October 23 – “MeeMaw Comes Home”

What an interesting start this day brought.  It was cold!  In Galveston.  It was around 48 degrees, I heard.  We were scrambling.  We no longer had those long sleeved t-shirts from past Disciple-Now's or even a sweatshirt from Denver that we could work in.  We had our trusty blue jeans, though.  And we each finally found a jacket.  Chris found one she had salvaged and washed four or five times.  It doesn't smell any more.  I found a "refugee windbreaker" that really served the purpose for me.  It wasn't cold enough to wear the "Coat for Christ."   (That's right.  I was also given a coat that had a tag on the zipper indicating that it was a "Coat for Christ" given by a church in Denton.  How it got clear down here to Galveston, I have no idea).   Anyway, once we started working at the house, we didn't need it.  My task for the day was to remove ceiling and insulation from the walk-in closet and the laundry room.  It was a nasty job.  Insulation itches.  When I finished that, I started back on scraping the kitchen floor.  So far it had taken the better part of three days on that floor – three layers.  The top one was linoleum, the other two were some kind of tile – probably asbestos (Just kidding, EPA.  Or whoever checks those things).  We finished scraping the tiles in the closet earlier – well, Chris finished the job, and was quite proud of it.  Then, when there was just a football sized patch of tile left, I "admitted" that I was whipped – through for the day.  And Chris came through.  Once again she finished the scraping job.  What a woman!   We had a pretty exciting text message from Nathan about half-way through the kitchen.  He was at work.  It said, "The guys at work say we're green."  Now, in Galveston at this particular time in history, that is one of the best pieces of news anyone can deliver.  I felt quite "cutting-edge" as well to have received it via text message.  But Green means we are now eligible for building permits.  We can move ahead!  We can rebuild.  Bring on the insurance money!   As great as that news was, though, the best part of our day today had to be when Mom arrived on Sycamore for the first time since we evacuated way back last month.  We knew she was coming.  She spent the night with her best friends, Betty and Mildred, and today they planned to tour the island together, starting with Sycamore.  She hugged us a little tighter than usual, and held on a little longer than usual.  But then, so did we.  We have missed her.  She's the rest of our family.  She told us my brother had fixed up a room for her in Houston so we wouldn't have to worry about her.  OK, so we won't worry, but that doesn't make us want her to come home any less.  We told her about the house in Omega Bay that had plenty of room for her and even an elevator if she needed it.  W also let her know that Jachin and Micah ask, "Where's MeeMaw? Every time we see them.  We really appreciate all that my brother and sister-in-law have done, and I know Mom does, too.  But I think she just wants to come home – or as close to it as she can get.  Hopefully all that will work out very soon after we move Monday.  Check out this verse that came to mind after today:   Psalms 34:1-3, 8 – "I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.  My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.  Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him."   Father, thank you for the chance to see Mom today.  Thank you for letting me be the one to walk through her house with her and hear her "Oh, no's" and "Oh, my goodness'es."  Thank you for her hugs.  And thank you for your hugs, too.  Amen.