The weather in Iowa

Another little known fact...on this day in 1912, the official weather in Washta, Iowa was -47 degrees F. What a difference 98 years makes! We are finally starting to warm up into temperatures above freezing. Better late than never...we just wish the temperatures and snow would have cooperated a little more when Sari and Amy visited a couple weeks ago and when Jeremy was here last weekend. Below is what Michelle was dealing while driving to work last week. ugh!

After Dad's birthday hoopla, today was a quieter day. He was off the vent for 18 hours yesterday and 20 hours today. They are also counting calories more with Dad and working to get him to eat more and use the tube less. Again, we'll take the small steps while we work hard to get to the next big step in Chicago. Little by little, day by day, prayer by prayer...

About a year and a half ago, some more carcinoma was discovered on Lonnie's lip. It was about six months earlier that he had surgery to remove the original spots. When I told Mom that more was found, she was very upset and told me, "I've been asking G-d every night to keep it from coming back. I don't understand it. Why did it have to come back? Why isn't He listening to me?"

I thought about her questions for a minute and it suddenly dawned on me that perhaps G-d was listening to her but just not answering in the way we were expecting. Although our whole family was reeling, I told Mom that we were thinking about things in the wrong way. Honestly, if my husband had to have cancer, I truly wanted to thank G-d for giving it to him on his lip, where it was easily treatable. After all, you can live without lips. So, Mom and I started to thank G-d at night for our blessings.

To make a long story short, I am going to take my own advice. Thank you, G-d, for letting us keep Dad. Sure, some of the parts may be a little broken now, but I would rather have a wrinkled $100 bill than no bill at all. We can iron out the wrinkles.

A dear friend of mine died this past weekend of the same type of cancer that Lonnie had, although hers started in a different spot. Despite the illness, her love, faith, and compassion never lessened. She taught me so much about love. A little Voyce told me I should end this post the way she ended every written communication...

"We thank G-d for putting each and everyone of you in our lives and blessing us with so much to be thankful for. Luv ya all so much :<} Blessings this day to all of you and all of yours."