Weekend Update

This weekend has really been low key, but flown by. Friday night Mike took the boys to a local high school football scrimmage since Hope and I were STILL at the hospital. We stayed late at the hospital Friday night to meet with PawPaw's doctor with Mom. Let me just stop and say that the doctor may have tons of medical knowledge, but ahem, he is lacking seriously in the personality department.

He decided to move him out of the ICU which he felt would be a good morale booster for him. Totally wrong. PawPaw is totally miserable out of the ICU because frankly he loves attention and the nurses on this floor do not have time to fawn over him and fluff him. He is seriously angry that he is out of the ICU. If the situation was not so pitiful with him it would be hilarious:)

Saturday we just enjoyed hanging out at the house. Mr. Bradley finished putting up our new (old) playground. If you remember, the other playground tumbled through the neighborhood during last year's freak wind storm. So we now have the same one again:) The kids have been so thrilled!

Saturday evening we all went back to the hospital because one of the benefits of being in a regular room now is that the kids can visit with him. We thought that would be such a great morale booster for Pawpaw. Wrong again. I think he enjoyed seeing the kids and they loved being there, but while we were there, Pawpaw started feeling bad and started crying and begging for the Lord to take him home. Mike escorted our little ones out of the room, but my Kyle sat there and took it all in. My Mom and I hugged on PawPaw and told him that it was fine to go if the Lord was calling him-we would take care of my grandmother and that he deserved an eternal rest.

At first I was appalled when I realized that Kyle had heard all of this, but now I realize that this experience with my grandfather has taught Kyle two huge and valuable lessons. #1 Do not smoke. Ever. #2 The importance of being a Christian secure in the knowledge that death is not sad, but a victory after a life of work and service.

I remember that night (Aug 6) when my Mom called and told me that he had taken a bad turn and that he was headed into the ICU. I jumped into the car and drove like a mad woman to get there in time. I was so sad and I was not ready to give up this important person in my life. But now, after two plus weeks in the hospital watching him gasp and work hard for every breath, I totally get it now.

Yes, when the Lord finally calls my sweet Pawpaw, I will be so sad and I will miss him so much. But, because of God's perfect plan for heaven, death in this case is not a terrible blow, but a victory after a long, full, and service-filled life. I will let him go, because he is going to a place where he will be new again and whole. He is so ready for his eternal rest with the King of Kings, and we love him enough to say farewell.