This morning it was raining! This is good news for Michigan as it has been very dry. We went to church where my youngest uncle (Mom's baby brother who is 71) worships, and the pastor gave many thanks for the rain. It was a good service and after coffee, Cathy and I changed and drove around downtown. The original mall is under some construction and there not many places open. We parked at the hospital, walked past the library, found a street sign with my name on it, and had almost given up at finding any stores open, when we walked in a Nature type store that also had souvenirs.

Cathy chatted with the lady about people in common and we got "Yes, there really is a Kalamazoo" shirts. We then drove past our old house, stopped for lunch, and visited with Mom for the afternoon. I scored us some tea, we looked at lots of photographs, and listened to music, and hung up my picture of the birds made from seashells. When it was time for her dinner, we took her over to a table and I told one of the caretakers about her photo album with pictures from her party yesterday. While I spoke with her, I looked over and saw Mom with her hands folded in front of her, and chatting away with her neighbor across the table. I know her neighbor had no idea what she said, but it didn't matter, because none of the residents communicates very well. It was fun to see Mom interacting, because she can't speak, since her stroke in 1998, and many of the residents have some form of aphasia or Alzheimers.

However, it was one final gift for me and Cathy, just to see mom, with an normal expression on her face as if she were at someone's home chatting with her friend. It was so neat to see the old mom, and to know she is in a good place, because she is basically sociable and likes people. It helps to know she is in a great place with people that take good care of her and that my brothers are close by, as well as my uncle. May God grant her many more years.