A Visit With Cousins

Dear Joshua and Luke,



Wow! It has been another exciting week with cousins!
"Cousins are the best!!!!!" just ask Luke. The week was fun filled complete with a trip to the Museum of Transportation, fun at three of the city parks, Monkey Joes, the Missouri Botanical Garden, a picnic at Tower Grove park, watching the Rescuers,....I could go on and on. Even the simplest things like having dinner are made 100 times extra fun when you get to do it with your cousins!

One of the boy's highlights of the week were sleeping in the giraffe tent on the three season's porch. I need to add that Elsa and Ethan voted me the "Best Aunt in Illinois" that day.
And they should have as I slept the whole night on an air mattress with Ethan on one side and Joshua on the other side. Elsa actually slept in the giraffe tent by herself. Luke willingly went into the house with Dad about forty-five minutes into the slumber party. Elsa organized the party by having the others pick a number between one and ten. Then, the kids took turns telling a made up story. After that, the kids picked numbers again and took turns saying different prayers. It was so sweet. Even Luke had a turn with "Now I lay me down to sleep....."

Before I end tonight.....my mom' son, Richard, and my brother, passed away tonight after a long, courageous battle of life. Twenty years ago next month, Richard's life came to a screeching halt when he fell off a roof while working. He has been paralyzed from the neck down since that time. He spent months and months in the hospital, and managed to stay in his house with a nurse coming to help all these years. After many bouts in the hospital, this last one was more than his strong body could take. When having to make the choice of putting in a trake again to help him breathe, he made the decision to try to breathe on his own, knowing that it was a very slim possibility it would even happen. After removing his breathing tube, he passed on eight minutes later.

I know that you two did not have a chance to know Richard very well, but I want to tell you what I know about him. He was a good, strong family man. And family man he was with eight children!!!! Can you even imagine? He had a good and kind heart, and he would do anything for you if you could. Even a day or two before he passed, he was concerned that his motorized wheelchair and van go to a friend in a similar situation as him. I remember him doing anything for you or anyone that he could. That was the kind of man he was.

Joshua summed it up tonight by saying, "Mom, I bet Richard is walking in heaven now...with the angels." My dear, you have hit it on the head once again. Richard, we will miss you and love you, and we will find peace in knowing that you are in heaven walking with the angels, laughing with Grandpa Al, and playing fetch with all of our dogs. Joshua also added to the prayer that he hoped that Jesus would help Richard make new friends in heaven. What a sweet thought, but no doubt that Richard won't need help with that. We love you, Richard!

Love,

Mama