We had our birthday dessert. My favorite...angel food cake, strawberries and whip topping!
Then Dad, Mom and I headed up to Pap & Gram's to see Pap who was out of the hospital and back in rehab. The rehab is right beside their home. We got detained for a minute or two going down the drive. This kind of stuff happens when you live in the woods!
At pap and gram's. They actually were allowed to bring pap home for the afternoon to visit with family. This is Jessica and I with our pap.
He hasn't been eating a lot so he has lost quite a bit of weight. He told me he just didn't have a lot of interest in much of anything...as far as reading or looking at things. I was flipping through a photo album with him and showed him this picture of Aunt Deb and mom making silly faces...
And he said, "Those two are faithful." I thought it was so sweet. He knows his girls have spent a lot of time with him the past several weeks...over nights at the hospital and days without sleep. He loves those girls.
It's hard to see him declining, and yet it was so good to see him at the same time. He's still my pap and I cherish every glimpse of that.
Aunt Sandy showing him pictures of a snake they found out by Jessica's boyfriend's truck when the went to leave! It was actually IN his wheel. Uncle John had to take care of him. Yuck!
Aunt Sandy with Princess. She likes this dog of pap & gram's :)
I snapped a photo of pap and gram right before they took pap back to rehab.
Love these two so much!
Out on the porch with his kids.
Uncle John and Uncle Bill taking him across the street.
This has to be tough on them.
I felt like I didn't want to say goodbye to pap. With the distance we live I know it could be my last. It stinks.
Pap had been talking a lot about getting everyone together because he had things to discuss. Just last week he was declining a lot...not eating or taking his medicine. This same week, on Wednesday (June 26th) he walked down to the administrator's office and said he wanted to see Uncle John and Whitney (my cousin and the Admission's Director at Brookline Nursing Home) right now. So they came to see him and a lot of the family that were able ended up coming that evening. Gram said their were 15 from our family there.
I'm told his "speech" was very impromptu. He had a lot of family together so he took advantage of it. He was very clear and of sound mind during this time. He asked everyone to go into the breezeway/porch area. From what was relayed to me, he talked for almost 2 hours. He wanted the grandchildren to know that he was going to Heaven and that giving their life to the Lord is the most important decision that they could make. He wanted to see them in Heaven. He believed firmly that his time was coming to an end and that he was ready to go. He talked about their will as well as the strength he drew from Gram. There was a Mennonite group their singing that night that came in and sang his two favorite hymns. I believe "Redeemed" was one of them. Gram, what was the other one? There were many tears shed and it felt like they were attending his funeral...with Pap present as the speaker. It sounded like a very moving moment.
I believe this was a huge blessing to everyone...even for the ones that were not there. The story can be shared and provide a great amount of peace hearing that Pap was his "take charge" self, clear and confident that he was ready to go Home. He even told Gram, "There's no use crying, Marilyn. This is just the way it's going to be." I know this gave Gram much peace. No one is ready to say goodbye, but if we have to, how could we ask for more?
After this talk with the family, he asked to talk to Grandma privately in his room and he laid out his wishes for his funeral. I can't imagine how emotional this day was for everyone!
He's still with us, thankfully. And we would love for it to continue that way, but he is getting weaker and weaker this week. He's not eating. He losing more weight by the day.
My emotions vacillate so much. He is one of the most amazing, loving, fun men I have ever met and I don't want him to go. He has touched my life in such a significant way. My memories are plentiful and full of love and laughter. Yet, he's ready. He's going to HEAVEN, and he is going to have an amazing time there! Much better than what this earth can provide him. And in less than a lifetime...I will get to be with him again for eternity. So, I guess I will have to accept what God has planned for him. I know He is good, and He determines how many days we get to walk this earth. So it's His call on when He takes my pap home to Glory. And I can trust Him and His timing.
When we got back home, we spent some time outside. Nathan helping Grandma water her flowers.
Pappy and Josh.
Pappy and the boys!
Having a snack.
Back outside for one last swim while the pool is really warm from the heater being on!
Josh was so funny laying back and lounging in this thing! He was so relaxed!
The next morning getting ready to leave for the airport. Pappy is busted!
And Nathan whose entire sleeve is in the water!
We'll miss you pappy! (and Grandma!)
I'd like to say our flight back was uneventful. It almost was until we left our carry-on on the jet way when getting off of the plane. We were messing with opening up the stroller, getting the boys in and we left it lay! We realized it when we picked up our bag off the carousel. We went to the appropriate counter and ultimately, they told us it wasn't there when they looked for it.
After hours of Matt and I talking to MANY different people and departments, they basically told us "good luck finding it!" I went back through security, on the train and to the terminal to talk to the gate agent, security, information, customer service, etc. This all only left me in tears and a nice man on the escalator wondering if he could help!
Ultimately, we wanted to know where the plane was going that left immediately after he got off of the plane because we concluded that it went on that plane. We were told that wouldn't happen because it didn't have a tag. Basically, it's illegal for them to take an unmarked bag on a plane. Yeah, well...good thing TSA didn't catch this one! After more time on the phone on the way home in various people (and finally, two little boys sleeping in their car seats!) We got a call from Durango. By the way, this is where the plane that left from our gate was headed. It took Matt and I a lot of persistence...but we finally go this information and called Durango ourselves. Our bag was indeed, in Durango. Yep, someone put the sucker on the plane even though we didn't have it tagged. Imagine that.
It was frustrating, but ultimately, it was our fault. It was dumb on our part and we are so GRATEFUL to have located it! Matt's work device was in that bag that could have been 600 dollars to replace, not to mention they didn't even have any extras in the office that week and that's what he used to do ALL his documentation! I had to return to the airport the next day to retrieve it in the afternoon after the Durango flight came in. Thankfully, Matt still had that day off as we were originally going to come home on Tuesday. So after a nice peaceful drive up listening to a sermon that Age recommended, I did arrive at the airport in the midst of a Tornado Warning. I had no idea, but one was spotted just east of the airport. My first clue should have been the loud horn going off with a message attached to it, or the people less garage, or the very very dark sky...but of course I didn't. Once I realized what was going on I jumped into an elevator because I couldn't find stairs and I had parked on the very top floor! Yes, I was outside. Someone told me to run to some door and as I did I noticed all of these cars just sitting, abandoned, in the arrivals area. Crazy! Anyway, it passed and I was allowed to retrieve my bag! The man that I picked up the bag from noted the tag that was now on our bag. Apparently, when there wasn't a tag, someone tied one on and printed "Durango" on it. This man at Baggage Claim praised us for being so diligent in locating the bag because he said it would have been many days before Lost & Found would have tracked it back to us. Thank you , Lord.
And that was our almost uneventful trip home. But a good trip out east. Glad we went!
2 comments:
A happy and sad post. Saddened that your Pap is not well but loved that he had an opportunity to share his and God's love with his family.
Thank you, Grandma J! It is amazing that he had that opportunity. God was gracious to give us (and him) that!
Post a Comment