My MOM! Our April visit.

Jeff and I spent several days visiting my mother in the Prairie Rose Assisted Living apartment where she has been living for over 6 months now.  She is doing so well and it is a very beautiful comfortable place for her as she is nearing 94 years old.  She can walk down to the dinning room everyday for her noon meal and also to get her mail.  She also has her own washer and dryer in her apartment and does her own laundry and housekeeping.  

My mother and I had hair appointment for a mother daughter perm date while we were there.  We had to drive about 40 miles to her regular hair dresser but it was a fun drive.   After the perm, we stopped at a cafe for noon meal.  What a fun outing for both of us.  Just like old time and my mother enjoyed seeing a lot of familiar country side and farm land.   

My mother and I after getting our hair permed.  

Below, it was her idea that we both look at each other. 

 I kind of like that picture. 

 My cousin Harriet and my sister-in-law came for a visit.  My mother loves to spend time with them as she was used to seeing them both almost daily when she lived at the farm.

 We all had such a good visit and even had coffee and cookies.  

 Angel also came to visit.  Angel is my brothers oldest child.    My mother is overjoyed every visit she gets from Angel or her other grandchildren.              
It was a good opportunity to get a picture with her and Angel and then with her and her daughter-in-law, Kathy.     I am not sure if they have ever had their pictures done with just them together.    

You can see the joy in my mothers eyes.
 I also was able to send her
 a copy of these pictures for Mothers Day.

 This is the outside of Prairie Rose and the next picture is the Prairie Rose from the inside .  This is the main door and the entrance to the dinning /activity room.  

 Each room has a window shelf in the hall that can be decorated by the residents.   This is my mothers window that she has decorated with bird things, pine cones and a old wood shingle from our barn that she painted a gold finch bird on. 

 This is the beautiful hall inside the Prairie Rose.  It is fashioned like a street that can be used for walking and exercise.  Lots of sturdy benches along the edge.  

 The Christmas tree stays up year round and is decorated according to the season.  You can see the pretty Easter Egg decorations still on the tree since it was just 2 weeks after Easter.  I would bet the tree is all pretty and patriotic now for Memorial Day until after 4th of July.

Angel gave this beautiful doll to my mother and she just love her.  It seems so real, like you should talk to her etc.                                                    
She lights up my mothers life.  I know that was one of the first things my mom told me when I had called shortly after Angel brought her for my mom.  
I bet this doll reminds my mom of Angel when she was a baby. 

 This little lamb was a Easter surprise for all the residents from one of the local churches.  It is such a cute idea and not that hard to make.  I just might use that craft item sometime for the Sunday school at the Reservation. 

"I am Jesus Little Lamb, ever glad at heart I am,
 for my Shepherd gently guides me, knows my needs and well supplies me, 
"loves me every day the same, even calls me by my name"

This is the coconut that I sent to mom when we were on vacation in Hawaii.   

We didn't open it since our daughters was not good inside.
 This is actually supposed to grow into a palm tree.
We will see what happens.  

 Here is my old stomping ground,  the farm that I was brought up and raised on.  My mother and dad lived their full 66 1/2 years marriage there.  The house is not the original,  it was built 40 years ago.   My dad lived his full 94 years on this farm.  I know he would love this picture.    

 This is a typical small ND town.  This is Michigan where my Grandma Hanssen lived and I remember many Sunday evenings that our family would go visit her.  We also had Aunts, Uncles, and cousins who lived there.  We always had a blast playing with our cousins. 

 Speaking about cousins,  one of my favorite cousins lives a few blocks from my mom's Prairie Rose apartment.  I always look forward to spending quality time with her when we visit mom.  We had so much fun doing our nails and adding fun stickers.  We even got the giggles, emotional and shared many memories.  

This is me with my younger cousin, LeeAnn.  We were not dressed fancy, nor did we have on makeup but we were smiling and enjoying each others company.  

 While we were at the Niagara area,  we took time to go visit the cemetery where my Dad, brother and many relatives are laid to rest.   It is a beautiful cemetery that is always well kept.   I took flowers for My dad's grave and a few others since I knew we could  not make it back for Memorial day.   

 I also took a few pictures of some of the newer head stones.  Below you can see that it has not been long sice my Aunt Phyllis was laid to rest.   This was my mothers youngest brother, Art.

 These were our neighbors just to the North of our farm.  This head stone is amazing with the engraving being done from original pictures of their farm house and of Herb with his horses. 

 These were other neighbors and members of our church.  I remember teaching the two youngest girls in Sunday School at St Andrew when I was a teenager.  

 These two graves are my dad's little sister Lenora and his brother Harm who would have been older then dad but he died at 9 months old. 

I have always loved those "BABY" head stones that have the "Jesus Little Lamb" on it.

This is my Grandma Anna Hanssen and Grandpa Seede Hanssen headstone.
 They also have named/dated foot stones.

My Grandma and Grandpa Behm head stone.  I had flowers but since the vase
 was still turned down I just put the flowers in the ground.  

 This is still hard to believe that my only sibling, Dale is been laid to rest here for almost 5 years.
I love the 3 little ducks.  I would think they are from his 3 grandchildren. 

 Not too far from my brothers grave, just a few to the North are my cousin Audrey who I miss very much and her husband Chuck who died close to 5 years after her.  I am sure he died of a broken heart.  I am so thankful to have had many enjoyable times with them both.  The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.  He loves us all and know's our future and the perfect timing for our lives.  We know the time will come when our work will be done and we will all be laid to rest somewhere, we also know that because of His promise and paid price (with his blood)  for our sins, that we will enjoy eternity in heaven with Jesus and those we love who also believe and were baptized.  

I will end with this beautiful view of my cousin Ray's farm,  well maybe not much of his farm but the old windmill brings back many fond memories of time spent with cousins and my Aunt and Uncle on this farm.  It is a good thing to enjoy fond memories.