They cared for her

Photos by Jill Littlefield

A sting ray dives at Mom during an outing at the Mall of America aquarium.

We took our time at the house on Kell Avenue in Bloomington today. We were there to gather up some of Mother's things, but mostly we wanted to just sit and thank and visit the people who had made "Welcome Home" a special place for Mom for two and a half years.

Exercise class was interrupted by Nicky the house dog.

We tried to express our gratitude for the kindness and generous spirit that made mother's last days as comfortable and fulfilled as any others during her 94 years of productive, meaningful life.
Marcia and Jill were there today, as they have been since Day One. When mother arrived in the fall of 2012, Jill helped her from the car and said "Hello, my name is Jill. I will be taking care of you." And that is exactly what she and the others have done ever since.

Pink hats for a backyard BBQ
Click to enlarge and find Mom.

Jill and Marcia lead a team of a dozen aides, providing round the clock care to three, sometimes four residents in the 50s ranch-style house. They grieved along with us today. We said we were sad for Mom to go, happy for the way she left. And they were responsible for so much of that.
Marcia poured coffee and passed around some homemade oatmeal raisin cookies as we reminisced. They lovingly called "Bevy" "The Queen of Kell" and not just because she was the very first resident at this fledgling operation, run by an established home care outfit.
Mom has always known what she wants, and isn't afraid to ask for it. She got it all at Kell, delicious food, a pillow where she needed it, hair care, manicures, homemade birthday cakes and never-ending concerns about all her personal needs.
We're very grateful, felt blessed, and so did Mom. Many times recently she didn't hold back her feelings, looked her caregiver in the eye and stated clearly, "I love you." They loved her back and they feel the same kind of loss that we do, as we clear her room and think about life without her.

Fourth of July

We told them about the time two weeks ago when the hospice music therapist called us in Arizona. We were in the car. "Your mother would like to sing for you," she said over the speakerphone. And then as we drove down McDowell Avenue in Scottsdale, Mother sang us the clearest, sweetest rendition of "His Eye is on The Sparrow," that we think we have ever heard.
Jill carries photos from the many merry outings Mom and the others took. We include some of them here, all of them show Mom having a good time with friends.
Makes us happy to remember her that way.

Mom grew very close to Lillian. Here they are at the Rainforest.