A report from Bob from Jan. 4

I wanted to include this report on Dad from Bob, Lucy's husband. It was written on Jan. 4, but is so lovely and loving that I wanted everyone to be able to read it:

"I visited with Papa Daddy last night [Jan. 3] after working at the [Springville Art] Museum. When I first got there, his room was dark but he was wide awake and knew it was me entering the room even before I had rounded the curtains. He called me by name and said to me as always, “It is so nice to have you come visit.” I also observed that he lies in bed peering out through the light of the hallway shining from the slit between the curtains and the wall - watching and waiting for someone to come visit him.

"I also asked him questions about his day and if he remembered being visited by anyone today. I think he tried four time to say something to answer my question and each time he would start and then would get to a point where he struggled – he was able to finish his whole thought on the last try. He said, “My day has been mostly as an individual.” Although when I checked the guest book, Alison had been there visiting with him for about 45 minutes just about an hour earlier from when I got there.

"I tried to get him to talk to me about what it was like at mid-shipmen's school. He started off to answer with some thought hanging and finally said, “ That was so many years ago it is hard for me to remember--well, I remember but it is hard to recall.” He did say that it was different than pilot school in that in mid-shipman’s school they spent more time in the classroom.

"I shared with him some things about Louise’s plans while she will be in PA and told him I would miss her and that it will be the longest period of time she and I will have been apart in almost 28 years. He said that I most likely will manage. I told him that I was planning on coming over to visit with him more while she is gone. He said, “That will be good, that will be good.” Dad was alert and happy, he was glad to see me, he held my hand during the whole visit. He did say, “Oh, your hands are cold.”

"I noticed he had eaten almost everything on his plate from dinner or the dog or the cat cleaned it up for him. [Actually, it was me, Alison--I hadn't had any dinner, so I finished what Dad left on his plate.] Both of his fluids were mostly gone and he did not request any more drink or snacks while I was there.

"He again expressed a desire to have family members read to him from some of the books he read to the family years ago. Lucy found some of those books – maybe she can either gather them together for me to take over or she can help me post the list of titles in the blog for others to find and bring to read from their own collections of books.

"As I was leaving Dad I gave him a hug and a kiss, and I told him I loved him, and as always he replied, “You know how much I love you too.” Thank you all for everything you all have done – even though I too desire that Dad will comfortably die and continue on his journeys – I am ever so thankful for his love of me personally and I feel a wonderful strength from him that supports me in all that I do – just as I am sure all of you do. I give thanks to our Father in Heaven for allowing me to be part of his life and all of your lives. I am a much better person because of you all. May the Lord bless us all as we help make life and dying a time of joy and love for Papa Daddy."