5:00 p.m. - July 18, 2004
Goodbye Uncle Mike
It seems I only come bearing bad news lately. Mark's brother died last night. It was such a blessing. He had been sick since forever it seems. He flat out refused to get medical treatment. We don't know what he died of, heart failure, liver disease??? He's been a steady drinker and smoker most of his life so it's hard to tell at this point. His body had swollen up to twice his size and his legs leaked fluid all the time. It got to where Mark's mom couldn't take care of him because he was so heavy. He's usually a slight man, 145 lbs at his heaviest. Anyway, we think he died in his sleep sometime around 5 or 6 last night. His mom went in to check on him and noticed that he hadn't changed positions in quite some time. She called us around 11. This wasn't even close to the awesome, spiritual death we experienced with my dad, but a blessing nontheless. He's no longer in pain.
In other news, there really isn't any. It's been a very hot, boring summer. The kids are ready for an adventure and I think MIL is too. She has been wanting to take the kids to the beach all summer, but with BIL being so bad, she didn't want to leave him. I think we're going to try and sneak in a day trip to the waterpark before they go back to school. I took O to check out her new middle school yesterday. I think she's a bit more excited than she has been. It's a nice, clean, newly built (Fall of 2002 was it's first year). I wish I would get a little more excited about her being in jr. high but I'm just not. I'm scared of the next few years, with her becoming a teen and all. I pray that she makes the right decicions and does well. I'm scared of her being introduced to drugs and sex. I want to shelter her from all of that but I know I can't. I can't act like those things don't exist. Man, do I really have to go through the next few years? Lord give me strength and the right words.
We're sending cookies to heaven tomorrow. Now we have one more recipient up there.
For now, Peace out.
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