Family Visitors Round II

One week ago today we all piled into the car and went to the airport to pick up my very weary father.  Most of you know that my mom has been with us for several months now (since just before our move into our new house) and that the plan has always been for my dad to come join her for the last couple of weeks of her trip and for them to return to India together.  Most of you also know that my dad has been very ill with an auto immune disorder aggravated by a ruptured cyst and subsequent infection.  For a while it looked as if his visit would have to be canceled, but in the end he decided to come anyway.  Well, when we picked him up last Sunday, I wondered if the decision to have him come had been the wrong one.  Don't get me wrong, I was happy to see him, but I was not really prepared for the condition he was in and I wondered if the trip was going to cause an insurmountable set back.

Over this past week we, for the most part, have taken things easy.  This visit has not really been about big trips to the beach, Mt. Hood, or Multnomah  Falls, but about resting, pain treatment visits, and frequent games of "Go Fish".  The improvement my dad has made of the course of the week, while no where near complete, is undeniable.  He still moves slowly and with a cane, but he is stronger and able to do more and more things on his own.  We have one more week to get him whipped into shape before my parent have to go home.  I hope we can make enough progress that when he arrived back in India he is better shape than when he arrived here.

My dad was not our only visitor to arrive this past week.  On Friday Emily and Kai got here.  They came so they could see my dad and so that they could be a part of yesterday's festivities.  Yesterday was Colvin's 8th birthday.  For anyone not of our faith, 8 is a big birthday for us because that is when we get baptized.  Typically it does not take place on your actual birthday, but the stars aligned for Colvin and we was able to have a day all about him, starting with slurpees at 7-11, moving to a slip-in-slide birthday party, and ending with his baptism.  Not only was it a great day, but it is just the beginning of Emily and Kai's visit with lots more fun to come.

P.S. All photos are courtesy of Auntie Em, who will be the official photographer during her stay.