I took the Nativity Set out to the garage. Mom said she was glad the family went home because it was awfully cold for them to be outside.  She did say she missed them, though.

It is so frustrating to have mom remember such trivial things like what she likes for breakfast and forget the more important things like who her kids are. Many days now she asks who I am when I call on the phone. Sometimes, she does so when I visit. What's even more sad is that she knows something is happening to her and she tries to keep you from knowing. She says things like "I was just checking to see what you would say…" or laughing when you answer - since then she already has her answer.

Mom has gone way beyond the color coding of her dead bolt and front door lock. She's gone beyond the needing reminders and writing the top 3 called phone numbers on her trash can next to her chair. She's gone beyond not understanding how to turn her TV on and off without the little slip of paper taped above the buttons telling her what to do….

I wish I had a little piece of paper telling me what to do. I do not want to be the person that has to make a decision about her car, the timing for her to move to a nursing home, or finding her gone. I don't want any of it but sometimes we don't get what we want…. so I will continue to be a phone book thief, chief cook and bottle washer, repetitive question answerer, and daughter as long as I can and as long as she is safe because I do love my Mom.