Catching Up

Life moves a long

Okay it's May 5th..........it's raining, lots of wind but my dog and I are in a warm house while my wife is at work....it's my day off.  I got lot's of stuff done today....like getting my son's car ready for them when they arrive back from Spain this week....that is a Dad's job to help with the transportation needs of his family, especially when my grand son is involved. Full take of gas, oil changed, new wipers, and inside detailed.  I enjoy helping my boys out, I just like to do it.  I wonder if that's how God feels about you and me.....I think He does.

My father in Heaven

This past Sunday evening I got that call I knew would be coming.   My father passed from this life in to eternity.  

 

At 7 pm that evening he pulled the cord in his apartment to signify that he needed help from the staff.  When they entered his studio apartment they found him unconscious laying on the floor, the medics took him to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.  The previous three days my father had an unusual amount of visitors coming by to see him.  I believe between 15-25 people came to see him.  I think it was one of those God things. 

 

Over the past few months I knew his health was gong down hill.  Each time it was taking him longer to recover.  My father was a simple man who just loved living.  A man who served his country when called upon in World War II, who married his childhood sweetheart, who ventured out from Oklahoma to live in Oregon never to return to live in Oklahoma again.  Who always made everyone feel welcomed.  Even during the last few years of his life, living alone, street people would knock on his door and he would offer to make them a sandwich to eat.  I think he remembered the kindness of people when he was traveling to find work in Arizona and some strangers welcomed him into their home and fed him.

 

He is in heaven now, not because he did anything to stand out.  He worked in a lumber mill, provided for his family, took his family to church every Sunday morning and evening, took us on vacations to the coast to camp, worked two jobs when my brother and I were teenagers to provide a car for each of us. He  always had kind words for his wife, my mother, about every meal she made.  He really enjoyed each car he owned and took great care of it.  Just a simple man who provide my brother and I a home where we were loved and cared for.  On second thought, not just a simple man but a great man who knew what really counted.

 

He is in heaven now with all those who went a head of him, his wife, our first granddaughter, his parents and brother and themany friends he made on this earth.  He now has no more battles to win, no more pain to deal with and no more thoughts of when is Mike going to get those project done for me. 

 

It is with sadness and joy that I say, " I will miss you, but I am glad you are where you are.  I really tried to do the best I could to take care of  you during the last days of your life here on earth. I will always be indebted to you for all your sacrifices you made for our family and country. Enjoy heaven dad.  You were a very good man and I am honored to be called your son."

One Year in Heaven

Today, Melody and I went to the grave side of our first grandchild, Madeline.  We celebrated her one year birthday in heaven. Someday I will get to know that girl. 

Spain is the place for another year

Okay, I am going crazy with the third post in the same day, it must be the weather.

Marc and Krystn, my middle son and his wife are back in Spain for another year of "work", playing basketball. Spent the summer with us and her family but back in the professional basketball arena.  Did I tell you they are expecting their first child,  it's a boy.   Can't wait to see them, all three in February.

God is good!

My GMC Truck

Mid October I was seeing more fluid on the driveway than I like to see from my truck.  The brakes were a little soft so I decided to take it in for some analysis.  Sure enough, they had to replace the entire main brake cylinder.  The truck is 16 years old and was showing its age.

It was also during this time Melody, my wife, went in for a normal procedure and they discovered  a mass/tumor.  After consulting with the doctor she made the decision to have it removed.  They weren't able to do a biopsy because of the type and place of the tumor, so we would have to wait till it was removed before any testing could be done on it. After the surgery the doctor came out to us and shared the good news, the surgery was a success and Melody was doing great. After several days Melody came home and now is doing the hard part, recovery.

After I got her home and settle in I went out to drive the truck to Church campus and discovered when I turned over the ignition key, nothing happened.  The truck was dead, I mean really dead.  I tried to jump start it but that didn't work.  So being the man I am, I went to Costco and got a bigger battery for the truck. I installed it, turn the key and the truck roared back to life. In the back of my mind I wondered if the mechanic had left something off or by  mistake did something that caused the battery to drain. Several days went by again till I was able to drive the truck.

We got great news this week, the test results came back from the lab,  the mass/tumor wasn't cancerous, what a relief.  When the doctor came out to us after the surgery, while Melody was in the recovery area, he updated us on the successful surgery and shared that Melody was doing great. An hour passed by and they took her to the room where she would stay for several days.  The family came in to say, "We love you" and then left.  It was during this time I was standing beside her bed when this feeling of relief swept over me.  She made it through.  Several years ago one of her aunts had gone in for a normal procedure and died on the table. Since this was Melody's first major surgery ,we  had this in the back of our minds. As I stood at the side of the bed I began to cry.  I think layer upon layer had been building up and when I stood there seeing my wife, my friend, lover and soul mate still on this side of eternity it all came to a head, the dam broke.  You would of thought I had the surgery.  Melody reached out her hand and touch me to say it was all right. I didn't cry very long but I felt so out of control in the situation.  I am a fix-it type of man, see a problem then fix it.  This was way beyond my control.

A few more days passed I went out to drive the truck to the church Campus. As I turned the key over the truck barely turned over, but it did start.  I  was frustrated.  I had just spent all that money fixing the brakes and then had to replace the battery.  What is happening to my life? I am doing every thing I know how to fix things. That afternoon I began the hunt to find a shop that would do a check on my electrical system. Was the battery not charging or was it being drained?  I finally found a shop that would do the check that day.  I dropped it off and then got the call that afternoon with the analysis.  The glove  compartment light wasn't shutting off and was draining the battery.  Do yo know how small the light is in the glove compartment?  Yet this little light was able to shut down this man-size truck in less than three days, I was amazed. They fixed it. I could of done it, but I didn't have the tools or the knowledge on what to fix. I am grateful for mechanics who are trained in these areas and for the many others who are trained to analyze and fix the many other areas in our lives.

I am grateful to God for watching  over Melody during her surgery and giving us another day to be with each other. It's those little things that always get you.  May God grant me the insight into the little things that can make or break you.  Life is back in balance at the Axton's.  Melody continues to recover and the truck continues to go down the road.  What a life!