endurance

i've been thinking a lot this week about "enduring to the end." it's a phrase i've heard a lot in my life, and after this weekend, i feel like i understand more what it means.

my sweet grandma was placed in a nursing home last week after contracting e coli (the lady never eats so i'm still not sure how that happened) and suffering a few falls. my grandpa has been pretty sick himself and hard as he's tried, he can't keep taking care of her.

we took my grandpa with us to visit my grandma this weekend and his face lit up as we walked in the room. grandma seemed to be in good spirits, joking with the nurses who were helping her and asking how we were doing. we helped her drink water and she said, "i've never tasted anything so wet and cold in my life." when she asked my grandpa how he's been doing, he replied, "i just miss you so much. i'm lonely all day." as i'm choking back the tears, grandma said, "well, i'd better give you a list of things to do, then!" it's just like her to make sure my grandpa doesn't have any idle time by giving him a list of projects to work on around the house.

when we left, my grandpa gave her a great big kiss and told her how much he loves her. she returned his sentiments, and as we left, my grandpa said, "it tore me up to have to put her here, but i know it's what we had to do." he thanked all the nurses as we walked out for helping his sweetheart get feeling better.

as a side note, i am extremely lucky that both sets of grandparents have had such an impact in my life. i grew up down the street from g + g allen and spent lots of time in their home. i will treasure memories of playing on their swingset that lifted out of the ground after a few swings, climbing the apple tree in the backyard, requesting grandpa's help for nearly every school project, and swimming at the natatorium with them. cliche as it may sound, i knew that my grandparents loved me because they gave me their time.

so what is enduring to the end? it's my grandma joking with her nurses at the nursing home. it's my grandpa telling her how much he loves her and sitting next to her bed to support her without having to say anything. it's blogs like this and this telling the story of families who have overcome tremendous hardships while finding "joy in the journey." as someone once said, life is to be enjoyed, not just endured. enjoy it.