Schedule Set?!?!

Mom really enjoyed the "Knee Strengthening Class" this morning, followed by lunch at the church. The people were super nice and it was very well organized.

So... I think I have her schedule set... I sent the schedule to Annie and she is so funny... Just to look at the schedule made her tired.

I'm going to have to shuttle my mom from one activity to another...

But honestly, Mom is doing so well... Many of her bad habits are going, going... GONE! She no longer focuses just on food... or even watching TV. She is beginning to enjoy conversing and interacting with people, not just counting how many lights there are on the streets or how many cars are parked in her complex.

And thank you for your continual prayer support. I was able to have two short naps today. I'm learning to forget the 'one more thing I need to get done' and just lay down and nap!

Tomorrow will be her Praise Dance class and then on to Karaoke Time... followed by lunch at the church! (The cost of lunch is $1 and people bring tupperwares to take home the leftover!)

Oh... I also called the social worker... and set up an appointment/interview. The process of getting Mom approved as 'handicapped' will take a bit longer than I expected. I might be finished by the beginning of May!

Oh... I will also look into buying her airline ticket for this summer. Since she enjoys flying, we think we'll just buy her a ticket in the economy class! I need to do that tomorrow to ensure we get a seat.

Seek Him First!

Another Run Around Day

Yes- , Mom was up early...

I took her to one church program for the elderly. She really enjoyed talking to people. And the lunch they made was delicious. I sat next door during their socializing time and they invited me to have lunch with them. The people were patient.

Conversing exhausted Mom. So, she actually wanted to take a nap when we got home.

I also napped for 30 minutes.

Then we were off to the eye doctor. I thought we'd be finished by 5pm... It started fast but once the exams started, we slowed way down. Alan had to come as I had to rush off... I was afraid that we'd be stuck with a huge bill... but Alan said it was only 1062NT$ (about 37US$ - such a bargain!) She got her handicapped paperwork done! Now, I have to go and turn it in and then they will mail us the certificate. I can then go on all public transport for free when I'm with her. I can also take her to the Neihu Sports Center for free!

I tutored and then came home and put together a schedule of activities to try... an assortment of exercise classes, board games and other fun activities... lunch will all be free!

By 10, I was ready to go to bed...

I still have not finished the prep for my Sunday message!

Seek Him First!

Passport Done!

Today was definitely a run-around day!

Since it's so difficult to find parking near the Passport Office, I decided to take the MRT, especially since my mom has her free MRT/BUS card!

We left early as she was up early... (Yes, again! Thank you to those who wrote after reading my last post, telling me that they are praying for me. I need all the prayer support that I can get...) We walked down to the MRT Station and was at the office by 9am. By 10, we were finished! I paid 3US$ to get the passport mailed to me so that I don't have to go back... What a deal!

I tried to get my mom's handicapped certificate at the National Taiwan University Hospital, but that place was a mad house even on a Tuesday morning. So, I called Aunty Liao and walked over, pushing Mom in her wheelchair, to the meeting place.

I decided NOT to join them for lunch and headed home! I gave my mom 10US$ for the taxi ride home. (Shockingly, the taxi ride was 13US$! I think the driver took her for a 'ride'! ha, ha, ha...)

While mom was at lunch, I had plenty to do... message prep, house cleaning and cooking. I even gave myself a 30 minute nap...

Mom was actually feeling tired when she got back at 3pm, so I put her on the massage chair for an hour. We went out to pick up Abby at the MRT Station and then I put on the Little House DVD. Yesterday when I let her sit to watch TV, she was not interested... but today, she actually wanted to watch TWO episodes of Little House!

I left to tutor and Abby gave her the dinner that I had prepared for her.

When I got back, Mom was getting ready for bed... She went to bed at 8:30... and let's see if she stays asleep past 7am tomorrow!

Seek Him First!

Mom Is In Taiwan

I think I can write a book about these past few days...

Mom flew back with me on 3/15! What a flight... 

She wanted to party and eat for the entire duration of the flight... I was jumping up all the time to prevent her from ordering another sparkling wine or a piece of cheesecake or a bowl of instant noodles! So, I had very little sleep... 

We arrived late on Friday night... and at 1am (Saturday morning) she said she was tired and went to bed. I pressed on, trying to unpack and put things away and went to bed at 3:03 am!

I was horrified when my mom woke up at 3:08. After sleeping for only 2 hours, she was ready to go... I forced her to go back to bed... and this happened three times... By 6am, she wanted to get dressed and go out... This happened again on Saturday night... The only thing I can say is that God sustained me by His strength and goodness...  

I led the Prayer Walk Sunday night at House of Praise and I sent out prayer requests, asking everyone to pray that my mom would sleep... Because I needed to sleep!

On Sunday night, she went to bed at 9:30! And she only got up twice... By 5:50, she was ready to go out! The good news... I had slept for five hours! It seemed like the most sleep I've gotten in the past month and definitely in the past 72 hours!

So, how is my mom doing?

Well, I think she is enjoying her time in Taiwan.

What can you be praying for?

I want her to interact with others, so I'm in the process of finding suitable 'activities' Monday to Friday, three to four hours, where she will have 'fun'! 

I am also taking her around to get all the paperwork done. Today I signed her into my 'household report'. Tomorrow we will go and get her ROC passport renewed! Wednesday to Friday, I will take her to 'experience' a church sponsored elderly program.

I will keep you posted... 

Needless to say, I have had to make big changes to my daily schedule...

One thing constant -- my morning time with Jesus. I can't live without it!

Seek Him First!

Finally...

I've been here for over a week, but it feels like a lot longer!

Each day flies by... There has been no time to feel jet lagged! I started by getting the house cleaned up and then went on to organizing what I can start packing of my mom' s stuff! Once that was done, I went through the house to pack up Daddy George's stuff for donation!

I also went to the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office to try to get my mom's passport renewed! That's another miracle story that I will have to tell some other time!

This coming Thursday I'll be on the plane with my mom! I'm asking everyone to pray- too many factors that are out of my control! Only God is able...

Seek Him First!

High Speed Rail Down to Morrison Kaohsiung

Alan and I headed down to Kaohsiung this morning to do a 'work-it-out-shop' at Morrison Academy. It was my first time at that campus of 250 students from K-12!

We had a group of 15 students... and on the way back, we talked and realized that we should have played a couple of the more active games and done less of the paper based activities! Next time...

We got back at 7:30 and I worked on getting things ready as I will take off tomorrow for 12 days in the States!

I called one of the handymen and he will be coming on Wednesday to take the exact measurement for the shower door installment. So, it looks like that's going to get finished before my return! His estimate is 7500NT$. YIPPY!

I have lists to help me remember my lists... I have a list of things that I will need to pack to bring back for my mom. I have a list of things I need to do as soon as I get back to Taiwan... And I have a list of things that I need to buy for the students I'm tutoring... And I have a master list to remind me of all my lists...

Seek Him First!

Last NTFPD Class

Today was my last class with the New Taipei Foreign Police Department! They invited me to take the whole time and I did... It was so much fun!

They arranged a potluck and then lavished me with gifts... red backpack, Taiwan tea, easy to carry cup for running and a framed picture... As I was about to leave, they lined up with party poppers and gave me a grand send-off!

I biked back... and then went off to run errands... trying to find out what paperwork I will need to apply for elderly bus/mrt pass, national health insurance card and even a handicapped sign for parking!

I then went and shopped at RT Mart and Costco so that the fridge will be stocked while I'm away!

Finally, I found two more handymen to come and take a look at our shower door. I'd like to have it done before my mom's arrival!

It's almost 7pm and I'm so ready for bed...

Seek Him First!