Watching Your Family Age

I just got back from Michigan after taking care of my elderly grandmother.  She was in a rehabilitation center for a fall back in March that resulted in a broken hip/hip surgery. 

It is hard to see my Grandma in such a fragile state.  I've always seen her as such a fighter and for sure I think my mom and I got that from her.  I remember looking up at my grandparents when I was young and thinking I wanted to be as tall as them.  Hello! I was taller than them by the time I was in high school.  Maybe even younger than that.  LOL.

This visit was my way of connecting with my Grandma more.  We do butt heads a lot on things as I know she does with most of my family.  We enjoyed some nice conversations with each other.  I know I didn't get a chance to do so with my Grandpa before he passed back in July 2008. Heck my husband knows more stories from my Grandpa than I did.  What's up with that? 

I think it's important to pass down stories and I miss that I didn't find out more from my mom before she passed.  Our family on both sides, between my husband and I, have both dwindled significantly.  Heck 3 people from our wedding have passed in less than 5 years.  It's scary to look at pictures and think back to that day and realize they aren't around anymore.

I was spared seeing my mother age.  She was such a little spitfire up until the day she died.  That's the way I would want to be remembered.  That's the hardest part of aging.  I can't imagine living to 83 like my Grandma Goetz, but 93 like my Grandma Selleck?  Yikes!  That woman still goes to Florida every Winter and remembers birthdays.  She had a double knee replacement few years back and still looks like a million bucks. 

As my family dwindles, it makes me wish more kids were around and that we had stayed more together.  I think of how much better mom would've been had she moved here sooner.  I hope that as we grow older, we share more with each other, so we have something to pass down to our kids.  Too many memories get lost in the shuffle.

I love my family and wish us all the best!