My Mother, My Hero

My mom is an incredible woman for many more reasons that I am going to recount tonite. What I do want to say is that she has done an amazing job of caring for Gram in her home for the past several years.

It isn't easy to have other people in your home for an extended period of time. My mom has not only had her elderly mother's care to consider, but helpers to hire, fire, and deal with constantly, while running her own business and working full time besides, and then coming home at night to take over the care herself.

Elder care is a tough gig no matter what. Add in varied health problems, and a large side dish of dementia, and you've got a real challenge. My mom has handled a really tough situation so well. I am very proud of her.

It isn't always easy to do what we think is right or best. My mom has been committed to keeping Gram at home with her unless it became impossible. There has been a large cost financially, emotionally, physically, time-wise, personal-comfort-wise, and probably every other category you can think of. It has been a tough tour of duty. I understand it, though, because I would do the same for my mom or other loved ones as well. Some things in life require the warrior in us to show up and stay fighting for a long time.

I have been concerned about my mom for awhile now. Her schedule is beyond busy, and her stress load has been very high for a long time. I am praying that things will soon settle down for her and allow her to experience more peace and rest.

(photo of my mom and gram from a few years ago)

My Mom: Heart of a Boy Scout

While growing up, my mom always cooked big. There was always enough dinner for seconds, thirds, and friends to be invited to dinner at the last minute. (consequently we also always had plenty of leftovers, which I still think ROCKS)

When my mom would bake, she didn't just bake two dozen cookies or one pan of brownies. Instead, she had what we called Bake-a-Thons. She would make several different varieties of cookies, and lots of 'em. Our big chest freezer in the basement was always stocked up with baked goods.

You might think that we had a super large family or something. We didn't. 3 kids, 2 parents. (Disclaimer: Nobody was fat, either.) But my mom always knew how to be prepared, and do it up big.

She hasn't lost her knack for it, either.

While visiting my mom earlier this summer I decided that I simply had to document the comedic sizes of her bulk-store purchases. You will soon see why it is that, if there is a total economic breakdown, I will be heading straight to my mom's house, because I know that my whole family could survive there for a good, long time, based only on the items she has on hand right now.

Behold: Big Bags of Brown Sugar. I think these were five pounds each.

Four-and-a-half pound bags of chocolate chips!


Cooking oil by the gallon!
(Looks like you're gettin' low, Mom. Add Canola oil to the shopping list, please.)
Looks like we could make a decent amount of chocolate chip cookies with what we've got available. Right?

Now, if condiments are near and dear to your heart, you shant be disappointed, my pretties!


A gallon of soy sauce might be a lifetime supply for me, but at my mom's house, not so much.



Ditto on the five quarts of Worcestershire sauce.



Ketchup was available in these large sizes, in a six pack,
and in more regular sizes--they aim to please down there at my mom's. Southern hospitality and all, I guess.


Since my family of eight, plus my brother, sister, and other family members were visiting at the same time, we used a lot of disposable plates and utensils. This pack of 360 pieces of cutlery got us through the week in style, plus there will be plenty more for the next 4 or 5 visits!


At one point during the visit I was putting away leftovers and used up the last gallon ziploc bag in the drawer. For a moment I feared that we might not have any more, but then I remembered where I was, so I went a-hunting through the various pantry areas and...jackpot! There were just a few more ziploc bags available.


Like, only 152 gallon sized, and 216 quart size. Phew! Nothing to worry about here.


When all of the cooking, cleaning up, and fun is done, things are similarly worry-free in the laundry room. Jumbo jugs of laundry detergent promise to do 210 loads.


And the fabric softener has about 174 loads per container. She has no fear of scratchy clothing or towels there. No sirree!



Sadly, I did not get photo documentation of the contents of the extra fridge or the large upright freezer. I assure you that there are meals a-plenty in both.

The only thing that worries me.....Mom, do you have a generator?