I have mental pictures of my late mother-in-law making her amazing cinnamon rolls in her kitchen. I also have her recipe but somehow I don’t think they will come out like hers. Out of love, she spent what seemed like hours making and baking these dense, hearty, cinnamon rolls from scratch. I can almost smell the aroma of them baking, but I have no pictures of her baking them to add to her recipe…

Cooking and baking are some of the sweetest acts of love. My mother has always liked looking at recipes (in most recent years on Facebook) and then experimenting with new recipes for her family. Her specialty is making banana bread for people who are sick. Even though she doesn’t cook anymore, her caregiver uses her recipe to keep up the tradition as much as possible.

Now that Mom’s living space has shrunk to her bedroom only, our creativity expands to find meaningful cooking activities for her to participate in. One of those activities is going through the weekly sale ads and circling the items she would like us to pick up. Another is picking up picture magazines with recipes she may enjoy. Occasionally we will bring a prepared recipe into her bedroom for her to stir. Sometimes we’ll ask her how to make “such-and-such” to which she will share the ingredients in the recipe. I should be recording those instructions so I will have her voice and the recipe in the future!

The last picture we have of Mom in the kitchen was October 2022 when she was making Peppernuts with me. She couldn’t stand long but she wanted to help. Who knew that this would be her last time baking in her beloved kitchen. Now that Mom is unable to ambulate to her kitchen, we can look back on our pictures. capturing her continued passion to participate in preparation from the kitchen table.

Even when bedridden, we strive to enjoy new foods and fun. Mom now enjoys her “new” favorite drink called Spirit of ‘76 complete with whipped cream and mini chocolate chips over a glass of chocolate milk “on the rocks.” It was her idea!

I guess all this to impart 3 lessons I’m learning:

One is to soak up those Kodak moments of your loved ones.

Two is to find adaptive ways to create new memories with old passions.

Three is to be present. It’s the best present to give your loved one – and yourself.