Showers and Flowers

Stan Here:

 The kind of showers I am talking about are not the rain type. Instead they are the type that rain gifts on a to be brides. Mieke had one of those this weekend. Jackie, our friend, put it on and there was quite a bit of conversation as to whether to postpone it or to go ahead. They decided to move the whole deal over to Freedom Inn. Deb was able to attend and enjoy the event. She was good and tired when it got done but it was worth it. You know something, it is kind of like mother like daughter. When the event was over Mieke brought the gifts home and put them all in our living room. She asked me to sit in the chair and one by one she got them out, told me who they were from, and then just spent some time in thanks cherishing the day and the gifts. Sometimes I kind of feel like Steve Martin in that movie "Father of the Bride" but I want to tell you that these events take on special meaning of extra proportion with all of the recent struggles. Deb has always cherished these events and has always been touched by every gift over the years and now I have a daughter just like that.

Now on to the health update. I think the consistent theme has been that the progress is slow but sure. What has been endured is a medical event that at times to me has been stunning.  I think I understand that others have endured events that parallel these. It is just that we have never experienced them first hand. I sense now there is some light at the end of the tunnel and it is starting to look like a return to home might be possible sometime this week. I think it is now day 25 of this thing and it just seems like it has been a test and lesson in endurance for which nobody could prepare or imagine. It does however appear that it is getting closer to the finish and it appears that life has the potential to come back to more normal existence.

So we have the shower part but how about the flowers? All I want to say about this is that it would appear that the early spring is going to make the color of the town not be in the forefront when tulip time is here this year. That is going to have exist someplace in the imagination. You know I am going to do that this year. I am getting a little lonely here and it is going to be a fine day when Deb breeches the threshold of our front door. Not sure I will carry her in this time like many years ago. I will leave that to the imagination as well. It has been quite the journey. Thanks again for staying with us.
 

Stan