A Peaceful Prayer for Paps.

*(this picture is from this Christmas 09)*

Clints grandfather is in the hospital. I've wrote about him before, honestly not enough. But I'm terrible with posting all the pictures I take.

Years ago, when Clint and myself first started dating and I first went into nursing I took care of his grandmother Evelyn. A beautiful strong heart woman. Paps her other half was an ex marine drill Sargent. The entire family "warned me" how tough he was. Not intimidated I went in head first. I was raised by a very stern hand in a house with a Navy Seal. No child spoke out of turn. Now at first you would think Paps ran the show. Being his rank and all. WRONG. Shortly after staying with them, coming in everyday I knew what went on behind the scenes. It was "Ma-Ma" that was in charge, She held his heart and they both had mine. They had that old everlasting love.

Evelyn passed in the summer of 2005 right before Clint and myself got married but Paps was there and boy was he sharp looking. The marines never left this man. He was up with the sun and sometimes before. 4:30 everyday dressed and bed made. Even till last week (he came over to our house last Sunday) he's always dressed and shoes shined. 89 years old on Feb. 11th.

(*this picture from 5/10/07 post but it was from an earlier visit in 4/07*)

Last night he was admitted to the hospital. At first they thought he had too (same as Evelyn) congestive heart failure. But just now I got the call that its leaking valves to his pacemaker. This is worse. If it were congestive heart failure medications could be giving to prolong his life and keep fluid off his heart and out of his body; with the leaking valves the only way to fix this would be through surgery and at his age this is not an option. They said that overnight they have drained over 15 lbs of fluid out of him. From the waist down he has... well whats best described as elephantitis. Everything including his genitalia is extremely enlarged. He has refused to eat and is now refusing to even get up making moving the fluids harder.

I pray that he can pull through this. I know if its his time then there is no reason in me asking for the Lord to prolong the inevitable for my own selfish reasons, but I really want the kids to have just a few more years to enjoy Paps. Hes such a gem. (shouldn't I be over 60 to say that?) You know what I mean. . . hes just so special. If this is his time then I ask that the Lord takes him to see his love as peacefully as possibly.

I want to end this post with the song I melt too every time I hear it on the radio. I think of Trent and Evelyn....

Mark Shultz Walking Her Home....

I think about Paps sitting in MaMas room while she was in the Hospice bed, where I got a job to be with her in her final days. Till her final day. He would leave each night when I would get off work at 7. Then each morning when I'd come in at 7 he would be there waiting for me to get there before he went in. Every day she was there (for only a few weeks) he spent every moment he could in the recliner beside her. ♥

***to see pictures of Paps and the kids just click on my labels under Paps!***

Paps then the dollar store!

*click image to enlarge*

Sorry I kinda left everyone hanging for a few days!

Friday I took the kids to go visit Paps, and then I came home and rushed to pack. I got a phone call that morning that said to pack for the beach. You don't have to tell me twice. Mason and Terri always have fun when we go to visit Paps. (Clints 87YO grandpa) He is an ex. marine drill Sgt. I'm sure 40years ago he was tough. But now he just melts my heart. He is so sweet with the kids. He always has to find goodies to give the kids. He had a some spare change laying around so he gave it to Mason ans "Terri". We left and immediately hit up the $-store. Mason got a sword and some nasty squishy fake cut off ear...tongue .....hand and eye ball. EWWW! But they only rang up for a penny. He was so happy to have paid for it himself. Terri got some new pink shades.

A DAY WITH PAPS!!!

WARNING ONE LONG RUN ON SENTENCE!!!

Today went like this...coffee, mopped the floors, shower, nursed T-Baby, fixed breakfast, ate breakfast, got dressed, got the kids dressed, brushed alot of teeth, kissed CLINT went to the ***** House assisted Living, got PAPS, went to the Barbar off Central Ave.(I believe he's been going there for 30 something years so we have to TRAVEL across town to go there. NO complaints from me!), went to BostonMarket (ate chicken spinach and sweet potatoes with mac n chez~big girl i know~) went to a Dr. appt. went to Harris Tetter at the Arboretum and dropped Paps off back at the ***** house. WOW now it's just 3:00 I still have time to make it home to catch a lil General Hospital!! (yeah right!) How come I could say this in less than a paragraph but yet it took A L L L day to do!! Ahhhhhh!! Here is Paps with the kids...so sweeet!! {Although this picture was taken last visit it's still needs to be incorporated SOMEWHERE in here!}

LOVE THEM!!!!

This is what an 87 yr old can do to a 4 yr old!

This is what PAPs does to Mason after alot of sugar and basically letting him do whatever. Paps lets Mason ride up and down the elevator up and down, up and down, at least a dozen times each trip!


AWE!!!! HOW SWEET!!! WAit he's gonna wake up MOODY and full of sugar!

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!