28 years! Happy Anniversary!

Today, we celebrate our 28 wedding anniversary! that's really hard to believe. this past year has brought so many changes to our family with the weddings and sons-in-laws, sickness, surgery and then throw life in between! What a year!

The Gilbert infirmary is going well. Picture 3 walkers, a potty chair, a wheelchair, separate beds, and then there's all the medicine we're both taking. oh, my gosh! I think we're managing all this quite well with the help of our good friends. thanks for all the meals, cards, emails, rides and prayers! we're better but not out of the infirmary yet!

Night Number 1

Well, here it is early Friday morning. I'm doing my 6 a.infusion, Karen is napping, and the dogs are wrestling on my bed. We did very well last night. Thre puppies don't understand why they can't get on the bed with Mom, but they are now living with that idea. That's okay because I like them snuggled with me in my bed. We had to throw the cat off Karen's bed several times but when we got up aT 6, guess what? He was snuggled on the bed next to her. Oh, well....as long as he will lay there he's not in the way. A very stubborn creature, that cat. Karen and I both managed to coordinate bathroom breaks in the night...so that was good. She's getting up and negotiating that well. I'm going to fix us breakfast in a bit if I can get the food and Karen to the table...:-). So far, so good.

Thursday evening - Quick Update

Karen is on her way home from the hospital as I write. Why is it that hospitals let people out late in the day? I'm sure there is some reason for it in their minds, but it seems complicated to me. Anyway, now we begin the Gilbert Infirmary...lol. Karen is doing very well, but moving slowly.
If I know her she'll be up and about before you know it. At least I'll have someone here to fuss at.
More later!

p.s. I don't want to gross anyone out but Karen said my foot looks like some kind of war wound (I believe we were talking about someone who had served in WWII when Karen said that), just so you'll have some idea of why it's going to take awhile for the old right foot to heal..

Thursday morning update

Good Thursday to all!

This morning we're waiting to hear if Karen will come home today or perhaps tomorrow. Her blood work is low, but her doctor really doesn't want to give her a transfusion unless she just has too. Karen was going to bank her own blood but my situation caused her not to get it done. She's been up and about on the walker with her physical therapist and appears to be doing pretty well otherwise.

My situation pretty much remains unchanged. I'll be going to the wound clinic in HEB every Tuesday for them to check the foot and do whatever treatment they can. I'm still attached to the wound vac for the foreseeable future and still taking antibiotic infusions every 8 hours. The progress is slow and seems all uphill at the moment.

Many thanks to all the good people who have helped Karen and I in the midst of this hard time and too all who will continue to help in the future.

Mama's Got a Brand New Groove

Mom came out of surgery just fine! Her surgery lasted a bit longer than two hours but she made it through just as expected. She was moved to recovery and is now resting in her room. She should be in the hospital for a couple of days and then will be recovering with physical therapy at home. Please no visitors while she is in the hospital.

The surgeon said it was pretty nasty inside her hip joint so she was hopeful that mom would be feeling better fast and will actually be walking around in about two weeks! That is crazy!

We are so glad that the surgery was successful and we look forward to recovery. Please continue to pray for patience for mom and dad and for continued healing.

Sunday

Well, here it is Sunday again. I must say I really miss my Sunday School class and worship at Broadway. Here at home, one day is pretty much like the next and I miss the friendship and fellowship that attendance at church brings. It's something I don't think I will ever take for granted again when I am free to return.

Karen's surgery is scheduled for tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. Pray for that everything will go as smoothly as expected by the doctor. She has been in great pain the last months and I pray the surgery will bring real relief. The surgery should take about 2 hours and Karen will be in the hospital through Wednesday. I expect that she will be up and about and much more mobile than me in a much shorter time than I will.

The healing of my right foot, if successful, is going to be a slow process. I'm already tired of walkers and things attached to my body for 24 hours a day. Things that used to be so simple are now complicated, consume much time, and wind up being very tiring (and trying too...:-) It's frustrating that I will not be able to help care for Karen as I want to, but it is the limitation of my life at the present moment. We are both doing well mentally, but will continue to need your prayers as we negotiate the next few difficult weeks.

Who Am I?

Who am I? They often tell me
I stepped from my cell's confinement
Calmly, cheerfully, firmly,
Like a squire from his country house.
Who am I? They often tell me
I used to speak to my warders
Freely and friendly and clearly,
As though it were mine to command.
Who am I? They also tell me
I bore the days of misfortune
Equably, smilingly, proudly,
Like one accustomed to win.


Am I really what others say about me?
Or am I only what I know of myself?
Restless, longing and sick,
Like a bird in a cage,
Struggling for breath,
As though hands were compressing my throat,
Hungering for colors, for flowers, for the songs of birds,
Thirsting for words of kindness and neighborliness,
Shaking with anger at petty tyranny and the slightest slurs,
Bedeviled by anxiety, awaiting great events that might never occur,
Fearfully powerless and worried for friends far away,
Weary and empty at praying, at thinking, at doing,
Faint and ready to say farewell to it all.

Who am I? This man or that other?
Am I one person today and tomorrow another?
Am I both at once? An hypocrite before others,
And before myself a contemptibly woebegone weakling?
Or is something within me still like a beaten army,
Fleeing in disorder from victory already achieved?
Who am I? They mock me, these lonely questions of mine.
Whoever I am, Thou knowest, O God, I am Thine!

Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Tegel Prison
March 4, 1946

7/22/10-The PCP Finally

Karen and I got to meet my PCP for the first time today! (That's Primary Care Physician for those who don't know the language...lol). Dr. Gregory Hanson was recommended to me by one of my hospital doctors (Dr. Giang, who was great to me in the hospital!). Dr. Hanson is wonderful! Had a great visit and we have a health plan for the future. It's remarkable that God has placed so many good medical people in the path to care for me. I get to add taking my blood pressure regularly to my regimen now. He was very pleased with my blood sugar log and we are already talking about some simple changes to it.

As for yesterday, I had a wonderful birthday with greetings from lots of family and friends. Charlie and Carolyn Shapard brought steak, half a baked potato, salad, and angel food cake with low sugar Cool Whip and strawberries (Did you know angel food cake is on the can have list?...yum!) and there were no adverse affects on my blood sugar.

Everyday is a little step forward and forward is the right direction to go.

the great dance

the great dance...

"...for that is how it is, a great and moving pattern, a cosmic dance of the whole created order, of which each of us is a part. The patterns change, the steps of the dance vary, but it is still the metaphor of the Great Family to which we belong."

-Madeleine L'Engle

Happy Birthday to my daddy!!!

Daddy- you are part of the great dance... did you know? This is just for you, even if no one else understands, I know that you will.

Thanks dad for all of the ways you have been my teacher throughout my life. You are even teaching me now about taking responsibility, about the grace of God and about relying on others to carry you along. After all we were put here to be in community and love each other. We have the great privilege to expand our family and we can choose to be that to each other. I am so thankful that you are still here to celebrate with and be family to! I am thankful that there are so many who are willing to be your family while Katie and I cannot be there.

I hope you have had a great day! And a great steak dinner!!!!

May we continue to choose to carry each other through whatever life may bring. May we never forget that God is continually putting things in our way and we choose whether or not to join in the dance.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Maybe when you are feeling better we can take another family vacay??!!

We are so thankful to be celebrating another year of life!

Love you Dad, enjoy your day!!

Going Home

This weekend I was able to spend some time back at home with mom and dad. I had a wedding to attend in Abilene and when I booked my ticket months ago, I had already planned to fly through DFW to stay with my mom and dad for a night or two. Although I didn't know we'd end up here, I sure am thankful I somehow knew that I would need that time at home with my family.

It's funny how life moves in cycles. In college, I didn't like coming home much. It was hard, the rules had changed and I was just learning how to handle my own independence. And then, when I moved farther away from home, that distaste for coming home began to fade. These days, I want nothing more than to be able to sit at home with my mom and dad (and sis when she is there) to talk and share life together. We know they are in good hands and cannot even begin to fathom the outpouring of love or say enough thank you's for the care you are giving and have given to our parents.

While at home, I helped move a second bed downstairs. If mom does indeed have her surgery (which we are hoping and praying that she will), she will not be able to share a bed with dad due to the infection. So, guess what.....they now have two beds downstairs!

I think mom is now calling this their "infirmary," but I think its quite cozy really.

Dad spends most of his days reading books and working crosswords. I bought him a Netflix subscription while I was home so that he can at least watch movies and TV shows he cares about instead of mindless TV.

I am so thankful for the time I had at home this past weekend and until the next time, Skype will have to do! (which by the way, we have figured out how to 3-way call so that ALL of us Gilberts can talk at one time! Thank goodness for modern technology!)

Before and After

We are finally getting around to posting some pictures of dad's new "do."

Here he is before with a full head of hair.

And now.....

He looks like this....it's not so bad after all! He fits right in with his two sons-in-law and could be his older brother, Malcom's identical twin.

Although he may not keep this look forever, it is much easier to handle for now.

Monday, July 19

We went to the infectious disease doctor, Dr. Sotman (How many of you have your own infectious disease doctor? I bet I'm listed with the CDC in Atlanta, lol.), today and to the infusion clinic. Dr. Sotman was pleased with the foot's progress and scheduled us to see him in the future at his wound clinic in HEB where his wound nurse can help care for the foot. He simply reminded me that this will be a slow process...sigh.

At the infusion clinic they lengthened my port line so I can give myself my own infusions (yay!) and changed the times to 10 p.m., 6 a.m., and 2 p.m., .more humane times all the way around. Love the people in Dr. Sotman's office and the infusion clinic...wonderful folks. The receptionist at Dr. Sotman's office said she had been praying for me in her church prayer group from First, Burleson. Seems the hand of God has a wide reach.

They took a culture from Karen to see if she has any staph she's carrying. Dr. Sotman didn't think it likely but he said if she did he'd create a concoction for her...:-). Unfortunately, no test results available until Friday. Karen's pre-op is scheduled for tomorrow. Dr. Sotman said to move forward. So Monday may still be D-Day for Karen's hip replacement.

I am still overwhelmed by the grace of God that keeps coming to me through God's people...a community built on God's very love. I'm thinking about doing a little theological reflection...maybe God's given me this downtime to do so. If I do, I'll make my own blog and link it to The Gilbert Life.

Life is a mystery and we are caught in its midst!

Friday update

Just a brief update. For convenience in maintenance I let a friend buzz cut my hair last night. My hair hasn't been this short since I was 5 years old. If I had any muscles, I'd look like a marine drill instructor. We're working on pics to share so you can rate my new look. All I can say is that it sure feels better.

Karen and I are waiting for the home health nurse to come and redress my foot. This happens every Monday, Wednesday, Friday. I have doctor's visits next week, including the surgeon, so we'll see what they say.

We are actually looking forward to the weekend...without having to get out to go to the doctor or having the nurse come dress the foot. All in all, we're doing pretty good right now...although the 4 a.m. antibiotic infusion is still a challenge. You'd be amazed at what's on TV at 4 a.m...lol.

Everyday brings a little progress.

Thursday...getting into a routine

It's nice to be home. I'm beginning to get into the routine of a diabetic...checking blood sugar regularly, giving myself shots as needed, watching my diet. It's doing very well, by the way. Figuring out a diet variety of what to eat and how much is a real challenge...we still have a lot to learn.

It appears Karen may go forward with her hip replacement surgery. We'll know more after her doctor's visit Monday. The doctor's are just concerned that she doesn't catch my infections...so it will be separate beds, no care from me, etc. Not sure how all that will work....maybe my foot will reach a point where I won't need the wound vac before then. I'm hobbling around on a walker with only one good foot. Makes cooking, getting to doctors appointments, etc. a real pain. We'll see.

I'm trying to learn patience...I want the foot to heal faster then it will. I will just have to learn to use my days productively and live by faith.

Home! Time for some reflection...

Well...I'm home. The schedule here at home is a little slower, but still a schedule. Karen has to help me with antibiotic infusions every 8 hours - 8 p.m., 4 a.m., and 12 noon. Yes, the 4 a.m. is fun...but we get through it. I seem to have my blood sugar under control and all is going well there. The home health care nurse is coming by today to change the wound vac dressing on my foot and that will be a Monday, Wednesday, Friday occurrence until the foot is well on its way to healing. I'm thinking of getting a buzz cut for easy hair maintenance, so if I do I'll post pics of the new me on the blog.

So, here's some reflection. Mary Beth and I have long talked about what it is that God wants us to do in our everyday lives. Our favorite line is "Whatever God puts in our way!" I've always spent my time everyday looking for all those things that God puts in our way. In this case, I missed the most important thing God put in my way...caring for my own health. My health is the key thing that allows me to do all the other things I do...and I ignored it. I was among all those stubborn individuals who say, "I can take care of this myself!" Here's the truth! I can't! It was a stubborn, selfish thing to do and it almost cost me my life and terrified my family and friends. It was a hard lesson to learn, but one well learned. From someone who didn't have any doctors, I now have many...and really like all of them.

I want to thank everyone for your prayers during this time. The list is simply too long to thank everyone, but I am blessed to have the support of a wide ranging community of faith. When I think of the number of people who care I am overwhelmed and grateful to God.

Healing will be a much slower process than I want it to be, so continue to pray for patience. I'm getting around on a walker...yeah, yeah, just like my Mom. No more making fun of those people...lol. Slowly but surely I'm getting more strength each day. I'd be glad for some company but be sure and calbefore comingl since we have ongoing doctors appointments.

More to come as time and inspriation strikes me!

Tim's home!

Tim came home this evening! we'll write more tomorrow but just wanted you all to know that he's no longer in the hospital. Thank you for all of your visits, cards, emails and calls!

Reflection: Take 2

I know that my sister would never do this, so I am doing it for her! This is truly a beautiful description of the way that our family made its way through the trauma of dad being sick. Please click here to read some of the reflections that she made on her own blog about our experience together.

Can I also say again, we have been more than overwhelmed by the outpouring of love that has come for our family at this time. Sis and I both know that it is a testament to the way in which our mom and dad have been a part of your lives and of course it is a testament to the web of love that comes from being a part of the family of God.

Thank you for everything, from the many meals cooked, to the cards and comments, to the desperate prayers...

Saturday all day long!

What do you say about spending a Saturday in the hospital? The hospital is a busy place whether it's Saturday or not. It does seem to be a little quieter on the weekends and it's easy to get a parking space up close. Tim was up early and ready for breakfast. He is starving when he wakes up. He got cleaned up and felt a whole lot better. Amazing what a little toothpaste and mouthwash can do!

He was up most of the day and enjoyed watching the Harry Potter movies on the family channel. He also enjoyed his visits from friends, doctors and nurses. There is a routine to all of his meds and he's 'bout got it down.

The doctors are still talking about him coming home next week. They have just not given us a specific day so we're just waiting for all of them to give their okay and to get their instructions. He has been set up with home health and already gotten his portable vac which is small enough to fit into a carrying pouch.

He's ready to see his puppy dogs and they are ready for their daddy to be home. Mom is okay but dad is the special one.

TGIF

Tim has had another good day with lots of activity. He's got a walker with front wheels that makes walking the hall much easier. He's not going to be doing wheelies but it does help with him moving from place to place. He's had visitors which have brought the sunshine on a rainy afternoon. The wound care specialist has been in and redressed his foot and she is very optimistic with the progress in two days. The doctor came to take a look and he, too, was pleased with what they were seeing. It's vaced until Monday when they will look at it again! Tim's here through the weekend but there's talk and preparation being made for him to go home maybe Tuesday with home health care.

Now my job is to get the house ready for Tim to come home. The den has already become the bedroom and the den furniture was moved to the living room. I need to make a trip to the grocery store for food that's low sodium and dietetic - what fun! I'm feeling overwhelmed with all we've got to know - food, meds, insulin, blood pressure and weight. here we go!

"Hoppy" Thursday notes

Tim continues to take baby steps in his recovery. Today, he walked the hall with his walker and the PT (physical therapist), of course! He didn't make it very far but he did hop on one foot down the hall and back. He brushed his teeth, shaved, got his hair washed and cleaned up and smells a whole lot better (he says he almost feels human!). He got a new IV port in his arm and got rid of the femoral line in his groin. This will make it a lot easier to hop on the walker.

His foot is still being "vac-ed" which means it's attached by a hose to a 10 lb. machine. One of his doctors came in today and looked at the machine and said, "that sucks!" and Tim said he was right in every sense of the word.

He's been up most of the day sitting in the chair and had visits from Ron Williams and David Grebel - both here at the same time which if you know them, the hospital will never be the same!

We're making slow progress with some talk of going home in the not too distant future. We continue to give thanks for all the prayers, emails, cards and calls from friends and family far and wide.

Nurse - NOT!

Karen is writing this blog entry after an afternoon of working with the wound care specialist to put the wound vac on Tim's foot. It looks like Tim's foot has been shrink wrapped and that's a whole lot better than the foot itself. I think the nurse was surprised when I wanted to watch her and see what she was doing so she asked me to help. She needed me to put pressure on a spot that was still bleeding in hopes that we could stop the bleeding and proceed with the vac therapy. It worked! The bleeding did stop but I didn't stop working and we finished the process. This needs to be on 22 out of 24 hours a day in hopes that it will draw the new tissue together and heal this foot from the inside out. It's going to be a very long process!

Keep the shrink wrapped foot in your prayers!

Post-surgery Update

Dad came out of surgery around 5:30 or 6:00 this evening. Everything went well for today. They were able to remove a lot of the bad and dead tissue in his foot and, for now, left all of the bone. The doctors will now wait to see if the foot will heal more in the coming days with IV antibiotics and a wound "vacuum" (we aren't entirely sure what this is but we are soon to discover!). Although another surgery is probably in the future, we are thankful for one down. I talked to dad on the phone around 7:45 and he had already eaten a hearty snack and was back to his normal self.

Katie and Mary Beth both made it home safely and are happy to be snuggling with their own pups in their own beds. We enjoyed being together again, although perhaps we should gather at the beach next time and not the hospital!

Continue to pray for healing and for patience and peace as dad is stuck in the hospital bed for a little while longer. We are so thankful for good friends and family who continue to show us love and support.

Reminder for Tuesday July 5, 2010

We just want to remind everyone that Dad is scheduled for surgery at 4:00 this afternoon. He will head that way around 2:30 or 3:00 to be put under the anesthesia and has already been pulled off of all food and liquids (he's hungry already!). Dr. Wagner will perform the surgery and came in to visit dad late last night. He is reporting that he may in fact need to take some of the bone at the very top of the foot, near the toes, but nothing too serious. But we won't really know anything for sure until after the surgery (and of course we will post as soon as we know something more).

Update: Monday July 5, 2010

The hospital has been somewhat quiet today because of the holiday so we have been enjoying a lazy day with dad. We have been snuggled up on the couch and watching TV most of the afternoon.

The only news we really have to report today is that dad's surgery for the debridement of his foot is scheduled for tomorrow at 4 in the afternoon. After this surgery, we should know more about the next couple of weeks. Dad was visited by the anesthesiologist this afternoon and she said that dad will be put under general anesthesia for the surgery. He is also on a diet of clear liquids until 8 or 9 in the morning and then no food until after the surgery.

Our prayer for tomorrow is that the surgery will go well and that the foot can begin to heal quickly. Pray for the doctors and nurses who will care for dad and pray for mom as she will be on her own. Katie and Mary Beth will head back to Birmingham and Richmond tomorrow afternoon. Although we won't be here, we plan to do our best to keep the blog up to date on dad's status. Tomorrow will be a long day, but hopefully one that will help us better prepare for the future.

Update: Happy July 4! One day late...

It was good for the Gilbert's to be together on a holiday, though this was not the way we wanted to be together again. We spent the evening in the hospital room watching the fireworks on the T.V. and being thankful.

Dad had another good day! They were able to take him off of the oxygen and are waiting now to see what this week may bring. It looks like he will be having surgery on his foot late in the afternoon Tuesday to clean out the wound and so that the doctors have a better look at the infection.

He is still receiving heavy IV antibiotics but continues to give himself his insulin. Pray for his surgery tomorrow, that the doctors are able to clean and care for the wound on his foot and for continued healing of the infection. Pray also for dad to rest well, as well as for Karen, Katie and MB.

Words for Today

Below are the lyrics to one of daddy's favorite songs (and by default, one of ours...) May these words offer encouragement to all of us as we Press On toward the future.

Press On

by Billy Sprague

I was down in the valley

Of the shadow of death

Where the passion for life

Drained like blood from my chest

And it took more than my will just to

Take a step

When the compass of hope

Was gone

In a silence so black

That I wished for the blues

Every desperate prayer

Seemed like Heaven refused

And some days I found faith meant just

Tyin' my shoes

And it was

All I could do

To press on

Press on me amigo

Press on mon ami

Walk on in the face

Of the mystery

Though the night hides the light

Through the darkness still dawn...

Tie your shoes, my dear friend

And press on

On the ocean so lonesome I was not left on

Had some heavenly friends

When my heart was a stone

And they carried my heartache and

Made it their own

When the current of sorrow

Was strong

(and one said)

'I pray your memories will not drag you down

Not be anchors but treasures

Of the love that you've found'

And His kind words turned hurt into comfort somehow

And the wind in my sails

To press on

So press on me amigo

Press on mon ami

Walk on in the face

Of the mystery

Though the night hides the light

And the journey is long...

Lean on me, my dear friend

And press on

Though the days seem like years...

There may be giants in our fears...

Ah, but they who are sowin' tears

They shall reap in joy

They shall run and leap for joy!

So press on me amigo

Press on mon ami

Walk on in the face

Of the mystery...

Click here if you want to listen to the actual song and select "Press On" from the playlist.

Update: Saturday July 3, 2010

Sorry we are a little bit late in getting an update posted for yesterday but we had another good day! Yesterday dad began giving himself his insulin shots in the tummy. (and he would like to report that its not so bad after all!) The nurses are working to help him learn how to measure out the amount he needs, draw it with the needle, and inject it.

They were also able to remove dad's catheter yesterday....something for which he is very grateful! The physical therapist came in and ordered a walker so dad is now better able to move around the room. It is difficult for him to remember to move slowly because he is so ready to be well again. Mom, Mary Beth, and Katie have him under orders not to be up and moving without someone in the room.

We are thankful to be seeing continued improvement. What a change one week can bring! We are working to make sure he continues to get enough rest and to regain his basic living skills. And, of course, we continue to be ever thankful for our extended family in the world that continues to offer love and support as we begin the long journey of recovery.

Friday Night

Tonight dad got his first good shave since Sunday!

Katie helped lather him up.....

And then Caleb and Matt helped with the shaving.

Yay for a clean face (and brushed teeth!).

Update: Friday July 2, 2010

Today has been another good day. Dad is sitting next to me in a chair once again, watching the Uruguay/Ghana soccer game. He commented, "Who knew learning to sit up in a chair could be such a challenge?!" He has eaten two more good meals (and is actually getting to choose what he wants to eat rather than being handed a plate).

After breakfast, we were able to set up a Skype chat with our husbands at home so that dad could see his "babies," aka his dogs Lucy and Charlie. They were confused at hearing his voice but dad loved getting to see their sweet faces.

A nutritionist came by this morning to begin teaching mom and dad more about a diabetic diet...looks like there are some changes in order around the Gilbert household. He has also been released by his pulmonologist because his lungs are looking good! One more doctor down (he was released by the kidney doctor yesterday afternoon).

There is still the strong possibility of surgery on his foot in the near future but we are waiting for the ok from the cardiologist. We will certainly keep you posted.

Continue to pray for strength to return to his body, particularly for the speedy return of his muscle memory and basic skills. It is also important that he continue to rest, which is most difficult in a hospital with folks coming in all the time to poke and give medicine!

Update: Evening Thursday, July 1

Dad was able to graduate to a soft food diet for lunch today. He pretty much ravaged his lunch and declared that it was difficult to teach yourself how to eat again, but he endured the frustration and enjoyed eating more solid food (which he says is pretty good for hospital food!) We are happy to report that he was visited by a physical therapist who was able to move him from the bed to a chair and we visited with him for about twenty minutes sitting in a chair!

We are continually grateful for all of your prayers and for your continued well wishes for dad at this site. He is still fighting the infection and needs prayers for strength but also for continued peaceful rest.

Update: Thursday July 1, 2010

This morning dad was able to visit with some of our extended family. He has been more alert and aware today. He is really beginning to put together and remember the last few days and is able to tell folks how long he was in the ICU. We are especially encouraged to see a bit of his sense of humor returning as he continues to fight the infection. In his best "Clint Eastwood" voice (as dad is now calling it), we are happy to hear him telling us he loves us and watching his mind process all that is happening.

A Quick Note of Thanks

We will share more after lunch...dad is resting some this morning after having fed himself breakfast and opening some mail. He had a more restful night of sleep last night and is working to piece the last few days back together.

Mary Beth posted the following on her blog and we wanted to share her words here: "At my wedding my dad spoke about the mystery and extraordinary power of love. He spoke of what a gift of God it is that we can expand our family beyond just our "family of blood"... that is if we choose to. Thank you to all of you for being our family and for understanding the healing power and grace of our God of love. I know it might not seem like much, but lifting your voice on behalf of dad is a great testimony to the man that my father is and to the way that he has taught us all about how to love."