Did Mothers Used to be Old in Paper Doll Days?

I belatedly am getting a couple pieces of paper dolls on my blog, which I had planned for Mother's Day, but, sadly, ended up spending the weekend in Hospice with my failing mom-in-law. I have never seen a stronger person put up a fight, to the last breath, and I know I could never have done it myself as long as she did. It is something that you think you couldn't do, at least I never would have thought I could. In the almost 2 years since my FIL passed away, she has been failing, but since November, it has been terribly sad and dramatic, the change. I'm in shock to think in November, she drove her own SUV to see her sister, 2 1/2 hours away! In December, she was no longer driving, in January, my Sis-in-law and I started taking meals to her. In February, we started staying with her day and night. My SisIL stayed a lot more, but I did stay 2 nights and what came to about 4 days a week, taking care of her.
I teach my kids at home, and my emotions were frazzled, thinking, I should be home, teaching my kids, then back to, "this is a season. This is Life stuff". My almost 14 year old daughter was able to help me with her twin brother's 4th grade work, and she is pretty motivated, too, so it wasn't as bad as it could have been with school.
Mom-in-law made the decision to go Hospice after her last hospital stay, wanting to just stay comfortable. Emphezema is not going to go away, and she was so low in weight I didn't think anyone could be that thin. She had told the nurse she was going to go on Mother's Day, but thankfully, she passed away the day after. She put up a huge battle and is now at peace and is no longer suffering. My mind right now is trying to remember the healthy grandma, instead of the last couple years and especially months. I can still hear her voice. It got to where we just stared at each other sometimes, there was nothing to say sometimes. I am so thankful for Hospice for the care they give. It would have been horrible to be by ourselves through this. We leaned on them to be the ones to move her, afraid we would break her bones. They did a wonderful job of caring for her, and letting us just be with her.

Well, that is basically what I've been up to lately. I am still going to put up the Paper Dolls, maybe your mom is having a birthday and you can make her a card with these. I laughed when I was looking at them, because the kids that go to them are little children, really young, you know? Well, this mother seems more like a grandmother to me, don't you think? At least I don't think/hope I look this old yet! But they are cute, and when I get around to it, I'll post some more of my paper dolls if you like them.

I've been missing going to the sales. Last week I missed Barn House, and I noticed in the same area Randall Woods is having their Out on a Limb sale. We went to that last year, too, and it was fun. I feel like I've been under a mushroom, and the rain isn't helping. I need some sunshine, some getaway estate sale type days, some good garage sales, some days spent cleaning up the yard that has been sadly neglected. But it is all a season! It is all good!