Visiting Bessie

Today we went and visited our sweet 95 year old friend, Bessie.  When Lilli was 8 months old, we started to go sit with Bessie while her daughter, JoLeigh, was at work.  Bessie has been living with her for a few years now and we had the privilege of going and sitting with her.  She is the sweetest and kindest lady.  Lilli absolutely adores her and so do I.

I love the elderly.  That love started when I was in hair school.  I had "regulars" who would come weekly to get their hair done.  I loved it!  (Ultimately, I would love to work in a care center doing hair).  Because of this love for the elderly, I was excited to learn of this "job" to sit with Bessie.  At the time things were tight financially and we were trying to find ways to earn extra money.  The Lord knew this, and truly blessed us!  While sitting in a primary presidency PPI with the bishop, the president mentioned her neighbor (JoLeigh) needing someone to sit with her mother and would pay $10 an hour.  We had been talking about JoLeigh for a calling in the primary and that is when the president mentioned this.  It really had nothing to do with what we were talking about, but I felt that this was the Lord's hand in it.  After the meeting I told the president I would LOVE to do it if JoLeigh was ok with me bringing Lilli.  So she talked to her neighbor and told her about me, and so JoLeigh called me.  She basically called me to tell me when to come.  So we started in December of 2012 and we quickly fell in love with Bessie. I truly enjoyed visiting her and getting to know her.  Both of my grandma's have passed and it felt like I gained a new grandma. 

JoLeigh is a HS teacher and works every other day because of the school's A/B schedule.  So in the summer we didn't go help.  So when we started again in the fall of 2013, I was pregnant with Coleson.  We continued to go sit with her until I had Coleson, and then they started having hospice come in.  So now, unfortunately we don't get to go sit with her every other day, but we try to visit her as much as we can.

Lilli, as I said, adores her!  Every time I ask if she wants to go see Bessie, she gets soooo excited!  It's so sweet.  I hope that as my kids grow, I will have many opportunities to serve and visit the elderly so they can learn compassion and love for them.

I am so grateful to my loving Heavenly Father for not only giving me a chance to earn some extra money, but most of all get to know a very special woman.  I will always treasure Bessie and the blessing it has been to get to know her and learn from her sweet, kind example.

As a side note: Today is day 3 of my no sugar journey.  So far so good.  I know it may be tempting this weekend when we go down to our family reunion, but I know I can be strong! Wish me luck! :)