Families are forever!

Have you ever felt like you have been spiritually drained and spiritually lifted at the same time?  This is how our month of November was.  Jim's dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  It really does make so many other things in life seem so trivial.  As I sit here and type, I find myself hitting the delete button more than any other.  Perhaps this is because a lot of what I want to say I can't seem to find the words for.   It is always hard to lose a family member.  There is no easy way.  Since I spent a good portion of the month with Larry and Laureen during this hard time I was able to think a lot about the plan, life, death, marriage, relationships, separation from a spouse (from my perspective and Laureen's), finances, service.... the list really could go on and on.  I was able to really get to know Laureen better.  We cried and laughed, and cried a lot.  We found out a lot about each other.  The most important being that we both have husbands that love us and we know that they do.  This may seem odd to say but what a blessing it is to KNOW that your spouse deeply loves you.  I ache for her now knowing that she has to be separated temporarily for a while.  But how great is it that we know that they will be together again.  We will miss Larry.  He was a great father, grandfather, friend, husband and person.  I wish I new his thoughts during the last days that he could not communicate.  At times you could tell that he wanted to say something but couldn't.  The last 2 days as I sat in the room near him I would get use to his breathing patterns.  Even when he could not communicate, the change in his pattern changed when Laureen was in the room.  What a great reunion they will have.  The following pictures are from the weekend of the funeral.

 John, Norine, Laureen, Jim, and Ken

 Alan, Norine, Bryce, Taryn, and Landon

 Cousin Phoebe (Jim spent a lot of time with Phoebe and Aunt Janie as a kid) and our family

Siblings