Thursday, January 29, 2009

Who We Love Transforms Us

Part of the Create My Keepsake January kit includes the Amy Butler / K & Co Fabric tags. On one of the tags there is a quote that says, "What we choose Changes Us, Who we love Transforms Us, How we create Re-Shapes Us, What we do Remakes Us." This is a quote by Dr. Eugene Callender. I love this quote. I was particularly taken with the, "Who we love transforms us" part.

I love to see my kids spend time with Nan. I have such fond, fond memories of the summers that I spent with my grandparents. Reading Little House on the Prairie out on the front porch, picking huge bouquets of Zinnias with Nan, canning green beans and beets, picking gallons and gallons of blackberries and going for long walks in the evenings with her are just a small handful of the memories that I have of Nan. She transformed me. In so many ways. I really do believe that every person that we love in some way transforms us.

It saddens me to no end that my children will not have memories of Nan in the same way that I do. Going to visit Nan in the Alzheimer's Facility makes Breuklyn cry. She says that she just wants Nan to be the way that she used to be. "Why can't she just go home?" she asks me. It is so hard to explain to them what is happening to Nan. I can hardly wrap my head around it, how can I expect them to?

I treasure the small moments of happiness that we have with Nan. The hugs. The giggles. Somehow they seem to be able to pierce through her sadness and make her smile. Even though Nan doesn't recognize Paizlee, her memories of Breuklyn are stronger. I hope that Breuklyn, as her oldest great-granddaughter, will have a few happy memories of Nan as I did, as her oldest granddaughter.

10 comments:

Dria said...

Very sad how Alzheimer's steals our loved ones from us.
Beautiful lo.

Lal said...

I love that quote too! I'm going to have to remember it for a future LO. I love your lollipop flowers too! What great memories you have of Nan...so special that you have those special times with her. My kids don't really know my grandmother either. She's in a nursing home and they visit her, but they won't know her like we did.

Carmen O. said...

What a fabulous quote! I should add it to my quotes file. I wish my kids could have known my maternal grandparents too. Mitch was so young when he met my grandma and I was pregnant with Noah when she passed. It's gotta be hard on you, it's great that you're able to put a positive light to this disease. Your kids see that and will remember.

Daniela Dobson said...

Beautiful layout! I didn't get the kit this time around but it's beautiful. Congrats on the LOTD, again!

shopgirlaudi said...

Awww...Estee...that is a beautiful LO and a beautiful quote. I strongly believe that is true. The people who come into our lives (no matter the length of time) help make us into the people we are:) We must always remember to treasure every moment. That's the great thing about scrapping; documening it all:)

Audrey Pettit said...

So sorry! What a hard thing for you and your family to go through. Thank goodness you have so many wonderful memories. I never had this kind of relationship with any of my grandparents, so I think you are very lucky, even so.
Your page is just stunning!

Michelle said...

I just love that quote. I had to save it. This is a wonderful LO and so special. I am so sorry! This is such a hard thing to go thru. You have so many wonderful memories, and for that, you are lucky.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful layout...captures the beauty of the quote. Hope you don't mind if I "steal" it for a layout of my grandmother. Thanks for sharing not only the layout, but the memories and the heartache of Alzheimer's.

taryn said...

That IS a great quote; thank you for sharing it. A beautiful layout too. I have scrapped our similar situation (http://scrapbook.com/galleries/31307/view/1387725/-1/60/1.html), and feel the same way you do, Estee. It's so hard...but thank goodness we have those memories to treasure. *hugs* to you

Juliana Michaels 17turtles said...

I love this entire post...the LO, the journaling, the quote!
TFS!!!

and PS...I am so going to have to scraplift that design! :)