking, eating, and other things that I won't go into. My dad, although mobile, has to help my mom but also has a hard time standing, walking, and doing basic things for himself.

Imagine going on vacation and having the room next door where you become the room service person for 24 hours of a day.

Here's the thing: I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT.

I felt like now was the time I could give back. Now was the time I could help the people who have supported me, helped me and guided me through life. Now was the time that I could say, THANK YOU, without hearing; "We were supposed to do that because we were your parents." Now was my time to become a PARENT to my parents.

And you know what, I love it. I found myself opening up the connecting door just to check on them in the middle of the night. I found myself racing around when I thought they needed something. I made sure they ate before I ate. I made sure they were comfortable before I was.

My parents are THE best and I will be their eyes, ears, chauffeur and cook for as long as they will have me.  This is time I will cherish with them.

Priceless Moments



(left-right)
Sonny 85, Ginny 70
Harold, 72, Flora 85



For the past month I have had the pleasure of getting to know the parent's of +Austin Camacho.

Mr. Sonny and Mrs. Ginny are two of the funniest people, well besides my parents; that I know.

They welcomed me into their family with open arms but also with open hearts.

I learned so much from them but the main thing I learned was that life is to precious to 'rush around' doing things.

Mr. Sonny said, "if life was meant to be rushed, we would all be dead."

Truer words were never spoken. Mr. Sonny is 85 years young and his son just turned 60. Austin is the spitting image of his father and they have an unspoken love for one another that does not need words. It is in the laugh or the joke that they share.

Outward appearances don't matter, what matters is what is inside of a person's heart.

Mrs. Ginny is a funny, energetic woman who loves every creature. Her little dog Cuddles, is a little ball of fur with just enough teeth to eat but loves to go 'for a walk'. Mrs. Ginny fashioned a bird feeder from Cuddle's empty dog food containers and now we have "Red" and her companion coming to our backyard every day looking for seeds.

The deer also made fast friends with Mrs. Ginny because she bought them carrots. Image that! They came looking for grass or whatever they eat and hit the jackpot!

They (Mr. Sonny and Mrs. Ginny) drove here from Florida and arrived on March 28th and sadly they left on Monday after being here for a month. My heart was heavy but I was also happy to have gotten to know two more beautiful people.

My parents and Mr and Mrs Ginny are around the same age and I treasure the older generation.

I just hope that one day the younger generation realizes what they have if they still have their grandparents around; #priceless moments.