Annual Cleaning of the Closet - Mom's Apartment

My mother almost died a few years ago. She has some short term memory loss and some physical limitations from that accident. Click here for part one of that post. Click here for part two of that post.

A year ago, we cleaned out her closet, fixed any clothes needing mending and getting rid of those that didn't fit. Click here for that post.

This past weekend, I rounded up some of my siblings and we went up again and I purchased some new clothes for her. We washed everything in the apartment. We tried on all the clothes she had. Whatever didn't fit, we got rid of. Whatever needed mending, we took care of that.

My brother showed up again and cleaned her bathroom. I put an ad on a Christian website looking for someone to go to my mothers twice a week and help her get into the shower as she isn't steady on her feet and while there, do her washing and straighten up the place.

I was blessed to find a woman who has done this for years. We met and my mother felt very comfortable around her. I had a younger girl apply but I think the more experienced person will be able to help my mother knowing her needs having had a similar patient in the past.

We have worked out the details and best schedule for them both and I am thrilled as being three hours one way from my mother makes it hard to keep up with her needs.

My younger sister and I went up early on Saturday and worked all day with no breaks until 2 a.m. 17 straight hours and then I had to gas up, pick up my kids and drive home arriving almost 24 hours after heading to my mom's that Saturday morning. I couldn't sleep well the night before so I was VERY tired arriving home.

I missed out on going to a play with the girls that we have wanted to go to for some time but I knew my mom really needed this and now that the place is clean and all her clothes are in good shape, this woman can keep up on the house and care for my mother and next time, should we have a big day, hopefully we can clean out and sort the rest of the stuff in her two storage closets and then perhaps it won't be so much to deal with later.

I still have bins of cassette tapes to listen to and thousands of news articles to organize and scan but this is just one more step to accomplishing that.

I keep thinking I need to spend the time at my house on my stuff scanning my kids pictures and pruning my trees etc as I hope I don't leave my kids with so much to deal with when I am old. I know though that I need to honor and respect the mother that shaped me and helped me become the mother that I am and helped me shape the daughters that I have to become the mothers they are and will be.

She was amazing and is amazing and has done more in her life than anyone I have ever met personally. She truly has shaped the world in amazing ways speaking to thousands and touring the world and I pray that I can always treat her with the respect she deserves.

I arrived home at just before six a.m. to find that the power was off in my neighborhood so I took a shower by flashlight and climbed into my bed exhausted.

My mother was the best she has been in years yesterday and didn't complain once allowing me to sort and get rid of things that before would have upset her. She got out of bed crying and hugged us and thanked us as we left at 2 a.m. last night. She called me today thanking me as she got up and everything was so clean and she said she was so thrilled to look in her closet and see new clothes with the tags still on them asking if I had put them in there.

I laughed as I explained to her that I had her try on a bunch of new clothes yesterday while we were there. Funny that she could remember we came and cleaned but couldn't remember I bought her new clothes and that she tried them on. Interesting what she sorts to remember, not quite sure how she remembers what she does but it was the first time in years that she didn't ask me how my grandchildren are and how many I have which is even funnier now that I actually do have one. :-)  

I took out three or four bags of clothes and sheets etc and gave her more clothes and new bathroom mats, towels, vacuum etc.

I got her new bedding last year and gave away the quilt but kept the floral sheets I got her. She LOVES her flowers so I actually bleached her bedspread in a garbage can letting it soak as the laundry room only has a small sink and the washers won't let you stop the load for it to soak but it worked out well and she is happy with her bright pink bathroom and her floral sheets and bedding.

She sent me home with a picture she has tried to give me for a few years now that she got in Czech and since we went there a few years ago for a museum grand opening where she was the VIP, she wanted me to have it. Click here for part one of that trip. Part two here. Part three here. She gave my sister a few things as well and we are just happy to clean out the house of more stuff.

My favorite part of the day was about every hour or two, I would find a penny or coin. I found one that morning getting ready at my sisters. I found one after the first few hours under the coke machine near the laundry room in her building and found one or two every few hours while cleaning her house. I gave gratitude to my Heavenly Father that I could be reminded to "trust Him" as I honored my mother. I was getting tired without breaks and working such long hours but being so far away, I knew whatever I didn't get done that day would be at least six months in waiting for me to get back and get it done so I worked long and hard but it was great to get those little reminders that I was on the right track.

 I am so grateful that my siblings came along to help. Two of my other brothers took her car and we paid to get it detailed and they got a few knobs fixed and extra keys made etc. I put an alarm to remind me when the inspection and registration is due so we can keep up on that as well. 

I am grateful for my parents and I loved that my mother complimented my step-mother several times through the day saying how lucky we were to have her in our lives and how my step-mother had given my mom a lovely card for her birthday. How wonderful that I have have two such amazing examples of Mothers in my world. I LOVE them both and I am truly blessed.