Daddy

This is my Dad at about two years old. I love the little beret. He loved to get his picture taken, but I'm not so sure he was thrilled in this picture!

Thank you for the comments that have been left recently. They mean so much to me. Things have been quite hectic around here, as expected. Daddy had a stroke on January 9th and was in ICU for three days. The fourth day we were told he would never return to the quality of life he had prior to the accident. The head of neurology said he would have to be on a ventilator and feeding tube for the rest of his life. We all knew that Daddy was not happy being paralyzed on the left side from an accident he had ten years ago. How would he feel if he ever came out of his coma and was relying on life support and could never go home again? So many decisions to be made. We had talked about all of this the third night he was in the hospital. He had not been conscious once. Friday we made the decision. My sister had been able to come up so all three of us, with input from Daddy's sister and my husband, made the decision together. So difficult for someones life to be put into your hands. Friday we were ready for the worst. I really didn't want him to leave us then because it was the 13th - stupid superstitions, I guess. R didn't want him to leave us on Valentine's Day. He must have sensed that. We were told repeatedly to let Daddy go. How difficult it is to let the rock in your life go. He was just helping me get through RLs Dad's death. He was just praying for me and giving me scriptures to comfort me through the whole ordeal. He was just talking to RL on the phone and telling him that he would be there for him. He would help him. They would do things together so he would still have a father figure. He couldn't leave us! And yet somehow I had to tell him it was okay. I think my sister was probably the strongest of the three of us and she was able to let him go before Mom and I. Finally, with every ragged breath he took, I let him go. Our family, Mom excluded, went to her house to sleep that night. We woke up to the ringing phone at 5:30 a.m. It was time and we had to get there as soon as possible. We did. We held hands, we touched him, we kissed him, we released him, we prayed, we hummed and then sang. The sun came up and it was beautiful. I don't think I have seen a sun rise that beautiful in years. Then he was gone. It was 7:35 on Sunday morning. How could I mourn when he was whole again? When he was walking without his cane. When he was flying without a pilot's license or any restrictions? RL and I left the room to tell the kids. When we got back to the room, Daddy's face had changed. He had a little smirk on his face. If you know anything about Daddy, you know a smirk means he is up to something and I know in my heart what he was up to. He was back with his Mom and Dad, his brothers and his sisters. His youngest sister is still with us and I am so grateful for that. She has the peace that Daddy had and was able to help through the hard parts of that week.

Now the hospital stay is behind us and it's time to get busy. Mom's best friend has been with her since the Saturday before Daddy died. She's helped her get organized and find all the legal papers. What a blessing she has been. We will be leaving for Florida next week for a memorial service. Daddy's friends are there and we know they all want to say good-bye.

I hope one day knitting will once again be my biggest concern. I could hardly pick up the needles while I was at the hospital. Right now a dish cloth is on the needles and seems to be the deepest project I can concentrate on.

Please pray for my Mom most of all. She is starting a new life that she's not accustomed to. She's been a care giver for the past 15 years - first with her parents and then with Daddy. She needs to rest and find out what she wants to do for the first time in years. Please pray for my sister and me that we will find the right words to say to Mom when she needs comforting. And please pray for my family. Losing two grandfathers/fathers in less than a month is a little tough on anybody, but especially the kids. Thank you.

I'll Fly Away......

Sunday morning, Daddy flew away.

Keep Praying!

After almost 24 hours sitting in the ICU, we still don't know what's going on. Daddy has definitely had a stroke. It's a bleeding stroke which accounts for approximately 20% of all strokes. The bleeding appears to have stopped. He is still unconscious, as he has been since the stroke occurred on Monday afternoon. We are hoping for some more brain activity and possible some awake time for him tomorrow. Some nurses say to talk to him and touch him - some nurses say we are overstimulating him by doing just that. So incredibly confusing. Nobody will give us straight answers saying they are not fortune tellers. Just tell me if he's going to live. Mom is weary beyond belief. My sister got into town tonight, so we are all here. The kids are real troopers and seem to know how to make themselves at home in hospital waiting rooms. After a year of waiting rooms for their other grandfather, they are pros. We have met the most wonderful people!!!!! A couple of sisters who have prayed with us, hugged us, offered us whatever snacks they have had and treated us like family; a wonderful chaplain who seems to find us and offers up prayers just when we need them the most; and an endless supply of thoughtful and caring family members and those who are closer than family who are praying endlessly. I've seen good and I've seen bad. Seems these situations bring those qualities out at times like this. RL is still reeling from his own father's illness and this is slamming him into some memories that are still quite raw. Please pray for us. I know I have asked a lot of all of you this past year, but I wouldn't ask if we really didn't need it. I'm not ready to let Daddy go quite yet. He's such a spunky guy and is my rock in most of my emotional and spiritual troubles. His name is Bill and he is the best!

Thank you!

Today's Guest Writer...

Hey everybody, this is R writing for Mom right now. Naturally something must be wrong if I'm here instead, but she's okay. We're just trying to get some prayers going for Poppie (her dad), who is in the hospital right now. I really don't know details, but I'm sure she'll have more info tomorrow, and one of us will probably update soon on things. He's apparently had a stroke of some sort, and the next few days should be pretty touchy around here, so all prayers are welcome!

Hopefully there will be some good news soon, we could really use some right now! -R-

February Snow!!!!!

Boy! It is really coming down out there! So pretty and peaceful. It's coming down in every direction possible. Kind of feels like we are in a snow globe! Don't know how much will actually stick, but I hope quite a bit of it does.
Same tree a few hours later!

This squirrel must have decided that the ground was a wee bit too cool for his tushy! He was runnning down into the yard and digging up whatever he had stashed away and then climbed up on the deck to eat it. I don't blame him. Even with a fur coat, it's not fun to have a cold tush! Right Mom?

Looks like perfect knitting weather!!! Don'tcha think?

The view up our street.

January Socks - finished

R wanted to get 'Socks a la Carte' for me for Christmas. However, it wasn't going to be available in time. Guess what, it was! She was upset that she couldn't get it since she bought another book for me instead. So, when it became available from my book club, I sent off for a copy right away. It's a pretty cool book with all kinds of neat ideas. With my new book in hand and lots of new sock yarn from Christmas, I set out to pick out the three combos for the ideal sock. I chose the 'Peek-O' cuff. All I can say about the picot cuff is - never again! I love the look and knitting it was easy enough. However, working at night with a dark yarn and trying to pick up those stitches after folding it over - was not easy at all! Luckily I have a knitting guru who calmly picked up the sock after I threw it across the room and exclaimed, "I hate this sock!" She walked me through it and even finished part of it for me. God bless that kid! On to the body. Since the kids were playing Super Mario Galaxy, I chose the Spiral Galaxy pattern. What a totally relaxing pattern after that horrid picot cuff. Things were moving along great! I chose the Dutch Heel with Classic Toe for the foot. Hmmm, after following the directions word for word, why does my heel look like an eye of the partridge heel instead of the one in the book? Oh well, it looks great and wasn't hard - two great factors while sock knitting - so I kept it. All in all, I was very pleased with the sock. I loved the yarn - Knit Picks Kettle Dyed Sock Yarn. I loved the needles - Knit Picks DPNs. And the book is pretty cool! The ultimate test was seeing if they fit, and they did, so after whining so much about the picot cuff, I can say I really like these socks!

(Don't tell anybody, but I actually did a gauge swatch. I've NEVER done one of those before. Not sure if I'll ever do one again, but there is a first time for everything. That's our little secret - okay?)