service

{Insert yesterday's opening paragraph here.}


Yep. Rainin'.

The service we received at the Gran Porto Resorte in Play del Carmen was phenomenal. You hardly set down an empty plate or glass but it was whisked away and replaced. The staff was friendly and attentive. Josh was waved at and played peekaboo with and patted on the head by everyone with whom he came in contact.

Maids and others would greet us in the hallway, 'Hola!' Very friendly. Very nice. Very family oriented.

Every day a new towel arrangement appeared on the freshly made bed, strewn with fresh flower petals:
And we could do this as much as we wanted:

Nice as it was though, three days of living like that is enough for me. I was glad to get home and back to my normal routine.

There is no place like home. But the manner and the attitude of those who served us last week inspired me to do a better job of serving wherever I go. Whether at home, church, in the neighborhood, at the food pantry, in the grocery store line.

Not just meeting needs, but anticipating needs.

Like God did for us in Christ Jesus.

¹If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ²then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. ³Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. ⁴Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

⁵Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
⁶Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
⁷but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
⁸And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
⁹Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
¹⁰that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

from Philippians 2

what a difference a week (or two) makes!

A soaking rain is falling right now here in southeast Tennessee. The skies are dark and dreary. A good day for reading a book, cleaning a closet, starting a sewing project.

How different my life was a week ago! Strolling along the Caribbean, holding my grandbaby, chatting with my kids, being waited on hand and foot (not by my kids though...)

part of the Mariachi band that played after the wedding - they were so good!

our resorts - we stayed at the one on the left - the newly weds were at the one on the right

the pool with the ocean view just beyond

Just as different today is from a week ago...so was the week before that (terribly constructed sentence, but I think you know what I mean).

A week before the wedding, Dad was still in the hospital battling a potentially life-threatening infection. Yesterday, the surgeon told him he was doing very well. Thank you, LORD!

We never know, do we? Our lives can change so drastically from one minute to the next. Best to be thankful for every moment and live each to the fullest. Give glory to God in each and every circumstance.

I just received a text from Daniel...he is on his way to Florida for the third wedding of the summer. One in Canada, one in Mexico, one in Florida. Way to cover North America, Daniel!

We pray for his safe travel, as well as for the newlyweds who are winging their way home today from Cancun. A week ago they were single, now they are married and so excited to be starting their new life and establishing their new home together.

So many changes. Kinda makes my head spin. One constant: God's love. And the marvel of watching how He works in our lives.

family matters

Have I ever mentioned how much I love my family?

Of course, I don't need to go to a fancy resort in a beautiful tropical vacation place to enjoy being with them. I just like being with them.

All of them. As often and much as possible.

from Iowa to Mexico

All grown up now:

da boys

one happy granny- really wanted to bring him home with me...

I would be remiss if I didn't thank my brother Roger for coming down to stay with Mom and Dad while I was gone. He did such a good job, that I'm a little worried about my job security here! Thanks Roger!

Dad is doing better every day. He and Mom walked over here yesterday. And I saw Dad walking a little bit last night. We have Dr. appointments both today and tomorrow, but I would say he is definitely on the mend!

More vacation pics tomorrow....

pics courtesy of Jon and Kristi

the night before the wedding

you may kiss the bride
when you get married on the Caribbean, you can keep the decorations pretty simple
note the beautiful spray of lilies

Ta-da! The happy couple!

I was too busy savoring the moment to take pictures. Jon and Kristi got some and I lifted them off Kristi's facebook page (thank you!). Michelle's brother is a professional photographer and he will be sending me a CD of photos sometime in the near future. And there was a professional photographer provided by the resort, so I am sure we will get a few pictures from that too.

I can't wait for you to see the dress a little closer (she got it on Ebay - love that!). Such a lovely weekend. I'm still basking in the glow of it and savoring the memories.

the greatest of these is love

view from our balcony

The groom was handsome. The bride beautiful. The backdrop breathtaking:

Our small wedding party assembled on the white sand beach of the Royale at Playa del Carmen. As Canon in D by Pachelbel played softly over the loud speaker, Michelle walked down from the resort on the arm of her father. She looked so lovely, a beautiful gown, flowers woven into her long auburn hair.

I watched her, then turned to look at our oldest son. He was beaming as he gazed at his bride.

The justice of the peace who presided over the ceremony spoke in a soft, romantic, Mexican accent.

Traditional words. Traditional vows. With an admonition to keep their hands in His, as they face the struggles that life will bring their way.



Portions of this prayer ( by Louis Evans - I have always loved this prayer) were quoted throughout the ceremony:

O God of love, Thou hast established marriage for the welfare and happiness of mankind. Thine was the plan and only with Thee can we work it out with joy. Thou hast said, ‘It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helpmeet for him.’ Now our joys are doubled since the happiness of one is the happiness of the other. Our burdens now are halved since when we share them, we divide the load.

Bless this husband. Bless him as provider of nourishment and raiment and sustain him in all the exactions and pressures of his battle for bread. May his strength be her protection, his character be her boast and her pride, and may he so live that she will find in him the haven for which the heart of a woman truly longs.

Bless this loving wife. Give her a tenderness that will make her great, a deep sense of understanding and a great faith in Thee. Give her that inner beauty of soul that never fades, that eternal youth that is found in holding fast the things that never age.

Teach them that marriage is not living merely for each other; it is two uniting and joining hands to serve Thee. Give them a great spiritual purpose in life. May they seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and the other things shall be added unto them.

May they not expect that perfection of each other that belongs alone to Thee. May they minimize each other’s weaknesses, be swift to praise and magnify each other’s points of comeliness and strength, and see each other through a lover’s kind and patient eyes.

Now make such assignments to them on the scroll of Thy will as will bless them and develop their characters as they walk together. Give them enough tears to keep them tender, enough hurts to keep them humane, enough of failure to keep their hands clenched tightly in Thine, and enough of success to make them sure they walk with God.

May they never take each other’s love for granted, but always experience that breathless wonder that exclaims, ‘Out of all this world you have chosen me.’

When life is done and the sun is setting, may they be found then as now still hand in hand, still thanking God for each other. May they serve Thee happily, faithfully, together, until at last one shall lay the other into the arms of God. This we ask through Jesus Christ, Great Lover of Our Souls. Amen.”

More details and pictures throughout the week...

south of the border bound

He can tell by looking at me. My mind is elsewhere. Always, before a trip my mind is occupied and preoccupied with everything I need to do, need to take, bills to pay, notes to write, calls to make, veggies to harvest and process.

I am pretty well packed, but that won't stop my from taking things out of the suitcase and re-packing them - substituting one item for another adding more, editing what I am taking. I could probably drive myself nuts doing this if I didn't enjoy it so much.

For me the anticipation of a trip is much like the day before Christmas for a child. Full of wonder, excitement and potential. New sights, new sounds (I think the kids are having a Mariachi band play - how cool is that? - unless they were just teasing me..) new tastes, (tastes like chicken??) and being surrounded by my wonderful family.

Yes, I have sunscreen, yes I have anti-bacterial stuff, no I won't drink the water or go off by myself.

I do not plan to blog while I am gone. Check back here on Monday.

Thank you for your prayers as we all converge tomorrow in Mexico.

And thank you for your prayers for Nathan and Michelle as they begin the wonderful adventure of marriage.

block walk

The past few days have been beautiful. Warm, but not beastly hot temperatures like we had previously been experiencing.

At about 8 p.m. last evening Pat and I headed out for our evening walk. A few doors down, our neighbor Mike joined us. As we continued our walk, Austin, pulled up beside us and got out of his immaculately clean truck. He had seen the three of us walking (he lives in the first loop, we live in the second of three) and drove over to find out how Dad was feeling(btw, Dad felt like he turned a corner yesterday - so glad to see him improving). Wasn't that nice?

We had a nice long chat and pretty soon Steve and Jan came around the bend. The five of us talked for quite a while. The sun had set and darkness was settling in when we finally parted ways.

We got home at 9:40. In an hour and forty minutes we covered 2/3 mile and a broad range of topics.

We are, once again, blessed with nice neighbors. Especially enjoyable on a beautiful, bug-free summer evening.

tea and conversation

'glad' to have Dad home

It is so good to have Dad home.

He is a long way from being well, but there is no medicine like being at home. Sleeping in your own bed, the care of your family and the company of your puppy. Not to mention being able to sit for a (short) spell on your own back porch and drink in the fresh air and the views.

The healing process for this particular infection appears to be slow, measured in increments rather than in leaps and bounds. We would be ever so grateful for your continued prayers. And we are so thankful for those you have brought to the Throne of Grace on Dad's behalf.
~~~~~~
We were invited over for pie last night after church. Blackberry pie. Mmmm. We are just getting to know S. and J. and they graciously made us feel so welcome in their beautiful mountain home last night. Spectacular views. Good conversation (tho' I fear we dominated it...sorry!). And some delicious sweet tea with a hint of mint. Yummy and refreshing.

Thank you so much for your kind hospitality.
~~~~~~
In case you are wondering, I am still planning to go to Mexico for Nathan and Michelle's wedding. LORD willing. My brother Roger (thank you so much, Rog!) will come down to stay with Mom and Dad. My suitcase is half packed and I am making lists of everything I think Mom and Dad might need while I am gone.

Much to do today and the following few, but there is always time for tea and conversation. Stop on by!

Just brought Dad home ! Praise the LORD!!!

character

Dad's voice sounded strong this morning. But the Doctor is reserving judgment on when he can come home. He may need a few more days to build his strength. We defer to her wisdom and experience and education. Though, I'd love, love , love to bring him home today.

Mom is holding up well, but has started to limp a little. We have done lots of walking from the parking lot to the hospital, and through the hospital halls, plus she has been walking the dog. Pray that her knee holds up.

These verses were running through my head this morning as I walked:

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Romans 5:1-5

Those of you who know Dad, know he is a character (wink, wink). I hate to see him suffer but we know that suffering produces, ultimately, hope.

love your neighbor

As Mom and I were returning from seeing the bale fire, Mom's neighbor came walking toward us. Shuffling along in her bedroom slippers, still clad in a robe and nightgown (it was after all only 7 a.m.) she called out, "Pardon my appearance!"

She asked how Dad was doing and then handed us a polar fleece blanket. A green plaid - very masculine looking bound with a perfect blanket stitch. Appliqued to the blanket was a tag:

"To a very special person.
This blanket was lovingly made and prayed over for you.
'Cast all your cares upon Him for He cares for you.'
Oakland Methodist Church
Methodist Women's Union."

What a thoughtful gift! So very much appreciated.

This prompted me to try to think of something to take up to J and D. So I assembled a little gift bag filled with fruit, nuts, bottled water and a few other assorted things. Hopefully it will keep D. from having to feed herself from the vending machine as she keeps her vigil at J's side.

Dad was marginally better yesterday, but still not well. We shall see what today brings.

baking hay while the sun shines

Unfortunately there is nothing too new to report regarding Dad's condition. Still in the hospital, still uncomfortable, still no appetite.

But we are all touched by the outpouring of love and prayers. Cards, emails, comments, visits, calls. All of these well-wishes encourage and touch. We are grateful.

Dad missed some excitement in the neighborhood today. Whether it was due to internal spontaneous combustion or a lightning strike during last night's storm,one of the several round hay bales down toward the entrance of the subdivision caught on fire.

One of the neighbors spotted flames leaping out of this bale and called the fire department. By the time they arrived several more neighbors gathered to watch. They put out the fire, tore the bale apart and watched for an hour or so to make sure it didn't re-ignite.

It didn't.
They left.
It did.
They returned.


~~~~~
A few days ago, I was in the hallway of the hospital texting family and friends -updating them as to Dad's condition. One of our neighbors walked by. I called her name and she stopped and chatted. Her husband is in-on the same floor as Dad - he has cancer and his pain levels were off the charts. We talked for a while. They moved down here two years ago, got to know Mom and Dad and one other couple in the neighborhood and then J. was diagnosed with cancer. Since then, she said,the only other people they have gotten to know is doctors and nurses.

We offered to bring her mail to her and check on her house while they are here. She seemed so appreciative. Now Mom and I go visit them before we come see Dad. Dad's infection is communicable and people with weakened immune systems are especially vulnerable. J. said to tell Dad he is thinking of him. We are praying for J. Separated by just a few twists and turns of the hall, these two neighbors are waging battles against unseen germs and pain receptors.

We hope to bring as much encouragement to J. and D. as we can. Just as so many others have encouraged us.

And to share the One who brings the most Comfort.

two or three more days

Dad still is experiencing the unpleasant side effects of the infection.

His blood sugar is out of whack and he has no appetite.

He'll be in the hospital another few days.

Mom is a trooper. We listen to 'country music' on the way to the hospital. The Stadler Brothers had a line in one song - something like 'when life gets tough, she gets tougher'.

Mom is a living example of this.

More later...

going in the right direction

Although Dad feels no better, his blood work results show that the antibiotic is doing its work.

If things are moving in the same direction today, we may be able to bring him home.

Thanks for all your prayers.

plea for continued prayers...

Pat and I stopped in to check on Mom and Dad on Saturday afternoon - brought in some groceries and offered to do anything that needed doing. As I bent down to kiss Dad good-bye, his forehead felt very hot to me.

We located the thermometer. 102.2. And this with him already taking antibiotics. I called my friend Lora and she counseled me to call the doctor.

We thank God for Lora.

The doctor on call was Dad's surgeon's partner. Dr. C. is capable and serious. Dr. R (the partner) is funny and personable. We like to talk to Dr. R.

He told us to get right to the emergency room. We did and after four hours of tests and waiting, waiting, waiting - Dad was finally admitted. Dr. R. did not mince words. He thought perhaps Dad had a serious infection and we need to get on top of it right away.

We thank God for Dr. R.

Once we got Dad up to his room, Mom and I stepped into the hall as the nurse and EMT transferred him from bed to bed. While in the hallway, Mom and I spotted their primary care physician and quickly updated her on Dad's condition. Dr. Carole stopped in to see him and explained to us that she normally would not be on the floor at this hour of the night, but came in late because her family was in town.

She checked Dad over and started to make things happen. I overheard her at the nurses station saying, "George is a very nice man and very knowledgeable about his medical condition."

Dad is a retired engineer, but even retired engineers must manage something and Dad manages his fragile Type 1 diabetes as well as anyone could.

We thank God for Dr. Carole.

So, Dad is back in the hospital. With this.

You do not want to have this. Dad is a prime candidate to get it, though. If you are elderly, diabetic, have recently had antibiotics or been hospitalized you are potentially liable to contract this. Check, check, check and check. I don't think of Dad as elderly, since he briskly walks nearly 3 miles, nearly every day, but at nearly four score years, I suppose he might qualify.

Poor Dad has been so exhausted and worn out. We want to get on top of this nasty infection so he can return home soon.

We are praying.

things that bug me

I was going to rant a little in this morning's post. But it is a beautiful, sunny Saturday morning and who wants to listen to somebody complain and whine on a day like today?

So you won't hear from me about the Japanese beetles that have dined on my roses, tried to munch my hydrangea and turned my rhubarb leaves into lace doilies. You won't hear me tell you how I go out to the garden several times a day on Japanese beetle patrol. Cup of soapy water in hand, I mercilessly pluck and drown the little buggers.

You won't hear from me about the little swarmy flying ants, that turn our formerly leisurely evening stroll into a swat fest as we fruitlessly wave our hands in front of our face to avoid inhaling them or swallowing them. You won't hear from me about how we still feel their creepy crawliness on our heads and necks and faces for quite a while after we safely arrive home.


You won't hear from me about the June bugs that repeatedly slam their awkward bodies into our screen porch. Or fly at our heads for a direct hit. Or sneak into the house when we are not looking. (Good news, though - God has a purpose for skunks! The skunk I saw last week methodically working its way through the extra lot last week was apparently eating June bug grubs. If it weren't for our little 'country kitties' we would have a lot more June bugs to dodge.)

You won't hear from me another 'HIPPA rant' prompted by Daniel's visit to the dentist last week. When Pat called the dentist office to find out how much Daniel's bill would be, they would not release that information to him. "We can't even tell you if he was here or not, sir," the receptionist told Pat. We were offering to send them money - they no releasy da information.

Nope none of that.
~~~~~~
It is a beautiful day in southeast Tennesse. Butterflies are flitting across our back yard. Blooms abound. Birds sing and dart and eat insects (HOPEFULLY JAPANESE BEETLES!).

And this verse was part of my devotions this morning:

"He who forms the mountains, creates the wind,
and reveals His thoughts to man,
He who turns dawn to darkness,
and treads the high places of the earth -
the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY is His Name.
Amos 4:13
~~~~~

I will ask you to continue to pray for Dad. His recovery is more difficult than we thought it would be - he doesn't have much appetite and he is continuing to lose weight.

And Kimmee is tired of walking with Mom and me. I can tell by the way she rolls her eyes at me when I tell her we are going for a walk.

you never know

Somehow, I found myself on the 'social' committee at choir. We have an event coming up in September and the choir director asked me to meet with the other gal on the committee.

We spoke on the phone yesterday. She is a registered dietitian. She asked how Dad was doing (he is on the prayer list at choir). I told her he didn't have much appetite and had been losing weight since (and before) surgery.

She gave me many helpful suggestions and told me to call her again if we needed more help.

How good of God to put me on the social committee. This lady is a soprano and I sit in the alto section on the opposite side of the room. We probably would not have had much opportunity to talk under normal circumstances.

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Phil. 4:19

We continue to pray for Dad - that his appetite will return and food will taste good again. And we thank God for His provision in unexpected places.

two weeks

Much of what I do on a daily basis is repetitive, mundane. It is probably the same for most of you whether you work at home or away from home.

But two weeks from today, I will be doing something that is way out of my normal routine. I'll be boarding a plane, heading for Mexico. Me. Little stay at home me.

Nate and Michelle's wedding is two weeks from tomorrow. So two weeks from today I'll be flying from Knoxville; Jon, Kristi, Joshua and Daniel from Minneapolis and Nate and Michelle and her folks and brother will be leaving from Chicago.

All converging in Mexico for a very special event. I can't wait. And yes, Dad, I'm still planning to go (he asks me this practically every day - with a twinkle in his eye).

Here is the outfit I chose - a linen sleeveless top, a poly/cotton lined skirt. Very comfy, flowing and beach-weddingy, I think:


The skirt has a white background with turquoise flowers. I've got a pair of white leather sandals that are super comfortable and I think I'm set.

I am mentally packed - have already decided what I will wear each day. And I'm bringing diapers, sunscreen and a beach float for Josh, so Jon and Kristi don't have to pack so much.

Just think. Two weeks from today we will be doing this:

Josh with Uncle Daniel and Daddy, last week in Iowa.

Only not in a little lake in the midwest, but on the Gulf of Mexico.

Did I mention that I can't wait?

showers (of blessings)

A few clouds and a pretty pink/orange sunrise greeted me as I stepped out the door. I did my usual laps of the subdivision and stopped in at Mom and Dad's. Since Dad isn't quite up to walking yet,* I took Kimmee for a walk around the block. At least we started off walking, then we ran, then we got in my car as the heavens opened and it poured down rain.

Sure wasn't expecting that from the initial look of things.
~~~~~
I've been cleaning up and organizing my photo archives. Somebody was playing with my Mac:

This somebody happens to turn 27 today. How in the world did that happen? It seems like yesterday he was little and cute. He is still cute, but not so little.

We had the privilege of listening to Jon lead worship at his church through their online audio feature - if we had high speed we could have watched too.

We are so thankful for all three of our boys of course, but since today is Jon's birthday, indulge me while I single him out. He has a great sense of humor (maybe a little sarcastic, not sure where he got that from...teehee) he married a most wonderful young lady who is not only my daughter-in-love, but my friend, and he is daddy to the cutest little boy. He is committed to serving the LORD and that comes through in his words and music.

Love ya Jon boy - have a happy, happy day!

~~~~~~
*Mom, with her bionic knee and her not yet bionic knee has been walking Kimmee quite a bit since Dad's surgery. More than once they have shown up on our doorstep - which is such a nice treat!

a life well lived

Perhaps you've heard that Michael Jackson died. Today is his memorial service. His passing and the media blitz that has followed have made me think.

Much has been made of his career, his music, his scandals and his eccentricities. According to a poll taken on our local news yesterday - the majority of people here in East Tennessee are tired of hearing about it.

The actor Karl Malden died a few days ago. His passing was eclipsed by Michael Jackson's. Did you know that he and his wife were married over 70 years? Now that is a news story! I would love to hear a report about their secrets for longevity in marriage. Pat and I are at the half way mark to a 70 year marriage.

I have been thinking about friends of mine who have gone on before. Diane, Sue, Dave, Rodney, Kim, Edith, Doris, Guy, Ed and Alice to name just a few.

None of them sought the limelight or man's accolades. They loved the LORD their GOD with all their heart, soul and mind. And their neighbors. (Matthew 22:37-39)

They exhibited love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Gal. 5:22-23).

And yet nary a word about any of them on the evening news.

We live in an upside down world, don't we?

routine

He has made me glads

Suzi joked last week that she felt like she was living out the Groundhog Day movie. Every day the same. Get up in the morning - turn on the news -learn about Michael Jackson's death. Go to the hospital. Sit with Dad. Out for lunch. Sit with Dad. Go home. Sit on the porch.

Actually having Dad in the hospital was far from our ordinary routine. Despite Dad's health problems - diabetes and high blood pressure and a pacemaker - he is a very healthy, active person. It is unusual to see him laid up like this.

Routines can make life seem boring and predictable. For me, routines help me to accomplish things. I go on auto-pilot first thing in the morning and sometimes feel like I get more done by nine in the morning than I do the rest of the day.

But routines around here are enhanced by a walk through the garden. Love the gladiolas (pictured above) that have begun blooming. Bursts of glorious color. The purple glad has already faded and some peach colored ones are almost ready to break out.

Sometimes there are some surprises in the yard that aren't quite as pleasant. Saw this little guy rooting around in the lot next to ours yesterday morning:

Pardon the dark, blurry picture. I'm sure you will understand why I didn't get closer.

Happy Fourth of July!

This morning Suzi and I head to the airport. It has been so great to have her here this week and I'm sad to see her go.

It will be a quiet Fourth around here. Some time of reflection. Some time to catch up on things we have left undone during this atypical week.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

pretty good for an ol' fella...

...is Dad's standard response to anyone who asks how he is.

We were surprised as walked out the hospital doors a few days ago to hear another man use this same phrase.

'Wait, that's Dad's line...you can't use it,' I felt like saying.

But that pretty much sums up how Dad is doing. Pretty good for an ol' fella. He came through everything remarkably well and we are so glad to have him back home where he can finally get some much needed rest (did you know that they don't let you sleep in hospitals?).

Thank you so much everyone for the calls, emails, texts, comments -on both this blog and facebook - of support.

We know that Dad's name was placed on several prayer chains and brought before the Throne of Grace often.

We did indeed find Help and Grace in time of need.

Dad is home!

The doctor just discharged Dad. We will leave hospital as soon as the nurse unhooks him from everything and brings the paperwork.

post surgery post

Dad's color is good, his energy level seems good (you should have seen him walking around the hallway!) and his sense of humor is certainly intact.

We would love to bring him home today, but of course, that is up to the doctor.

Turns out Dad was in pre-op for almost as long as he was in surgery. It took three nurses and three doctors an hour and fifteen minutes to insert his IV. He was so dehydrated it was hard to find a vein. Finally they brought in an ultrasound machine, found a vein in his shoulder, put him under and then proceeded to get a line in his arm.

Poor Dad felt like a pin cushion. And his shoulder is more sore than his incisions. Which by the way were glued shut.

Amazing.

Off to the hospital in a bit. Thanks so much for your prayers!