Author name: Karla Nathan

Yesterday I returned from another quick trip to Indiana.

 This time it was to surprise my family at their annual ornament exchange party.

It has been too long since I’ve been to one.  The last Christmas I remember being there was when it was held at my mom’s.  And that was before Sugarwings was born.

Holidays with grand babies took over any free time I would have during busy Decembers.  I had lots of weekend craft fairs to set up back then too.

Then not too much later, my sisters and started our Sister Trip traditions and we’d typically get time in Florida together each fall. My drives to Indiana came to be made for other occasions, not the holiday party.

I’d missed Christmas time with my extended family and was so glad I made this trip.  The weather was ideal for driving, and for making lots of antiquing stops along the way, I got to see Sissy’s new house all prettied up for the season, and had a week  full of hugs from people I love.

Also, I’d hoped to be of help in getting Bobbie to some of her medical appointments while I was there.

Bobbie’s health had some hiccups and instead of helping with the drives, I was keeping her company in the ER and ICU.  Since I’d driven, I was able to have my car filled with craft supplies, and I could bead and sit quietly while she slept.  I didn’t want her to make efforts to talk, she needed her rest, so I sat with her and made bracelets.

Lots of bracelets.  With mostly genuine stones, along with vintage crystals. With only two visitors allowed at a time, I also  made a work station for myself in the lounge and crafted there while others had their turns in her room. 
All of us wanted to be there for her, she is so loved.

During her Thanksgiving hospital stay, doctors would always be surprised to see such a large entourage in the room.  She was in a different (and closer to Pendleton) hospital this time and that made it even easier for guests, two of her kiddos work at this one and could drop in throughout the day.  

But we mostly had to gather in the waiting rooms because of the two at a time limit.

Overall, it was such a pleasant hospital to spend time at.  Great people, excellent care, comfortable surroundings, tasty food.  I liked the spacious rooms they put Bobbie in, and how attentive they were to her.

Is it wrong to say how much I enjoyed being there with her, even though she felt so miserable?  That sounds wrong.

Of course, I’d rather be anywhere else with her, healthy and strong, anywhere at all! 

 I guess I mean that even though I’m devastated, worried, and terrified about her health, I loved my time there with family and being able to be part of their holiday tradition, and to sit with everyone while Bobbie was getting the treatments she needed to feel more comfortable.

 Instead of flying, I drove out, leaving my time open ended.  Once she was moved out of ICU, I needed to force myself to head back to my own holiday traditions and be with my grandfairies, no matter how much I hated to tear away.  Oh my gosh, it was so hard to leave.  I wish I wasn’t so far away, and could be one of those daily visitors that pop in to hold her hand and ask her about her appetite or tell her a story about their day.

She has a big crew of loving people around her.  I also wish I could be helping them out, with all of the extra jobs they have taken on to be of service and get our Bobbie feeling better.

Now, I am hitting the ground running, getting things ready for our own Kansas Christmas, looking forward to seeing the grandfairies open gifts, play reindeer games, and decorate cookies.

But I’ve left a chunk of my heart back home in Indiana.

Last year my home town, Pendleton, IN, had a fun FB trend of people photographing their cars, tractors, mowers, etc in the lights of this beautifully lit bridge.  The joke started as serious pics of cool cars shining under the lights and turned into photoshopping weird, silly things.

I enjoyed every post and had to drive by and see this pretty backdrop in person when I visited over Thanksgiving.  Maybe (if I ever get a free moment) I’ll do some photo magic with it myself.

We had hospital cafeteria food in the guest lounge for Thanksgiving dinner.  While I felt bad leaving my  husband and out of town guests back at my house to turkey wrangle, and the reason for my visit was not a happy one, I still had a wonderful time with my sister’s family while eating grilled cheese instead of a more traditional meal.

My sweet boy hadn’t seen his aunt Bobbie in a while and hadn’t been able to drive all the way to Kansas from North Carolina for the holiday, so he took the opportunity to meet me in Indianapolis.  Much closer!

I rarely get time with my son, this was precious to me.  It’s been a good year for spending days with him.  In August, Rich and I saw Adam in NC and I got to go rock and mushroom hunting with him.  Then in September, he came to KS to put in a studio floor for me. Now, an Indy trip too.

And soon, he will bring Dewdrop for Christmas!


He and I weren’t Bobbie’s only visitors, by far.  Every time a doctor came into the room, he’d do a double take at the size of her entourage.

The room was always so full, that seating was scarce.  You know that Netflix show, “Is it Cake?” I was always playing, “Is it a Chair?” in the hospital room.  We sat on many non seats for seating.  Bobbie one time mentioned we could use the beeping from her machinery to switch seats in a musical chair game.

My witty, kind hearted sister is keeping good spirits through her illness.   I admire her for that, just as I have always looked up to her and learned so much from her all of my life.

I adore my sissies, what wonderful friends they are to me.