NORM!!!

Have you ever entered a place and felt immediately welcomed because, well "everyone knows your name?" That's what it must be like to be Brayden.  My grandmother moved into an assisted living facility two months ago.  We visit often, as we are her caregivers.  When Brayden walks through the door, all eyes light up and everyone yells.....BRAYDEN as a greeting.  He smiles and waves to everyone.  In typical Norm fashion, he doesn't stop to chitchat, he just proceeds to his usual location.  Last door on the right he chants as he hikes down the hall.  He bursts through the door without knocking with my scolding going unnoticed each and every time.  That will bite him in the rear sometime in his future, I just know it.  He hugs her, plays with her arm fat (yes you read that right).  I've tried over the years to teach him that is rude, but it's their "thing."  He does it to her, then she does it back to him.  He then jumps up on her bed, kicks off his shoes and lounges on her pillows until it's time to leave.  He is comfortable there and has asked me many times to just let him stay the night.  She pleads with her eyes as well.  It's hard to tell them both that that is not allowed.  So I make myself the bad guy and say, no, that's not a good idea.  You might get scared and I won't be able to come back and get you because the door will be locked.  We visit for as long as we can and then back down the hall we go.  Usually everyone is back in their rooms for the evening, so we hear "Bye Brayden" echoing down the hall coming from each of the rooms.  I think they leave their doors open just to say goodbye to him.  It's sweet and funny all at the same time.  I love going there with him.  It makes my heart smile.  If you visit a nursing home enough times, you too can be just as popular as "Norm."

Job Schmob...

Again from the back seat.  Boy my car would be so boring without a back seat!  Brayden asked, "Mommy, who was my mommy before you?"  "Well Brayden, I've always been your mommy."  "No, when you were little, who was my mommy?"  "Well buddy, you weren't here when I was little, so when God gave me you, I was your first and only mommy."  Brayden sighed and looked very disappointed.  "What's wrong buddy?" "Well, I want two mommies and two daddies."  "Why do you want two?," I asked nervous of his response. Well that way the extra mommy could go to work and you could stay with me. We'd have a lot of fun together and you wouldn't have to hurry all the time.  As my heart broke into a million pieces...I contemplated for the first time in a very long time, where we could cut back so I could quit my "extra" job and just do the one that God gave me.  :(