A Picture of a Picture - (Update)

So, my scanner is very much broken. (Grrrrrr...) So, what does a photographer do in a time like this? Take a picture of a picture.

I wanted to show you all Jake (Lee's Dad). The picture came out terrible, but given the circumstances, maybe it is a little bit fitting....?

First and foremost, I would like to thank everyone for their prayers and support. I have been baffled by the number of letters and calls I have received. Moreover, my clients have been so incredibly accomodating given the major interruption in schedules. I appreciate that more than you will ever know. (Linda McGuire, you are the best.... thank you so much for your support.)

I am back from Syracuse for a bit. It is really good to be back... as expected, it was a tough week. Lee and I did the midnight shift to try and relieve the family who lives in Syrcause and have been staying with him for the two days before we got there. We literally lived at the hospital from Tuesday through Sunday. I personally got to spend a lot of time alone with him. On Tuesday night he could still talk, but by Sunday, communication avenues had changed. He would communicate with his eyebrows and his toes. Believe it or not, he could still crack jokes on Saturday - just not with words. He would lift his eyebrows in response to conversations in the room. He knew exactly what was going on. It was funny.

As a family, we met our goals: There was never a minute where Lee's dad was alone and someone was not there to comfort him. He was able to see his entire family - from four states. And most importantly, he went peacefully. ...Yesterday afternoon, at 4:34pm, Jake Merritt stopped breathing.

The family is doing well. Lee is doing well. Jake was in a lot of pain in the end, and I think everyone was content to see it end.

Now I should let my readers know that I am a Christian. Not everyone is - and I totally respect that - but that's what I choose to believe. And in my pursuit of increasing my faith, I stumbled upon a favorite passage by Max Lucado...

"We don't like to say goodbye to those whom we love. Whether it be at a school or a cemetery, separation is tough. It is right for us to weep, but there is no need for us to despair. They had pain here. They have no pain there. They struggled here. They have no struggles there. You and I might wonder why God took them home. But they don't... They are, at this very moment, at peace in the presence of God."

For those of you dealing with similar situations, I hope you find peace in this passage. I know I do. Thanks again for all of your support and understanding. You guys are the best....

Sincerely,

Beth