Changes

"Emmy, I don't know what to do," Addy told her sister as they got ready for bed. "I want to keep visiting Grandpa at the nursing home, but each time gets harder. Remember when he used to play games with us and make us laugh? Now he just stays in bed and sometimes doesn't even recognize us."

"That awful Alzheimer's disease changes everything," Emmy said. "I hate it!"

When Mom came in to tuck them in and listen to their prayers, she sat down on Emmy's bed. "You two were pretty quiet on our way back from the nursing home. Is there anything you want to talk about?"

"I don't like what happened to Grandpa," Emmy said.

"I don't understand why it happened," Addy added.

Mom closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I know it's hard. Parts of Grandpa's brain have stopped working like they used to. Over time, Grandma and the rest of us had to do more for him. Now he's in the nursing home, where nurses and other workers help take care of him."

"Like how little babies' moms and dads take ca