Carpentering for the Carpenter

Let me start at the beginning! I was chatting with Jon about the possibility of his coming over here from Taiwan if Grandma (my Mom) died suddenly. A couple of weeks ago we did not know how much time she had. Well, Jon decided to come and see her. Ron and I traveled down to Edmonto Saturday, picked up Jon from the airport, and went on to see Grandma.

This is Jon, Thomas and Ron. Like Thomas's new haircut?


Suzanne came to see Grandma (and us) again. Here are our three children together at the hospital. We made arrangements to go to her place Monday so Jon and Ron could see Thomas.

Grandma was quite glad to see these great looking grandkids. And they were glad to see her too. Sunday evening, when I expected Grandma to be tired and more "out of it," Ron and Jon had an excellent visit with her. She talked about the trip she took to France with Mary (my sister) a few years ago. Grandma even gave details about riding on the English Channel tunnel train.

At church Sunday evening I met Pastor Don Hogman. He's now retired. He was my pastor three times: when I was a toddler, then I interned under him in Bible College, and then He was back in Ponoka when we came out of the Yukon and were there for a winter. He gave the message at my installation service in Meeting Creek (not too far from Ponoka).
My neice Jill and her husband and family came over from British Columbia to see Grandma too. It was the first time Jon, Ron, or I had see her family, and the first time we'd seen her since before she was married. Jill's husband Mark is a truck driver. He used to stop in and see Grandma lots when he was in the area. She became his adopted Grandma. (He was a foster child)
One night, Jill and her family and Ron, Jon, and I were all at Bill and Lynda's on the farm. The boys had blow up mattressed and sleeping bags which got used. The basement was wall to wall people. Cozy in front of the wood stove!

Last night at Suzanne's was similar, except it was only Jon, Ron, and me on the basement floor. Brian made roast ham and apple pie for supper. We enjoyed our time with them and especially Thomas. This morning we were up quite early (before 4:00) in order to get Jon to his plane. Ron and I are back in Grande Prairie, and Jon should have landed in Taiwan by now.

How's Grandma? She is hanging in there prettty good. Still in the hospital. Still needing help in and out of bed. To me she seemed less confused than a week ago. The boys enjoyed taking her for (short) walks around the hospital one or twice each day. Mary is with her a lot when other relatives are not. Grandma has a brother and two sisters living in the Edmonton area who have all come to see her too.