Thanksgiving this year was pretty uneventful. I was scheduled to work at SkyWest all day, but luckily somebody picked it up for me at the last minute so I was off. I woke up to my girls laughing and playing with each other. Tala had made a little bed on the floor and they were watching cartoons together, so cute!
Ma and Tea weren't here, they were still in the hospital and nobody had really made any plans for Thanksgiving. Ova and I were discussing what we were going to make so just our little family could have a nice Thanksgiving meal together before heading to the hospital to visit Ma. As we were talking, we heard some noises upstairs in the kitchen.....but we knew Tea wasn't here. It was Ova's parents, they are so sweet. They came over to cook Thanksgiving dinner for us, and the brought everything. I'm really grateful for them. They are always looking out for our little family, especially with Ova being sick. They're always concerened and worried about me working so much and about trying to find out what's wrong with Ova.
Ova's mom was in the kitchen cooking and by the time we noticed someone was up there, she was almost done. She went all out for us too, all the Thanksgiving fixings were there. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, ham, she made ota ika and talo.....everything was so delicious. Ova was feeling a little better and was able to get himself up the stairs to join us so we could all sit around the table together. It was nice and we all stuffed our faces! LOL I'm really sad that his family doesn't make a big deal out of holidays anymore....like any holiday, ever. We didn't get together last year for Thanksgiving or Christmas, and it looks like it's heading in that direction this year. Nobody came over for Thanksgiving....it was just our little family and Gramma Kesa & Grampa Kina...and Po because he lives with us.
That morning while Gramma Kesa was cooking, I took my kids to the hospital to visit Ma. When we walked in she was sitting up in her bed and she was so happy to see us. I was a little afraid of what we were going to see because when we talked to Tea the night before, she was telling us that the left side of Ma's face had lost all muscle control and was droopy. I know of some people who have strokes and lose the use of one side of their body....I was imagining that that's what I would see when I walked in, but it wasn't. She looked completely normal, just like herself. The nurse was explaining to me that Ma had suffered a mild stroke. A blood clot went to the left side of her brain. She got really lucky because many times when that happens, that side of the body is gone.....but she was actually getting her muscle strength back in her left side. With all the issues she's been having with her legs and the thick blood and blood clots, they have told us over and over again that at any moment a blood clot could go to her heart and she would die. We all got really lucky this time becasue the blood clot passed her heart and went to her brain, which saved her. The nurse told Ma that if she could start using the left side of her body more, she could go home. Ma was so cute....as soon as the nurse said that, she picked up the comb to comb her hair.....she started out by using her right hand, but then she put the comb in her left hand to show them she could still use it. She couldn't quite grasp the comb and it kept slipping out of her hand and falling. She really wanted to make it work so she took a minute to weave the comb in between her fingers in her left hand so that it wouldn't fall when she starting combing. It worked. She's so clever, and made us all laugh. Then the physical therapist came in and wanted to do some exercises with her. He made her lift her legs high enough to touch his hand, over and over again. That took a lot out of her, but she did it! Then he asked her if she wanted to try and walk. Walking would only help her go home faster, so of course she was all over that. She did an amazingly good job and the nurse and physical therapist were actually really surprised and happy with how well she was doing. She got up and walked all the way to the door and back, she's such a strong woman! Here's a woman who's almost 90 years old who just suffered a stroke yesterday, and she's already walking today. Amazing!
After we visited Ma for a little while, we went home and had our Thanksgiving dinner, and then Gramma Kesa and Grampa Kina packed up the leftovers to take to the hospital for Ma and Tea. The rest of the day was just a family day, we sat around watching tv and spending time just with our little family. A little later on that night, TiTonga and Kiki came over to visit....they were in town from Vegas for the holidays and they stopped by to visit. TiTonga took all the kids outside and played a little game of football with them while Ova watched tv and Kiki and I sat around the kitchen table eating pumpkin pie and talking. It was a very low key Thanksgiving this year.....but in the true meaning of the holiday, I feel like I need to express the many things that I am thankful for. This past year/year and a half has been very challenging for our little family. Between baby Katea being in and out of the hopsital and Ova's sickness, we've had our fair share of trials.....but I can honestly say that our blessings far far FAR outweigh our trials and we have so much to be thankful for!
For starters, I'm grateful for my little family. I'm so grateful for my husband and the relationship that we have. I'm so grateful for my kids....they drive me crazy everyday, but they bring so much happiness to our family and house every single day, and I'm so grateful for each and every one of them. I'm grateful for the faith they have and how they are constantly reminding me of what I should be doing. I'm grateful for my parents for all their love and support and for being there for me whenever I need them. I'm grateful to them for loving my kids and for being the best grandparents to them. I'm grateful the baby Katea is doing so well....she's come a long way and I don't take it for granted at all. I'm very aware of how blessed we are with her and I'm so extremely grateful! I'm grateful for my jobs and my health and the ability I have to work so that our family doesn't have to go without. I'm grateful for my in-laws, they are so wonderful! Tea and Ma have been with us for going on 10 years now and I'm so grateful for them. They are part of my little family and I know how lucky I am to have them. I'm grateful for the gospel....I've leaned a lot on the gospel lately and I know that's why I've been able to keep my composure when I feel like I'm going to lose it. I don't go to church as often as I should, or as often as I would like to because I have to work most of the time, but my testimony is firm and I know what is true. I'm grateful for the material things we've been blessed with that make our lives so much easier, like our house, cars, clothes, food on the table.......I could go on and on listing all the things I'm grateful for. I remind myself all the time how blessed I am, and honestly it's gotten me through some really hard times. Focusing on the positives and the blessings you have make life so much more enjoyable and I sure do have so much good to focus on!
Ma and Tea weren't here, they were still in the hospital and nobody had really made any plans for Thanksgiving. Ova and I were discussing what we were going to make so just our little family could have a nice Thanksgiving meal together before heading to the hospital to visit Ma. As we were talking, we heard some noises upstairs in the kitchen.....but we knew Tea wasn't here. It was Ova's parents, they are so sweet. They came over to cook Thanksgiving dinner for us, and the brought everything. I'm really grateful for them. They are always looking out for our little family, especially with Ova being sick. They're always concerened and worried about me working so much and about trying to find out what's wrong with Ova.
Ova's mom was in the kitchen cooking and by the time we noticed someone was up there, she was almost done. She went all out for us too, all the Thanksgiving fixings were there. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, ham, she made ota ika and talo.....everything was so delicious. Ova was feeling a little better and was able to get himself up the stairs to join us so we could all sit around the table together. It was nice and we all stuffed our faces! LOL I'm really sad that his family doesn't make a big deal out of holidays anymore....like any holiday, ever. We didn't get together last year for Thanksgiving or Christmas, and it looks like it's heading in that direction this year. Nobody came over for Thanksgiving....it was just our little family and Gramma Kesa & Grampa Kina...and Po because he lives with us.
That morning while Gramma Kesa was cooking, I took my kids to the hospital to visit Ma. When we walked in she was sitting up in her bed and she was so happy to see us. I was a little afraid of what we were going to see because when we talked to Tea the night before, she was telling us that the left side of Ma's face had lost all muscle control and was droopy. I know of some people who have strokes and lose the use of one side of their body....I was imagining that that's what I would see when I walked in, but it wasn't. She looked completely normal, just like herself. The nurse was explaining to me that Ma had suffered a mild stroke. A blood clot went to the left side of her brain. She got really lucky because many times when that happens, that side of the body is gone.....but she was actually getting her muscle strength back in her left side. With all the issues she's been having with her legs and the thick blood and blood clots, they have told us over and over again that at any moment a blood clot could go to her heart and she would die. We all got really lucky this time becasue the blood clot passed her heart and went to her brain, which saved her. The nurse told Ma that if she could start using the left side of her body more, she could go home. Ma was so cute....as soon as the nurse said that, she picked up the comb to comb her hair.....she started out by using her right hand, but then she put the comb in her left hand to show them she could still use it. She couldn't quite grasp the comb and it kept slipping out of her hand and falling. She really wanted to make it work so she took a minute to weave the comb in between her fingers in her left hand so that it wouldn't fall when she starting combing. It worked. She's so clever, and made us all laugh. Then the physical therapist came in and wanted to do some exercises with her. He made her lift her legs high enough to touch his hand, over and over again. That took a lot out of her, but she did it! Then he asked her if she wanted to try and walk. Walking would only help her go home faster, so of course she was all over that. She did an amazingly good job and the nurse and physical therapist were actually really surprised and happy with how well she was doing. She got up and walked all the way to the door and back, she's such a strong woman! Here's a woman who's almost 90 years old who just suffered a stroke yesterday, and she's already walking today. Amazing!
Exercising
Walking less than 24 hours after her stroke
Love their bond.....Tala girl and her namesake!
For starters, I'm grateful for my little family. I'm so grateful for my husband and the relationship that we have. I'm so grateful for my kids....they drive me crazy everyday, but they bring so much happiness to our family and house every single day, and I'm so grateful for each and every one of them. I'm grateful for the faith they have and how they are constantly reminding me of what I should be doing. I'm grateful for my parents for all their love and support and for being there for me whenever I need them. I'm grateful to them for loving my kids and for being the best grandparents to them. I'm grateful the baby Katea is doing so well....she's come a long way and I don't take it for granted at all. I'm very aware of how blessed we are with her and I'm so extremely grateful! I'm grateful for my jobs and my health and the ability I have to work so that our family doesn't have to go without. I'm grateful for my in-laws, they are so wonderful! Tea and Ma have been with us for going on 10 years now and I'm so grateful for them. They are part of my little family and I know how lucky I am to have them. I'm grateful for the gospel....I've leaned a lot on the gospel lately and I know that's why I've been able to keep my composure when I feel like I'm going to lose it. I don't go to church as often as I should, or as often as I would like to because I have to work most of the time, but my testimony is firm and I know what is true. I'm grateful for the material things we've been blessed with that make our lives so much easier, like our house, cars, clothes, food on the table.......I could go on and on listing all the things I'm grateful for. I remind myself all the time how blessed I am, and honestly it's gotten me through some really hard times. Focusing on the positives and the blessings you have make life so much more enjoyable and I sure do have so much good to focus on!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
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