the road trip
DESCRIPTION
Grace Ettinger celebrates her 101st birthday and takes a road trip to Camp Eagle in the hill country of Texas with her daughters, meeting friendsand family along the way.TRANSCRIPT
The Road Trip
GE
August 17-22, 2011
• Katherine’s Place
• Ellen’s house, Abilene, TX
• Camp Eagle, Hill Country, TX
• Jeff’s house, Dallas, TX
• Back home to Katherine’s Place
Approximately 1200 miles
Six Days
THREE DAUGHTERS:
Marian Nokes (Arkansas)
LIz Peters (Florida)
Ellen Scott (Texas)
It All Started With a Wish...
Grandma Grace Ettinger has interacted and interceded for a myriad of people and causes throughout her 101 years, and one of her favorite min-istries is Camp Eagle. She was with the Scotts the very first time they drove on the property. She cleaned, sewed, cooked, watched the roofs being patched, prayed as the first group of adventure campers came out. She tried out the zip line when she was a mere 90 years old. She’s as excited today as that first day about the way God works miracles between kids, natural wonders, and a bunch of compassionate counselors.
Because of her continuing interest in the expansion of Camp Eagle, we (three daughters) left Katherine’s Place in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on a Wednesday morning for a 1200 mile round trip to see what’s new. It was not a girl’s day out, but a pilgrimage. Not without cost and risk, we prayed that she would be as blessed along the way as she has brought blessings to so many. It was not without misgivings as we drove away from the stability of Katherine’s Place for the remote headwaters of the Nueces River in the beautiful hill country of Texas.
GE
First-the Birthday Party at Katherine’s Place:
101 And Counting
Her family came from Texas, Florida, Missouri, Illinois and California to help her celebrate her 101st Birthday Party. Marian, Liz, Ellen and Marti (sisters) planned the party, Sue Berthold made the huge lobby festive with balloons, Janet Crockett from Nicodemus Church baked two wonderful cakes, and her friends at Katherine’s Place got her ready for the big event. A luncheon for the immediate family was first, with barely time to give hugs and hellos, then the party followed with local visitors.
Some of Grandma Grace’s beautiful quilts were displayed, her quilting frame brought to the party, Teresa sang “His Eye is on the Sparrow” and she was interviewed by
Channel 5 News!
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS NEWS
“A Fayetteville woman celebrated a triple-digit birthday Saturday. Grace Ettinger turned 101 years old.
Grace’s family and friends gathered at Katherine’s Place nursing home in Fayetteville for her birthday party. Born in 1910, she’s seen everything from the days of horse drawn carriages to space exploration.
So we asked her what’s her secret to long life. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not to your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him. That has taken me through 101 years,” she says. Grace has 43 great-grandchildren and says she enjoys making quilts for all of them.”
INTERVIEW: http://nwahomepage.com/search-fulltext? nxd_id=261477 (VIDEO)YOUTUBE: (His Eye is on the Sparrow) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lAkQRrrmDs
Grandma Grace ‘s day was not over; the family relaxed and grilled some
hamburgers together at Lake Wedington
August 17 -10 amLeaving Katherine’s Place with a prayer, heading to Ellen’s house in Abilene. Saying so long to her friends. Check out this video:
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tF4Keukzet8&feature=youtube_gdata_player
After checking with relatives, nurses and the administrator of the nursing home, we asked Grandma one more time, “Would you like to go to Camp Eagle? Her answer, “Well, I sure would like to see all the new buildings and things they have done, just one more time.”
jeffandtonjamillet: Wow! She just never ceases to amaze and inspire!
David Ruth Smith and Amy Verdensky like this.
August 17 -1 pm Lunch at Lake Eufala, OK. Dosed all the meds. Mom doing well, will nap now.
August 17 -3 pm Mango pineapple smoothie. Grams is loving the road trip.
August 17 -5 pm OK- any of you who know Ellen will understand why we are finding a rest room at TJ Maxx. Grams is regaining her shopping skills rapidly! $5 clearance rack!
Jan Stacy, Martha Nokes Zwonitzer and Jenn Mitroff like this.
Jenni Green Millet, Neil Probst, Connie Gallion, and Missy McPherson like this.
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A trip of a lifetime...for all of us
Thank you, God. We had a good day. 500 miles, and no terrifying incidents. Grams, once she was in her seatbelt with her legs propped up and cushioned, enjoyed the trip and noted landmarks along the way. She’s of course been this way before, many times. We passed the road that led to the lake house where she and Grandpa lived for a few years, and where he died, and now rests with her daughter and grandson. I wondered if she would want to stop, but this time, no comments, she’s intent upon Camp Eagle, saving every bit of strength for that. Each stop we made took a lot of effort on her part and on ours. We still haven’t found an easy way to get her in and out. She can’t move her left leg at all. We’re careful not to let her fall or bump her swollen limbs. “It’s all right”, she says, “They’re always like that”. No complaining. We got to Ellen’s house late, but Grams wanted to see her kitchen-in-progress, and the set of antique yellow dishes recently acquired. By the time she rested in bed, she fell asleep immediately. Take care, family: her usual prayer ritual was interrupted with exhaustion. I really believe God still received them, because He hears her every night. Her heart prays even when her mind sleeps. I’ve been thinking it’s about time that we who understand, believe and treasure prayer begin to take up the slack as Grandma Grace slows down. It’s work, you know. The CNA at Katherine’s place told me sometimes Grandma says, “Put me to bed early tonite, Teresa, because I have some extra praying to do. “
Linda Butler : Our thoughts, prayers and well wishes travel with you my friend.
Ross Blackshirts Johnson: What a great woman! I wish I could meet her...thanks for these updates Liz!
Casey Weeks: Sounds like you are having a wonderful visit! I wish you and your family the best, Liz!
101 -and counting
August 18 -9 am Breakfast in Ellen’s back yard. God sent a breeze thru, and we had pecan rolls and fresh peaches. We’re resting today, and tomorrow to our destination - Camp Eagle.
August 18 -3 pm At Ellen’s antique shop, Marian played an old organ while Grams listened. Vonciel gave her a brass bell.
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN4oMWqb-GI&feature=related
Jan Stacy: I would have come for breakfast. It sounded so good!!!
Jim Booker, Missy McPherson and Herbert Schmidt like this.
Jenn Mitroff : Uncle Paul used to have an old player piano that was such fun to play as a child.
Jan Stacy: play it again sam, play it again!!! lol
Kenneth Carol Flynn:So happy you are on a trip with your Mother. So happy for you.
Thursday: Day of Rest
It’s 5 am. I was up at 12, 2 and 4 am with Grandma Grace. At 4, she awoke in pain, with moaning that increased. We had anticipated an incident, and had specific meds to administer for pain and the accompanying nausea. I couldn’t lift her alone, so woke Ellen and soon Marian came to help too. We stabilized her, and she kept apologizing- she still wishes to be self- sufficient. I am seeing first hand why she has endured to 101 years. She has an enormous level of determination. After each crisis, and mini-crisis, she settles herself down and simply goes forward. I am also witnessing what makes her beloved to those who know her. In the midst of her deepest needs, and through times of utter helplessness, Grace looks up and considers others. “I ‘m sorry to cause you so much work.” Her attitude is a perfect illustration of the words of Jesus when he said “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind AND Love your neighbor as yourself.” Stripped of pretty much everything, home, finances, resources, health, strength; Grace still has something to give: her love to us.
Camille Bridgman Millet: She’s my hero and inspiration next to Jesus
Jan Stacy: Praying that you all have a wonderful trip. Praying for good health for all. What an amazing group of women!!
August 19 -9 am Greeting the Cambodian donut vendor George in Abilene, now on to Camp Eagle!YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6lyZZG-WeU&feature=related
Leaving Abilene, Grandma Grace turns smiling to Ellen, “you know the way? “ Ellen: I guess so- we went with you just about every week for the first year- different project every time!”
Antique stop at Painted Rock- 2 hours from our destination. Cindy Booker Millet likes
this.
A familiar road, no city sights now!
Anthony welcomes Grandma Grace
Abilene toCamp Eagle !
Hello, hello, and hello!
Camp Eagle has a new motel, and Grandma Grace got to stay in it!
After a comfortable night spent in the brand new Camp Eagle motel, our BIG day began with Laura and Anthony’s break-fast on the patio just outside the new dining room. Grams sat there glowing with happiness with the Nueces River in view, her family shar-ing breakfast, and bunches of kids all over the grounds. Main camp is over for the summer, but busses and vans arrived with three different weekend retreat groups. Anthony gave Grandma Grace a tour of the newest facilities- starting with the dining room where over 600 can comfortably greet and eat. One of four 10’ diameter chandeliers is hung, and there is a long serving line equipped by the rearranged kitchen. In what we think of as the “old” dining room, there are rocked-in window seats that match the massive familiar fireplace. Grandma checked out every detail, and was amazed at the capacity of the building.
Then we put her in the car for a drive through Headwaters facilities where SEVEN of her great-grandchildren spent a week of camp together from three different states. Next was an up close and personal tour of the sturdy but rickety looking mine activity, with a tunnel maze, a hillside mine shaft slide and other team building activities in a “Lemony Snicket” type setting. Camp Eagle outdoes itself year after year. And Grandma Grace at 101 eagerly looks forward to it all. There’s so much to see and pray over, we’re thinking she will expect another pilgrimage for her 102nd birthday. For now, she watching several cars drive under the suspension bridge with this year’s new “Walkabout” students ready for 9 months of hands- on Christian training. Grace, at 101 and counting, meets young adventurers on equal ground. Camp Eagle’s protegés have a long road to go before they can match this woman’s passion and spirit.
Grandma Grace gets a tour from the Director of Camp Eagle (hello, grandson!) The new dining facility seats 600 and the decks on the river side are spectacular.
7 Great-Grands at Camp
August 20, 2011 - 2 am Missy McPherson and Neil Probst like this.
James Peters: Epic...
Camp Eagle, 2011
August 20 11 am Enjoying the day at CE, Grandma Grace takes a hike to headwaters.YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upqV59H_52Y&feature=related
Janice Porter Huertas likes this.
The new Miner’s Camp activity with slide, tunnel, super swing and other fun things.
Anthony and Laura
Crossing the suspension bridge
Enjoying the porch on the office
Kids’ workshop area
Bill and Maria from San Antonio
Kids tree fort Dining hall chandelier, 10’ across
Jenn Mitroff: Both of these ladies love adventure. It’s just that one has a few more years experience than her daughter. It’s in the blood line!
Missy McPherson: It looks like you are having so much fun. thanks for sharing your trip!!
facebookAugust 21 11 pmFalling asleep after a very full day, Ellen and I heard Grandma Grace talking in her sleep. First it was something like, “Billy came to see me because he wasn’t at my birthday party.” We giggled.
Then we distinctly heard the words, “I wish I could stay here”. Ellen immediately looked at me and said, “ Did you hear what I did?” and started dabbing her eyes, since she’s the baby of the family and always sentimental.
August 22 10 amTrade Days near Fredricksberg, Bill and Eden Millet drove all the way here to see her from San Antonio.
August 22 6 pmJeff and Tonja’s house for supper with Forest and Helga Clark, Grandma Grace’s dear friend. We spent the night with the ample hospitallity of Helga!Tomorrow morning, last day of our road trip.
Heading for Home
Although our trip to Camp Eagle was a pilgrimage for Grandma Grace; a gift to fulfill her wish for her 101st birthday, we had a sense that God had even a bigger picture in mind. She had many visitors at her birthday party in Arkansas, but at Abilene, Camp Eagle, and Dallas she got to visit with other friends and family.
Jeff and Grandma Grace
at the entrance to
“Gracehaven Ranch” named in honor
of her.
ABILENEDan ScottGeorge, the Cambodian donut manVonceil, Ellen’s antique mall owner
DALLASJeff and family, and her dear friend, Helga ClarkMidnight, Jeff’s horse
CAMP EAGLEBill and Maria MilletTim and Lissa PetersCelia Wade, friend from RockspringsTwo grandchildren (Anthony Scott and Valerie Chism) and their spouses (Laura and Craig), and five great grandchildren (Ruby, Jasmine, Andrew, Aiden, Alex) at Camp EagleEden Millet
August 22 -6 pm Last night out- back at Fayetteville Cracker Barrel. Grams enjoyed her favorite chicken and dumplings. Steve and Debbie welcomed us back.
August 22 -3 pm We’ll be back to Katherine’s Place today, I don’t think she’s ready to go home!
One last shopping stop at the the one-of-a-kind A-Z outlet near Alma, OK.
The Road Less Travelled
Six days, 1200 miles, three sis-ters, and Grandma Grace, 101 and counting. We did it. Grams is safely nestled in her tri-level bed with her feet properly elevated, resting quietly in her temperature regulated room. This after sit-ting for hours in the Suburban with her feet on a box, risky slides out of the high seat and a diffi-cult maneuver into the wheel-chair, and sleeping with her head and feet on pillows with a bell by her hand for help up when necessary. With all that, her blood pressure remained at an acceptable level the entire trip. I know she didn’t want our adventure to end, and really, neither did I. She will have new stories to share. This was not an all-inclusive cruise, it was true grit. Our first stop was a picnic table in Oklahoma. We brought a great lunch, and there was a wonderful view of the lake and hills. There were also mosquitoes, flies and 100+ degrees in dry heat. You can’t have it all, and we chose the great outdoors over an air-conditioned fast food place. The logical plan would be to make a
beeline for our destination, with as few as possible hours in the car. Instead, we stopped often, TJMaxx, the Amish Cheese Store, antique shops that were familiar to Grams from past trips. She became progressively more involved in the fun of it, shedding the submissive nursing home helplessness. She began to ask for her purse, and regained shopping power, choosing and buying a few things with her birthday money. Then, finally at Camp Eagle, Grandma Grace got to sleep in the new motel room she had only heard about before. With only one evening and one day at the camp, she was treated to breakfast on the new patio and deck overlooking the river, a tour of the new buildings, a drive around the camp seeing the new housing and activities, then lots of relaxed family time. She had a great appetite, not only for what she calls “real food”, but also for lively conversation with her friends and family. The great grandkids ran in and out with a “How ya doin, Grandma?” and the grand kids broughther up to date on all the family news. Besides the Scott and Chism families who live at Camp Eagle, she
also got to visit with Bill and Maria Millet and Tim and Lissa Peters who came to Camp just to see her. Way too much activity for a centenarian with a heart problem and painful arthritis. But Grams thrived on the adrenalin from the kids and food and noise and activities all around her. There was talk of sending her down the mine shaft slide, but she was content with a wheelchair ride over the suspension bridge. She marveled, she laughed, she recalled, she couldn’t remember, then did remember days and times and names and people all about Camp Eagle for all the years she came and went. And it was good. We drove home through Dallas, where her grandson, Jeff showed her a gatepost he’d
constructed with the name of his property: Gracehaven, in her honor. She looked flustered, and said, “Oh, really?”, with her usual humility. After supper later, there was a knock on the front door. Jeff was there with Midnight to say “neigh!” to Grandma Grace, knowing her lifetime love of horses. She fed Midnight a carrot and said they were both getting old. I know Grandma’s nursing home is the best, and her doctors are treating her with the latest medications, but I have a feeling that therapeutic powers were at work between Grandma, her grandson and his horse at that moment which might carry her through many long days ahead. How happy we all are that we chose the road less travelled.
End of the Journey Marian, Ellen and I left Grandma Grace safely in Andrew’s care (her evening
CNA), and upacked her suitcase. Gail (her neighbor) came in and hugged us all and said
how much she missed Grace. Grandma was somewhat glad to get into her comfortable
bed, but we could tell she reluctantly accepted the end of the road. She said, “I guess this
is probably the last time I’ll make a trip like this.” Key word: probably.
The next morning, Ellen and I left Marian’s house and stopped by Katherine’s
Place for one more visit with our mom. I reminded her of the stickers we put on her
closet door from a visit in the spring, which spelled out, “We’ll be back!” After saying
goodbye, we found it hard to leave the room so full of her presence.
As we drove away, Ellen dabbing the tears away to drive, we noticed a rainbow
radiating through the rainclouds directly over Katherine’s Place. With a prayer and
thankfulness for God’s care, we headed home.
I think Grandma Grace lived an extra year of life, all squeezed into six days.
GE
August 23, 2011 -8 am Ellen and I said so long to Grandma Grace, and this rainbow appeared over Katherine’s Place. God continues to send His promises!
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The Story We Can’t Explain
Early in my updates about our pilgrimage to CE, and concerned about Grams pain and stability, I asked the family for their prayers and just maybe; pray for angels. For those of you who chose to carry that torch for her, I have a story. It happened the night she had the terrible pain in her legs. She woke up numerous times, and I had helped her sit up, lift her legs off the pillow, get into her wheelchair and to the bathroom. But at 4 am, instead of hearing her little bell to signal me , I awoke to her moans. She was in a lot of pain, severe arthritis in her knees and legs, and one leg was sliding off the side of the bed. She doesn’t have the strength to move that leg, so I carefully made her as comfortable as possible, and got her some strong medication for pain. I couldn’t lift her to take her pill and she was getting nauseous, so I called Ellen to help. Marian heard the commotion and came as well. Mom was as concerned that she got all of us out of bed as she was about her own problems. She settled down, I tucked the sheet firmly around her legs so they would’t slide off the side again, and we went back to bed. Several hours later, while Marian and I still slept, Ellen was in the kitchen starting the morning coffee. She walked back toward the bedrooms and there was Grandma Grace in her wheelchair in the hall. We cannot explain how she moved her unresponsive leg, sat up on her own, slid out of bed, sat in the wheelchair, and moved it through the door and down the hall. All we know is she was not going to wake us up again.
Written, designed and produced by Elizabeth Peters
in memory of our trip of a lifetime with Grandma Grace Ettinger, my mom.
Largo, FL August, 2011
GE