back in the swing (literally)

You know when you pull up in the driveway after a long roadtrip? That's what it feels like to have mom at home again, a sense of "ahhh, at last."

She's been doing laps around the living room, and she's documenting everything she eats or takes and when and how much. Aunt Lorie and mom have even nicknamed the meds--"oxie (for pain); "comps" (for naseau). I'm wondering what she'll call the fish oil she's started taking...

Last night, mom sat outside on the front porch swing in her nightgown. I stood behind her and massaged her shoulders; they ache. We didn't talk a whole lot before Nathan called, but we had just enough time to take a breath or two together.

She's already talking about how she and dad may need to adapt and change their lifestyle. "It's not like I want to pickup and go to New Zealand," she says, but there's some shift she's feeling . I tell her I expect her to spend more time on the porch swing. Maybe we'll even outfit it with some cushions and an outdoor heater, I say. She visualizes a cup of hot cocoa in her hands.

It's a peaceful picture.

Valarie