At Oma's House

Going to Oma's house is always fun, no matter what any other family says. Sure it's hot and the smell of stuffy smoke sometimes worsens your condition but I think Oma has the potential to (be not what she used to be but) function better. Sure she complains and is stubborn sometimes but how is that any different than her previous state. I think that's what makes her HER and we can't deny that most of the family have inherited some degree of those traits (whether we choose to admit it or not =] ). She is still funny as always and jokes around. I love my Oma and think taking care of Oma and any elderly in our lives is a lot like gardening. It takes patience, warmth, care and attention. With both plants and people, the results may vary. Like plants, people need different things. One person may need more or less of a certain trait, but a lack of any will leave you with both an unhappy plant and person.

However, I am not dismissing how emotionally draining this can be. Today, my mom and I took her to the Chinese buffet we like to take her to. At the end of lunch we got fortune cookies. Mine read, "You will bring sunshine into someone's life this week". I asked Oma if I had brought sunshine into her life this week. She said "Well the week's not over. You will have to bring more".

We came home and they were knitting on the couch. After we showed her a picture of the family, she said she cried so hard when Opa died then turned to my mom. She said quietly, in clear English, "I hope I did a good job with you guys, raising you." To hear that just breaks my heart. I think about the whole family and can't believe she would even say something like that. She and Opa brought six children to America, working the family out of a motel and the projects so that their children can become doctors and lawyers. The three thriving generations after her is a testament to how well she was/is as a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

I will continue to bring sunshine to Oma's life as long as she is still with us. It is a rollercoaster ride with a few dips and I really wish her situation was better, but since we have to work with what we've got, I will shine on.

I would like to dedicate this post to Uncle Robert and my mom who are so good with Oma. As my parents get older, I only hope I will be as good with them as they are with Oma.