I had a short night worrying about his safety, but we made it!
Praying with dad with the risen Lord large and in charge of our lives! Today he appears to the disciples for the 3rd time and tells them to lower the nets for a catch after nothing all night of fishing. 153 large fish!!!!
My mother's icon painted on barn wood of Mary and John on one side, the beloved disciple, and Mary our Mother after Jesus gives her to us and to St John at the foot of the cross! Today in the Gospel John recognizes Jesus first - "It is the Lord!" he tells Peter, who out of LOVE jumps into the sea to get to him first!
On the way home for our 3 hours we began our journey by dad leading the rosary! Such a great way to start our time together! I am truly the lucky one to have this man living in my home and leading me in prayer of The Church! How I love this time and I will forever cherish these days, months and wouldn't years be amazing?
My wonderful sister, Paula, has been such a dedicated and devoted daughter/nurse for dad and mom! It is nice to take some of that big responsibility off her shoulders.
I just had a wonderful visit with my sister, Martha, who is between Paula and I in age order. We smiled at our differences she is more the Martha role and I Mary! I love to sit at the feet of my wonderful amazing father and share in his love and wisdom of The Church!
Dad is now officially on hospice! As a nurse with the same hospice for 15 years... this is a gift to me to have this now here in my home and know how it can give dad many good and happy and comfortable days ahead. I certainly don't feel that we are near the end. I feel that we could have a nice long time with him. He seems at peace and accepting to taking it one day at a time.
Both the nurse and the social worker were so impressed with how sharp he is! I told them that dad can name all 34 grandkids and 58 great-grandkids not only by their first name but first and middle name!
John is so cute... he is praying now for grandpa as Robert Merrill in honor of how he prays for John and all his family in this way!
My family is truly so happy to know that dad is in the loving arms of his family and not only that but sleeping in the antique 4 poster bed that I got from my parents about 20 years ago when they moved to Michigan from Taylors Falls, MN. The Crucifix over the bed was from my father-in-law's funeral in 1996...
Dad seems to be peaceful and sleep well in this special place! I just have to keep peaking in on him to really make is sink in that my dad now is living with me!
A soup supper with my sister before we drove out of the city into farm land all around us!
We figured out that the last time he came to Marshall was almost 11 years ago when he and mom came rushing with the Solanus Casey relic to pray over John when his brain cancer came roaring back through the chemo and we faced whole brain radiation!
https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/johns-cancer-stories.html
They had plans to come 7 years ago at this time to see Hallel/Susan, who came home for a home visit just ahead of a snow storm with a foot of snow. That stopped them from coming to see her or to spend some days here in Marshall. Now it is my dad's home!
Dad going in to his assisted living maybe for the last time to get his clothes and other essentials! Paula will come tomorrow with some things we left of course! It will be good to have more family come and see him here!
Our family is so hungry to see him these days after this separation we have had due to the virus! We still must be careful but we are so happy to have him with us and not somewhere with strangers and none of us allowed to come and see him! We just couldn't do that!
The first time I was able to see him yesterday in the hospital... I played the "my dad just was told that he is on hospice" card and it worked! Yesterday was a dream with all the paths leading to my taking him home just as we had agreed about 20 years ago. "Barb, if mom ever dies I am coming to live with you." He was a prophet and I am the lucky one!
Anxious to get out of the hospital and come to his new home!
His bathroom... he wanted a cup with a saucer for his partial plate to soak in like at home.. I used a cup and saucer that I recently got when my parents moved out of their home. Dad smiled and remembered it... a sweet moment indeed in our adjustment to the new normal~
The small things in his new home away from home..
He reminded me yesterday that it was the month anniversary of mother's death. March 16! Just one month... this is all coming so fast and furious upon us! Ready, set, here we go... taking one day at a time with lots of prayer and one step in front of the other!
Watching FOX news for a bit after 3 hours of hospice admission... Tonight Ruth and kids will stop in to say "Hi".. they did see him at Christmas Camp in December, but we know not how much more time we will have. I say more than we think and we want to be hopeful and positive!
When I laid my eyes on him for the first time since mom's prayers service a month ago! And now I am so lucky to have him living with me in my home! I am the lucky one! Jesus, we trust in you. Bless-bless, Barb



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