I know I’ve written about him here. I’ve told you stories…maybe you remember them. Maybe you don’t. But he owns the biggest piece of real estate in my heart and it’s so full of love for my big brother. I just have to write again because yesterday pulled at my heartstrings.

From my earliest memories, I was his champion. I interpreted for him when others couldn’t understand his speech impediment. If anyone so much as looked at him wrong, I was ready to take them down. I was his protector. He was my loyal friend. 

I knew he had more going for him than mom thought. She treated him like a child…cutting his meat, doing his laundry, counting out his medicines. If I was his protector, Mom was his Protector in Chief. That’s why she kept him close. No one could love and care for her boy like she could. No one.

I saw his potential. I knew he could learn more, do more, live more. He could read. As a matter of fact, he has always been a voracious reader. He has a penchant for non-fiction…autobiographies, mainly. He’ll tell you he likes to read anything. Except spooky things, and what he refers to as “lovey-dovey” stuff. 

Our mom was only seventy-eight when she died. She got sick, really sick, but she refused to go to the hospital because she wouldn’t take my brother with her and she couldn’t leave him home alone. So, she laid on the couch for five days till I threatened to call the ambulance myself. Finally, I called her sister and told her she had to go to mom’s and take her to the ER. 

She was gone twelve hours later. 

I’ll never forget the time I came for a visit and the topic of Gary’s care came up. I promised her I would see to it that he was always well taken care of. She looked at me and cocked her head. The wheels were turning. She was summing up what I was saying. Or, more accurately…what I wasn’t saying.

“What do you mean? You’ll be taking care of him in your home, of course!”

“Mama…you know I love my brother as much as I love life itself, but that will not work for me OR for him. He needs to have opportunities to learn and grow and experience things in a loving, nurturing environment. Somewhere with people who are trained to give him the life he deserves. Like I said, I will fight to the death to make sure he is well cared for and he’s happy. But it won’t be in my house. I hope you’ll understand.”

I wasn’t about to lie to her and tell her “Of course!” I loved and respected her too much for that. I’d been after her for years to bring him to Colorado and let him participate in the very program he is now involved with but she refused. She wouldn’t listen. But, my brother did. He never forgot there was a place for him in this world and he was determined he would live there.

I told you all about my decision to keep him in the capable hands of these earth angels. I told you I felt guilty because I thought I could bring him here till I found out the funding would be an insurmountable obstacle. I told you his six month evaluation was coming up. And I was dreading it.

My stomach was in knots for the last three days. I was afraid of hurting him or disappointing him. I was afraid he would balk at the suggestion. His evaluation was yesterday and I sat in via video chat. We were happy to see each other. His beard was trimmed. He was a sight for sore eyes, as my grandma used to say. 

The meeting went well. We’ll move foreword with plans. They’ll take him over to hang out with the new housemates, two of whom he has known for many years. They’ll start getting him to the day program and let him take the shuttle bus to town to shop since his mobility will be a little decreased in the new place. 

The best part? He was enthusiastic and he totally understood about the funding issues and why we couldn’t bring him here. I told him I would send an Amazon Echo so we can video chat more frequently. I think it will help both of us to see each other more often.

I am relieved. God is so good…and so generous to us. 

Thank you, Jesus…for looking out for my Bubby!

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“For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;”

Psalms 91:11 NIV