Janette Oke (27 page)

She chuckled. “Do you think Grandma can make the sun go back?”

“Yeah.”

Just then they rounded another corner and the sun was gone. Ashley turned again to her grandmother and said simply, “S'anks.”

It was wonderful for Janette to be a grandmother. When little faces turned to her own, there was a particular glow in them. They seemed to say, “Grandma, you're special.” And Janette was convinced that these little people believed there was nothing she could not do.

Someone once said, “If I'd known grandchildren would be this much fun . . . I'd have had them first.” But there were also times when Janette was reminded of how wonderful motherhood had always been. And she often thought that she would love to have just one day with those little babies of her own—now grown.

During the fall when their men were busy with the paper, Janette and Barbara, as well as Ashley, Orville, and Jean, drove down to Indiana to visit Lorne, Lavon, Laurel, and their families.

The drive was a long one, especially for two-year-old Ashley. Her car seat was not comfortable for such long periods of time and was even more difficult to nap in. For most of the trip she did well, but once, totally out of sorts, she reached for the drink that Aunt Jean offered her; then looking directly into Aunt Jean's face, she deliberately turned the cup over and poured out the contents. Aunt Jean had to be quick not to have a lap full of juice—and Ashley required a reprimand.

When the carload arrived at the Logans' home, Nate and Ashley flew at each other, falling to the ground in their rough hug. It was strange how, even with the long months between visits, the pair seemed to remember each other and felt that they “belonged.”

Laurel was especially glad to have Janette arrive. Only two days before, she had been in the hospital because of a miscarriage and appreciated the comfort of having her mother nearby. Her life wisdom and gentle words helped to ease the sting of losing this child.

The following December, just one week before Christmas, Lorne and Deb welcomed their first child. Kathryn Louise was born in Mishawaka, and not only did she have an anxious father in the delivery room, but an uncle pacing the nearby waiting room. After Katie made her appearance, the nurse bundled her up and passed her to her new daddy for inspection. When she turned back, she found that both father and newborn had disappeared.

Without a moment's thought, Lorne had taken his new daughter out to make acquaintance with her Uncle Lavon. The frantic nurse, eyes over her shoulder watching for a doctor, quickly shooed the new father and his daughter back where they belonged.

Since it was Christmas, Janette and Edward planned to arrive shortly after Debbie's baby was born. But Edward had been playing with Ashley, tossing her into the air as he loved to do, and unfortunately his back had gone out. This was just three days before they were due to fly, and the hours of sitting in an airplane were much more than he could have managed. So Janette came alone that Christmas.

On February 23, Courtney Elizabeth was welcomed as Ashley's new baby sister. Ashley, three years old, had just celebrated her own birthday. Now there were five little grandchildren, with an additional one already waiting safe in heaven.

With Terry and Barbara living so close, Janette baby-sat periodically and enjoyed the chance to have tea parties and dress dollies with Ashley. Another favorite activity was to play dress up, and once the three-year-old exclaimed, “I can get so pretty and so glamious!”

It was not as easy to get her to say good-bye. Little Ashley would plead, “I wanna stay here for a little couple whiles, Grandma.”

In the spring of 1989, Marvin and Laurel decided to make their best effort to move closer to family and planned a job-hunting trip to Alberta. The last trip that Grandma had made had ended with such a tearful good-bye that it had raised questions in the couple's minds about why in the world they were living so far from family. When Marvin was given an opportunity for employment in Calgary, they chose to take it.

After officially accepting the offer, Marvin left with the understanding that they would begin their move as quickly as possible after the arrival of their expected third child. His new employer was not quite certain how to work this out in the written contract, but he seemed willing to oblige the unusual arrangement.

Both of Laurel's children had arrived before their due date, and she was convinced this one would follow suit. So Laurel convinced Janette to fly to Indiana two weeks short of her due date so they could “share” one of the deliveries.

Janette arrived on Wednesday evening, and Jacquelyn Leigh arrived just after noon on Thursday. So Janette was in the delivery room, making teasing bets with Marvin as to the time of birth, and was on hand when Jackie first appeared. Even there, Grandma had her camera clicking, though she followed strict discretionary guidelines.

The move to Canada followed when Jacquelyn was only two weeks old. Janette had suggested that she take Jessica back with her on the plane, and Laurel was grateful for her help. Jessica was a busy, energetic almost-two-year-old who did not like long car rides and was under the age limit for needing an airline ticket. The small family car would be crowded enough with four, along with the luggage needed for the trip.

Edward and Janette had spent days house-shopping for the couple, and they suggested a little house on Allen Street in the town of Airdrie. It was perfect, halfway between Marvin's work and Grandma's house.

There were regular trips to visit Grandma's house and sometimes even a visit to her farm. At this farm there were planned events, like picnics and Easter egg hunts, but mostly it was just a few hours here and there of relaxation shared with Grandma, listening to the wrens and the chickadees, or caring for the big country garden.

The grandkids loved the farm. They headed for the rows of carrots almost as soon as their feet touched the ground. When they had pulled themselves a carrot, almost as long as themselves from the tip of the root to the top of the feathery leaves, they scampered to the hose to wash off the dirt—or at least most of it. The rest of the day's activities were carried on while munching the carrot.

One summer the neighbor's cat gave them all a wonderful surprise by coming over to Grandma's farm to have her babies. It could not have been planned better. Six darling little kittens for six darling grandchildren. When Janette showed the cluster of preschoolers where the kittens were tucked away in her barn, they fondled and fussed over the new babies, especially Jessica who claimed the many-colored runt as her own right from the start. All summer long the kittens were a special treat at the farm. When winter neared, the neighbor girl came and collected her brood, taking them back to where they belonged.

For the children, the farm was also a nice place where they could run and shout, with no one telling them to settle down. Just what busy, happy preschoolers needed—and during this time, Grandma was given many new anecdotes for her memory book.

Nate loved the cows that fed in the adjoining pasture. One day he took Grandma's hand and led her to the fence. “Look, Grandma! All those cows are for sale.”

“Why do you say that?” she asked, puzzled.

“They all have price tags in their ears.” Janette laughed when she realized he was referring to their identification tags.

When evening fell at the farm, stars spread out across the enormous prairie sky and the moon hung low over the horizon.

“It's getting dark,” Nate stated.

“Yes, it is.”

“God sure is a tricky God.”

Janette smiled. “He is?”

“Yeah. It's a little bit tricky to put the moon out now.” Janette raised her eyes to the glowing orb, and she had to agree.

On another occasion when Ashley was having her turn at the farm, Janette saw a coyote and tried to point it out to the child. “Look, Ashley. There's a coyote.”

“Uh-uh. That's not a coyote,” she argued with a knowing look. “Coyotes are always on a hill by the moon.”

The farmhouse/writing studio proved to be a good purchase. Once the renovations were complete and Janette had taken advantage of the few pieces of furniture left behind, the house took on a wonderful air of antiquity. Other antique pieces were added to complete the picture, and the result was homey and a good setting for her imagination. It was a small bit of solitude in a hurry-scurry world.

Both Janette and Edward enjoyed the quiet retreat—even the many hours of hard work that went with cleaning up the place—the house, the outbuildings, the yard and fields. And here Janette showed her farm girl upbringing, as well as her own tenacity to stick with a plan. For many hours of back-wrenching labor, she cleared bush, dug stones, and pulled weeds. By the time she and Edward were finished, the little farm was a model of beauty and neatness.

There were many others who helped as well. Lavon and Lorne came home in the summer and painted the barn and the pump house. It was a big task but they did a good job of it. And on a blustery, cold fall day, Terry helped shingle the double garage that Edward had built.

Orville and Jean spent countless hours helping clean up the yard, but it had all been worth it. Only bird songs and the lament of coyotes broke the stillness. And Janette had so faithfully and patiently fed the little birds that the chickadees would fly down and eat right out of her hand.

But even with everything that had already been done, there were always things to do at the farm. Edward built new doors for the barn and new steps for both the front and back porches. Janette added landscaping, decorated inside, and spent hours in the little office over the kitchen.

Sometimes, while the grandchildren were visiting, they would share in Grandma's activities. Sitting beside her in the kitchen was always a good time to chat.

“Grandma, can I have a peach?” Ashley asked, eyeing the fruit basket that usually sat on the kitchen table.

“Remember, I told you they aren't ripe yet,” Janette reminded.

“Oh, yeah. I'll just sit here and wait,” she decided.

Nate's strategy for appealing to Grandma was slightly different.

“Please,” he asked on one occasion when he had already been given a “no.”

“No,” Grandma answered again, just as firmly.

“You're suppose to say 'yes' when someone says 'please.' That's how please works,” he insisted.

Chapter Thirty-seven

Saying Good-bye to the Family Home

In June of 1990, Amy Steeves was hospitalized. There was fear that she might slip away, but her condition gradually improved. For six years she had enjoyed her little house in Rimbey, entertaining scores of people as they came and went in spite of the fact that she had long been confined to her wheelchair.

But after this hospital stay, it was evident that she would not be able to return to living on her own. Amy requested one more summer in her house and signed up for the new long-term care unit that the Rimbey hospital was building. The sisters all took turns staying with her from June until October when the new hospital was ready.

It was not an easy move for any of the family. Amy began early to give away many of her treasures to family members and friends. When it came time for her to enter the new facility, they pushed her wheelchair along the road the short distance from her house to the new unit. It was easier than making her climb in and out of a vehicle.

Her room had been fixed with the few things that she could fit in, along with a basket of fruit and a bouquet of flowers. But they knew these things did little to alleviate the pain. Amy had lost her home, and they had lost their “last post” of security and refuge. It would never be the same again.

Janette, Betty, Marge, Joyce, and Sharon gathered together to sort the remainder of her things. Jack and Ila came to help as well. Jean, always on hand to help when she was able, was sick at home. A family auction was held, each person writing a bid on the list of items to be sold. Many other items were given as gifts, and whatever remained was set aside for a garage sale. At last the task was completed, but it had been a painful process. Janette had not realized just how traumatic the change would be. It took a great deal of bravery for her mother to adjust to and accept the move to her new room.

But, all in all, Amy did well in the health care facility. Her attitude was good, and for that the family was thankful. When Amy was offered a chance to do some writing for the newspaper about the nursing home activities, she was excited. Here was something she had always enjoyed and could still do while living in the facility.

There was something else, too, that Amy could still do well where she was. When someone else was feeling down in spirit, she would wheel herself to the room for a visit, leaving behind some of her good-hearted outlook on life when she left.

Laurel was expecting again soon after Christmas, leaving Janette with the difficult decision of whether or not to travel to Winnipeg, Manitoba, as previously planned for a visit with Edward's sister and her family. In the end, they boarded the train and headed across the miles of prairie, but they left a key to their house with the Logans so it would be available to them when the “time” arrived. Laurel had chosen to use her family doctor from childhood and the Didsbury hospital for delivery.

On a snowy night just after Christmas had passed, Laurel convinced Marvin that if he would just drive the family to Didsbury, she would do her best to see that he had good reason for missing work in the morning.

He said, “Now, you promise?”

What could she say? No, she guessed she didn't quite promise. But she hoped good and hard.

Early in the morning on December 27, Alexander Nicolas arrived. He was quite different from any of her other babies. He was blond with a round face, but they were thrilled to bring him home to the other three who were waiting at Grandma's house, all ready to hold baby Alex. He was passed from one little lap to another faster than he could begin to focus on the grinning faces. Jackie was still only seventeen months old, but she seemed to think that this baby was her own for keeps. It was difficult to talk her into sharing.

In just a few short days, Janette and Edward returned from Winnipeg and were able to do some kissing and hugging of their own. They enjoyed the newest addition and the effect he had on the other three.

Janette caught Jessica kissing Alex gently on the head when he was crying. “You got a headache?” little Jessica asked her new baby brother.

In February, just short of two months later, Debbie gave birth to her second daughter and Edward feigned a moan. He tried very hard to sound disappointed at yet another Oke granddaughter. The ordered Oke grandson had yet to appear, and he teased that the little Logan boys did not truly count as “name-bearers.”

But no one could resist little Kristalyn Lorene. She was bright and happy from the first. And as she grew, her sparkling eyes and comic stunts kept her parents busy and her grandmother writing quickly just to keep track of all the new stories. With six beautiful granddaughters and two fine grandsons, there was hardly a week without someone achieving a new accomplishment or another saying something terribly amusing.

Janette stopped by the Logan home one day on the way to do some shopping and took Jessica along for an outing. Edward drove them into Calgary and then let them out at the mall entrance, planning to pick them up later.

Jessica scrambled out of the car and hurried behind Grandma until the big glass doors swung shut behind them. Then she took a good look around, appearing troubled.

“What did we do with Grandpa?” she asked with big eyes.

After spending a while choosing some things for Jessica, Janette waited at the checkout counter as the cashier rang up her purchases and then presented her check and I.D. to the woman.

Jessica pointed at the picture license and explained to the clerk about the card, “It says ‘Gramma'.”

They decided to stop for a bite to eat before Grandpa returned, taking time to chat. Then Janette noticed that they had better hurry so he would not have to wait.

“Finish your ice cream, please, Jessica.”

“'Cause it might get cold?” she asked.

When Grandpa arrived to pick them up, Grandma was still smiling, ready to write the new comments into the grandmother's special memories book she kept.

Though she would have much preferred be able to spend equal time with the granddaughters still in Indiana, Janette had to be satisfied with writing down the cute comments that Lorne and Deb passed along.

Katie was a clever child and seemed to develop a quick wit early on. She loved to tease her parents by singing songs and deliberately slipping in the wrong words. Her favorite was to sing “Do, Lord, oh do, Lord, oh do remember me. Way beyond the YELLOW.” Then she would giggle and start again.

One day Debbie caught her making grabbing motions into the air. “What are you doing?” she asked.

“I'm catching man cubs,” she said.