Moments...

Although the days seem to be dragging by, the moments are whizzing by.

Dad is very ill but is very clearly showing us his endurance :)  He's being so strong.  He's always been such a strong, manly man.  Even here at the very end he's hanging on.  His niece, Darla, and her husband, Bruce, came to visit over the past few days.  They drove up from Mobile, AL.  I was so surprised to hear that they were coming.  It was so nice to see them!  I haven't seen them in probably 20 years!  You would not believe the number of people that have called with their condolences.  It's amazing to me how many lives he's touched in his time here.  It's sad but sometimes you don't realize how many people love you until it's too late.

My sister quoted a quote from Aeschylus last night that read, "There is no pain so great as the memory of joy in present grief".  I could not agree more.  My mind is flooded with memories of Dad at my wedding, at the birth of his first grandchild, my son, Alexander "Charles" (named after my father in law who had recently passed), at the birth of his 2nd and 3rd grandchildren (TWINS!), Carter "Vance" (after Dad) and Caroline Reese and oh my gosh the moment he found out we were having twins :)  Bless his heart I don't think it sunk in until we were about to leave to go home.  He just couldn't comprehend that he was going to have twin grandbabies!  And he was incredibly honored to hear that we were naming a child after him.

Throughout all of this I keep thinking of things that I'm grateful for.  I'm grateful to have had my dad for almost 70 years now.  He is at peace and I feel he's ready to be with his mom, dad, brother and other family in Heaven.  There I said it.  If I've offended anyone, I'm sorry, but that's how I feel.

I'm running out of time at the moment but have so many more things to say.  I will try to post later tonite...

God Bless,
E