Sad News

Yesterday in the early afternoon, Grandpa Don passed away.  He has been fighting some infections since getting pancreatitis last year.  He had been hospitalized for ever since while coming in and out of a coma state in the months since.  Don married Julie's mother several months after we were married back in 2001.  He was a good grandpa to our children and will be missed. We are especially sad for Julie's mother, Jan, who is widowed for the second time.

The sad news is that our doctor has stated that because of the nearness of Julie's return trip to the hospital for internal bleeding, she is not yet healthy enough to make a trip to Michigan.  So we will not be able to attend his funeral this weekend.  However, we are planning some time the end of the month for the whole family to go and spend a week with Julie's mother.  We believe that will be even better time to spend with her, several weeks after the funeral as she processes his departure and her new reality. 

There is something that I am seeing as I am now 35 and getting a year older every year.  Life gets harder as we get older, regardless of the money we may have to preserve comfort and avoid pain. Life still gets harder because of death, increased responsibilities, health struggles, and an increase in events over which we have no control.  I am so thankful that I do not need to be in control.  Rather, I can trust in Him who is faithful to the end...