From Dad - 18 July 2015

Dear Kids 

Here’s Dad with another letter. My last letter to all our kids, at least the last letter in this particular folder, was written in Feb 2013, so it’s been quite awhile. I did write other letters in that time, to individual kids or grandkids, mostly those serving missions. 

First of all, I would like to express my deep appreciation for all your thoughts and prayers and priesthood blessings and visits for my recuperation from my June 16 heart attack. I wasn’t aware of any of your visits to the hospital, but I’ve read the reports from Mom about the whole experience. The whole heart attack and hospitalization are completely erased from my memory. The only thing I remember is being home and then going to the Father’s Day celebration at Scott’s home. 

I had to ask Jase later which court I was in when I collapsed and what was the score. He reported I was in the court by the swimming pool, and that I was leading in games 4-2. 

Anyway, I especially want to thank my four sons for their priesthood blessings. It’s wonderful to have this kind of power in the priesthood for such occasions. I’m sure it helped tremendously in my miraculous full recovery. 

My ribs are still sore. I found out just yesterday how limited my breathing has been when I went in swimming while we were visiting Chris and Kim and kids at Park City. I found out I couldn’t swim very well at all. I could barely keep up with Cayson. Corin was there, and was going to swim a mile. I think he said it was 108 laps of that pool. He looks like a pro when he is swimming. His days serving as life guard at the Gunnison Pool have paid off. 

The neighbor doc who saved my life and visited me while I was still in a coma, came to visit me again at the hospital and was amazed that I had been released. He said the recovery is usually much longer. Everyone is amazed how well I am doing. 

Here is some of the news of the past week. The major event in the past week was the funeral for little Eliza Williams. The funeral was last Wednesday, 15 July.

Wendy and Jaiden and Jenna arrived late afternoon the day before. About that same time, Mom started to feel quite sick and bloated, with severe upper stomach/chest pain: she thinks it was a bad reaction to her diabetes shot (maybe sometimes it clogs and then next time she gets a double dose?). I gave her a blessing. A bad attack like that occurred once before, over a year ago. We had planned on going to the viewing for Eliza, but were unable to go to that. Wendy and girls walked down to the neighborhood pool for a swim. 

Mom got to feeling better by next day. Wednesday was a really busy day. Mom and I dressed up in our church clothes and headed out about 10:00 for my 10:30 Dr. apt, with Dr. Revenaugh. We got all signed up and saw the nurse, and then the PA, Shane Kjar, but the Dr. was too busy in other areas. The PA was quite knowledgeable. We asked most of our questions. He said my survival was “by a shoestring!” And amazing that there was no brain damage. He felt my blood pressure and pulse (44) was too low and said to cut my pills in half.

We went straight from the IHC to Willow Creek for the 12:00 funeral for Eliza. We got there at 11:45 and sat with Shane and Jen and Wendy and families. It was crowded, so we didn’t try to go into the viewing or we might not get a seat. The funeral was nice.. We also talked with Derek and family. The cultural hall was set up with lots of displays: photos, letters, Eliza’s books, etc. Shane’s family and Derek’s family couldn’t stay to the luncheon.

Wendy’s girls went back with Shane’s family. Thanks Alicia for tending and giving the girls a super fun time!

Then some of us reconvened at another Willow Creek ward for the family dinner, 2115 Creek Road. We drove Wendy and Jeni there. We had a nice meal and visit: Nelva and Arnold, Wendy, Jen, all of Merrill’s kids, etc. Then we dropped off Wendy and Jeni to their cars. Wendy stayed and helped with the cleanup at the funeral building.

Thursday, Mom and I went to yet another Dr. apt and lab tests. Then Mom and Wendy swam and gabbed for an hour and 15 minutes in Mom’s pool. Wendy left about 3:00 to get her girls and return to Santa Clara.

Friday after my shift, and after Mom’s swim, Mom and I drove up to Park City for our annual time with Chris and Kim and family at their timeshare. Kim’s sister Vicki was there from California, and Aaron and Camden and Corin and Cayson. We played some games, Blockus and Rummikub, and went for a swim and hot tub, in between little rain storms. Then we made our annual trek to Ruby Tuesday for a big meal, about 6. 

Wendy and her 4 at-home kids attended Eliza’s graveside service in Santa Clara. Most all of their relatives made an extra trip to St. George for the service. Wendy and 2 of the kids went to the luncheon.

I’ve been tuning in to our weekly support training each Tuesday/Wed. morning, and doing my Family Search support shift each Friday morning: 7:30 to 1:00.

We’ve missed our Wednesday assignments down at the Church History Library. Our last trip was Wednesday, 10 June, the Wednesday before my heart attack, which was Tuesday, 16 June, about 9 p.m. We’re planning on resuming our trips downtown this coming Wednesday. I have 3-4 reports backed up ready to turn in. 

Notes on our family travelers:

Gray is still in Italy and Spain, extending his trip: Home next Monday, instead of this past Thurs. Jen said she misses him.

Shane went to San Francisco last Monday and Tuesday. He has another trip planned to Armenia again in August for 2 weeks.

Scott was in Washington DC Tues. til Fri. on business and got to visit with McKenna, who is there for an internship this summer.

Rick and Janelle and Jared left Wed. on their 10 day church history tour. They hope to be able to visit with Janika. 

We love you all. Love, Dad

From Wendy: Thanks for the letter Dad! I enjoyed hearing things from your perspective. We continue to offer prayers of gratitude for your life and miraculous recovery! I enjoyed hearing about what the other kids are doing too. I am glad that I was able to attend the funeral and graveside service of Eliza. I was really touched by the messages and testimonies that were given. It was nice to be able to visit with all of the Norman relatives too. Yesterday after the graveside service and brunch we ended up with several neighbor kids over swimming and playing and another little boy we were babysitting for a few hours and then Jaiden had a late night with one of her friend’s at our house until 10:00. We had a movie party in the basement. Today I slept in too late to go running (because it was too hot) and so I went to the gym to a “combat” class instead. I haven’t done that for a long time.

After Jase went to work I brought Jaiden, Josh, and Jenna to Costco with me. There was a brief downpour when we were leaving and so we got all wet. It cooled things down nicely! Then I brought the kids with me to a wedding reception (our Bishop’s son) and to a missionary open house for a girl going to Kobe, Japan. Usually Rick and I go to these things and leave the kids at home but since he was gone I opted to bring them with me rather than go by myself. They enjoyed the treats and the big playground in the yard of the missionary.

Rick and the kids are doing well on the church history trip. They were able to be taught by Janika’s best friend, Kiara Christensen, who is serving at the visitor’s center in Palmyra. They aren’t going to go see Janika. They could have, since they will only be an hour and a half away, but Janika doesn’t want them to and so Rick is respecting her wishes. They have taken some fun pictures that I can send out after I put them on the blog.

We sold the car that Janika and Jase were using and bought a newer used one that is in really good shape. Rick drove it to Las Vegas for their flight out and so Jase has had to drive the van to work. This week was his first time driving it. Our big screen TV broke right before Rick and the kids left but Rick brought up the TV screen from the basement that he was using for his computer screen and got it all hooked up so that the kids wouldn’t be without a TV. It is 2/3 the size of the other one but we are grateful that they have one until the other can get fixed.

Well, I need to go put curlers in Jaiden’s hair for tomorrow. It was good to see many of you this past week!

Love, Wendy