We had quite a scare last week with my dad. He had been having some intense stomach pains and finally went into the hospital Monday morning. His appendix had burst and he needed surgery right away. In the surgery, they also had to remove one of his colons, discovered he had a hernia and a large mass that they weren't sure was cancerous or not. I felt concern, but somehow detached from my feelings until about Thursday night. He was still in the hospital and wasn't doing very well. I had tried to talk to him on the phone, but he had tubes in his throat and couldn't talk but for a few seconds. My mom spent the nights sleeping on a chair in his room. That night I cried for the first time. I still didn't know if he had cancer, and I couldn't see him or even talk to him. I couldn't be there for a support for my mom. They were thousands of miles away, and I couldn't do anything to help. I was struck with how fragile life is, and I hurt inside, feeling like I was missing all of this important time with my parents that I won't get back.

Things got better after that night. The mass they discovered during surgery was not cancer, and my dad began to improve enough that he was released on Friday evening to go home. I always miss my mom and dad. I miss my kids getting to know them as well as I do. But I know they are doing the best they can, and I know that we are blessed to know that no matter what happens in the future, we will see each other again someday. And there won't be these thousands of miles in between us then. My good brother in law, Kevin, showed a short video during the Mouritsen FHE Sunday night entitled, "Come What May and Love It." I couldn't figure out how to post the video on this same blog entry, so I added it as a separate entry.

All I could think of while we watched it was my mom and dad. There are so many things we can't control about our lives here on Earth - our age, sudden health problems, how regularly we get to see family, sometimes where we live and sometimes even death of our loved ones. I wanted to share this video and just say how much I appreciated watching it. I was reminded that no matter comes to us in our lives, we can find joy. We can "love it." I'm grateful you're still with us, dad. I'm grateful you are my dad and for the strong example of faith you always are. You still have a lot to teach us. I love you!