My Dad - The Tag Along

My dad cannot really be left alone anymore.

With his brittle diabetes and his dementia, he needs monitoring.

His need to take care of everything mixed with the inability to do so now 

is sometimes a dangerous mix.

Since my mom is still living at the rehab center for her broken ankle, this means that 

my children and I are “on guard” at all times.

Wesley has been spending the night there since my mom has been gone.

An aide (CNA) comes in from 8 – 10 a.m. on weekdays.

My sister and her husband each have been coming and taking him to see Mama once a week.

My sister-in-law spent the Saturday night of Mother's Day weekend with him
while my brother spent that night in the hospital with my mama.

My cousin came and stayed with him so the kids and I could go get our new cell phones.

But other than that, it’s all on my kids and me.

So last night, when the kids had youth and I had a board meeting at church and I did not have anyone to stay with him, I just loaded him up and took him with me.

It reminded me of all of the times when I would tag along with him when I was a little girl – going visiting, going to the church, going to seminary with him, going to the store.  

I just wanted to go wherever he was going and he usually let me.

He was so excited about going, especially since it was our preacher’s last board meeting 

(Tal will be moving this month).

My dad, the retired preacher, who over the course of his 50 years in the ministry went to countless board meetings, was excited to once again be going to a church board meeting 

for the first time since the fall of 2008.

And he had fun.

He did not nod off one single time.

He intently concentrated on every word the board chairman spoke, 

leaning forward into the conversations taking place.

It was a little like having my dad back again.

And it was nice.

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And on a side note, you know you really do live in the country when 

a cow tries to follow you to the board meeting!