I got an e-mail today from an old friend of mine…my college roommate. That got me thinking about how simple life was back then. Life seemed so stressful at the time – if I only knew then what I know now. Kristi and I met just after my second year of college. Yup, June 25, 1989 (and I didn’t even need to ask her the date!). Wow, how time flies. Here’s a picture of us when we were dating (est. summer of 1990). So happy. Young and in love. That was us. Now we’re old…but still in love!! :) Check out my hair!! And look how skinny I was! I don’t think Kristi has aged a day since that picture. Well, except for the hair…she had some wild hair too!
I didn’t have a very good day today. Just spent a lot of time thinking. When times are good we need to take care of the necessary stuff while Kristi’s able to get out. I think that sent my mind wandering…Thursday we have to go to the lawyer’s office to sign the Wills and Power of Attorneys for Healthcare. That gives me authority to make decisions if she becomes unable to make her own decisions. The hospital and doctor's office have been bugging us to get this done. That’s just a depressing thought I hope we never have to exercise; but necessary to have done when you're in our boat. So you see, times are good, but there's all those little details that need to be taken care of "behind the scenes". Tomorrow Johnson Controls (where I work) is having their 7th annual Sea100 Poker Run. It’s a boat race from Holland to Saugatuck. This will be the 7th year that they have done this. They raise money every year for a “special cause”. We are the special cause this year. Once again we are blown away by the generosity of this town and the people I work with. Amazing. It’s a bittersweet thing. I’d rather not be in this situation. I’d rather be on one of the boats raising money for someone else. But, like I said before, it’s the hand we’ve been dealt so we’ll keep playing these lousy cards. I just get all these thoughts running through my head and it consumes me at times. Then I go into a pity party. Why can’t we be the ones having fun? Not that it’s not going to be fun tomorrow night, just that when we go home the cancer is still there. Maybe we should dip her into Lake Mac…I think that water would eat the cancer right out of her!! Hey, there’s an idea. Or maybe after seeing Eric in a Speedo she will laugh so hard that she will laugh the cancer out of her (Eric who?). Hmmmm. But regardless, tomorrow night will provide us again with a night out and hopefully we will (for the most part) be able to forget about the cancer for a few hours. We’re hoping anyway that Kristi will be able to go. If she can’t go she will be quite upset. She’s looking forward to the boat ride and just getting out and having some fun.
Anyway, after a not so great day at work being followed up by this, my heart is heavy tonight so I’m asking for prayers for me and the family. The kids did well in the hand-off to the VanderKolk’s (thank you VanderKolks!). It’s obviously a disruption for the kids too so please remember them in your prayers. And this is especially tough on Kristi as her plans were ruined tonight. She always feels guilty when something like this happens - like she’s inconveniencing everyone. I always tell her everyone loves to help…but you know Kristi…always thinking of everyone else.
One other note...my friend Brian’s dad’s surgery was yesterday and the last we heard it went fairly well. So prayers of thanksgiving as well as patience as they now have a long road to recovery.
Thanks and I’ll let you know tomorrow what the final plan was tonight because I’m sure it will change again. I'm tired so I think I will just post this and update it later.
