With Thanksgiving coming tomorrow, I have a lot to do today! My girls will be coming home from college for the weekend and I want them to have a fun, relaxing time at home. I will begin preparing for Thanksgiving dinner today...making jellos, cutting up celery and onions for the stuffing, and getting the table ready. I love the holidays : )

I visited the retirement home yesterday and, as usual, it was wonderful. I so enjoy being able to pour into the lives of the residents there. It's amazing to see their faces light up when I walk into the room. I love making them laugh, touching their hands, and just letting them know that someone cares.

After doing room visits, I went into the cafeteria just before lunch was to be served as said "hello" to the residents there, too. I had a backpack on that looked like a stuffed dog. It has a zippered compartment where I hold my phone and glasses. I could've chosen a different bag to carry those things, but, thought this one might be a conversation starter. While stopped at one of the tables, a resident asked me, "Why do you have a puppy on your back"? And, I said, "So someone will ask me why I have a puppy on my back". She again asked, "So then, why do you have a puppy on your back"? To which I again answered, "So someone will ask me why I have a puppy on my back". She turned to another resident at the table and exclaimed with a smile, "I won't fall into that trap again"! Then all the ladies at the table laughed. They so enjoyed having "company" and I so enjoyed visiting with them.

If you've never volunteered at a retirement home...you should. It is so rewarding.

Have an awesome Thanksgiving!

This is the second week I've been volunteering at the local retirement/nursing home. I really enjoy doing the room visits as many of the people I see are so happy to have a visitor. I know I need to be careful not to burn myself out by doing room visits so frequently. I will probably break up the list of names of those I've been given to visit into 2 different visits so I don't overwhelm myself. That way I can spend time helping with activities, too.

These people just need some human companionship and compassion. Just yesterday, a resident was recalling his "most joyous Christmas". 1928...his mother gathered him and his siblings to tell them they had no money for Christmas. She gave them the small amount of candy she had (which included pulled taffy) that the children then divided between themselves. All the children made up games that they played for hours. He had such a big smile on his face when he was recalling this Christmas memory from when he was only 4!

It makes such a difference to just smile and listen. Of course, there are residents who cannot respond, but, a touch on their hand or shoulder tells me, "someone's home".