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Hello FRiends!

5:15 pm EST...

I am cautiously optimistic about Dad, today he seemed a bit more alert, and he still retains enough cleverness to convince the nurses and orderlies to bring him extra vanilla ice cream (which he loves), and while he hasn't been eating as much solid food as we would like (he is receiving a nutrient drink to keep his caloric intake as high as possible), he almost seems to be getting a little bit of appetite back (at least for the ice cream, ha!).

Dad is still having moments of not-so-lucid thoughts, he thought that someone was shooting a gun outside his window today and warned my Mom to 'keep her head down', naturally we don't contradict him, we all tell him that we'll be careful and he seems to be content with that.

Mom is doing pretty well this evening, I told her that she ought to treat herself in some way (since she won't let anyone do too much for her in the way of gifts, etc, not even me), so she told me a little while ago that she stopped by a used book store and bought $50 worth of old paperback science fiction and mystery books (she is a lifelong fan of Ellery Queen), and she said she needed something to read while Dad is snoozing off and on, or when she wakes up during the night and can't get back to sleep.

So, there is a degree of some sort of routine, I wouldn't call any of this 'normal' (who would?), but I do know one thing: our family is facing this challenge much better than we would without your thoughts and prayers. You are wonderful people and please know this too, that although I certainly know that your prayerful efforts on our behalf are made without any thought of reward, compensation, or return, you may be assured that the God we serve will not forget what you have done and continue to do for us, a family you honestly don't know and most likely will never meet.

Our Lord said that someone who even gives a drink of water to a thirsty child will not be forgotten by our Father, and I know you will all see that same principle working in your lives at some future point. I firmly believe that.

I may not be online but once or twice a day this weekend but I will keep you all up to date on how things are with Dad, I told him that there were a whole lot of good folks that he didn't even know, who were praying for him, and appreciated him, and he smiled and said 'thank them for me'.

And I do.

Blessings to you all, and do enjoy the weekend! :)

Best,

Mark