Tag Archives: family

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Last week, we sang this at my dad's funeral, and we will sing it at my mom's funeral...remember...When We All Get to Heaven

my brother-in-law (Michael) reminded us that those who are in Christ will see each other again, "here, there, or in the air."

1. Sing the wondrous love of Jesus;
sing his mercy and his grace.
In the mansions bright and blessed
he'll prepare for us a place.

Refrain:
When we all get to heaven,
what a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
we'll sing and shout the victory!

2. While we walk the pilgrim pathway,
clouds will overspread the sky;
but when traveling days are over,
not a shadow, not a sigh.
(Refrain)

When we all get to heaven,
what a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
we'll sing and shout the victory!
3. Let us then be true and faithful,
trusting, serving every day;
just one glimpse of him in glory
will the toils of life repay.
(Refrain)
When we all get to heaven,
what a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
we'll sing and shout the victory!
4. Onward to the prize before us!
Soon his beauty we'll behold;
soon the pearly gates will open;
we shall tread the streets of gold.
(Refrain)

When we all get to heaven,
what a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
we'll sing and shout the victory!

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My Father cigar band
Here's to you, Dad
Dad, here's to you.

My Dad, Thomas David Brown, died last Monday, January 2, 2017.  He was born on January 25, 1935 and in February, my mom and dad would have been married for 58 years.

There's still a lot of processing going on.  Memories shared.

A lot of back story - last August my mom fell and broke her leg very badly.  She's had several surgeries, and has been in several hospitals - she was in "Hills and Dales" in Cass City, MI. (I mention their name because the nurses are very wonderful!)

Dad took a really bad turn for the worst with his heart and lung conditions, and we spend Thanksgiving dinner at the hospital with Mom.  So Phil and I, and my kids, were able to spend Thanksgiving dinner with both of my parents for my Dad's last Thanksgiving dinner in this life.

I spent some good quality time with Dad before the rest of my family got to Sandusky, Michigan.  And I knew that he was ready to go see Jesus.  He made no secret that he didn't want to live like that.

After Christmas, my mom was released to an assisted living home (on Thursday.) My dad was released from a different hospital to the same home, in the same apartment with Mom on Saturday.  They were able to spend Saturday, Sunday and on Monday morning he was gone.

He wanted to be with my mom.

Mom and Dad at Stonegate
Mom and Dad at Stonegate
I think we were ready to let him go, but we weren't ready for him to go.  Are we ever?

I was going to commit to blogging from the very first of the year, but missed the whole first week because I was with my family saying "bye and I love you" to my Dad.

And still longing to hear him say, just one more time, "Love you back."

I intend to blog more this year.  Even now, I just feel a little more put together; my head, heart and spirit a bit more straight.  I have a few interesting projects in mind, including for my head, my heart and my spirit.

 

 

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18 years ago, my daughter, Amanda, had a minor ear surgery. We brought her home and I had o rune out to get a prescription filled.

Our cat Blackie had gone missing and since the animal shelter was across the street com the pharmacy, I stopped there while I was waiting on the Rx. They were so short staffed that they weren't keeping animals that owners were dropping off, just putting them to sleep.

There was a couple there with a kid size shoe box, with a tiny tail hanging out. She was crying, but was so allergic...I said, "oh, I'll just take him."

The woman at the counter said, you can't do that IN HERE."

So we went outside and I took this tiny kitten home and he became Amanda's kitty...and we named him after her ear doctor...Henry.

Amanda doesn't remember a time without Henry. He held vigil with me when Amanda's daddy was dying, sitting in his lap for hours at a time.

He spent a little time with me here in the apartment, and was a great balcony cat.

Henry died today. He's had diabetes for 5 years, had eye problems, but Amanda, and her boyfriend, Mike, took good care of him.

Mike was crying, Amanda can't even talk, Tom's a mess and so am I.

Henry will be missed.

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My son (Tom) has the "official" diagnosis.  Mom carries the gene (check) Tom as the symptoms (check).

Now, the idea is to stop it where it is.  Tom's vision is 20/40 in his right eye and 20/400 in his left eye.  There is a blind spot in each eye that (at this point) do not overlap.

He was at college in Marquette when this started, and the closest neuro-ophthalmologist is at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee - Wednesday I drove to Marquette, Thursday we drove (I drove, Tom rode) to Milwaukee and then drove on to Buffalo Grove to spend a little time with Aunt Deb.  Friday, we went back to Marquette and yesterday I drove home.  I'm pretty road-weary at this point.

It was the providence of God that we were sent there (first choice was Mayo Clinic, but there were no appointments) because the doctor in Milwaukee suggested an experimental treatment (the "magic light bulb".)  Near-infrared light has been used in a colony in Brazil that has a very high incidence of Leber's with promising results.  Tom is NOT in a controlled blind study - that means that he can continue to use all of the supplements that are also suggested.

The list of supplements is rather impressive and I learned a few things about vitamins that I didn't know.  More research required.  I'm making a page on this site so I can keep track of what he's taking and how much (since I'm buying)

If his vision stays where it is now, he'll be okay.

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This day I am thankful that my kids are both going to be under my roof this night.

I am thankful that I have known love in return for the love I have given, whether or not my offered love will be taken up again.

I am thankful that over the years I have discovered what I need to do in order to become as healthy as I can become.

I am thankful that I am able to see that I need to become the woman that I need to become.

I am thankful, on this Christmas Eve, that the Father sent His Son to die for the sins of the world, that He called me, that He is taking care of me.

That His plan for me includes that which is best, according to His plan.

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Earlier this week my mom dislocated her artificial hip (again).  This time they did surgery (her second major surgery in 6 months) and they ended up not having to replace the whole joint, just the socket.

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I just got a call from Dad - they're giving Mom 2 units of blood (I'm not sure what the numbers mean, he said it should be 12 and it's 7).

Her good leg is now her bad leg.  So she can't put more than 20 pounds on her bad leg and her good leg can't support her at all.

The good news is that she's consented to be transfered to a rehab center close to their home, rather than insisting on going to a home when she's released.  The social worker said that the rehab center will be able to keep her there until she can walk with a walker (which means that they'll be working on the "bad" leg [now her good leg] which hasn't been worked on because she was using her good leg [now her bad leg] and the walker.

So, in the long run, this could get her walking with a cane *sooner* than she might have been otherwise!