A Busy Week at the B&B

I flew home to Missoula then drove the Todd’s car 2 ½ hours to Marion. It was such a long day. Chet was amazing and did sooo much cleaning and prep work for the B&B, all the shopping for the huge workshop group from MA, who checked in Sunday. He also cleaned our apartment and did some laundry and our bed sheets. So sweet! I was amazed and so blessed. Just what I needed! We only had to do a few things before the guests got there, then happy hour for them, prep for breakfast the next day and then time to hit the sack. I felt so emotionally drained Sunday and Monday.

Monday was crazy busy with a house full of guests and then we made dinner for 18 people that night. It was so much work but it went really well. Then the next few days were very busy with no break. But now it’s over and we only have one couple coming back tonight. Phew! We made it.

My Gramps, Glenn Stephenson

My grandpa had started to feel bad about six months ago, April 2011. He thought he hurt his back golfing and then hurt it again by lifting a chair incorrectly in the backyard. There were a few other things that caused him to think it was that, but all along it was cancer. The first week of August he went to the hospital and he was getting really bad for the next two months and the doctors couldn’t figure out what it was. They thought he cracked his vertebrae. Then about three weeks ago (mid-september) the doctor was 99% sure gramps had multiple myelom, cancer of the blood. He said it wasn’t bad, definitely curable and the best kind of cancer to get because it was so mild. Well he was in that 1% chance of being wrong. On October 3^rd, Monday, they found out gramps had liver cancer the size of a softball and it had spread throughout his entire body and bones. There was nothing to do at that point. It was progressing so rapidly and the doctor estimated 12-13 weeks. He was supposed to go back that next Monday to the doctors to get his blood work taken, because that’s the only way they could find out how fast the caner was spreading and how much time he had left. I booked my ticket the following day for the end of the month thinking I would be okay with the timing. God had a different story. They decided on hospice Monday the 10^th and hospice came in Tuesday morning at 8am.

My God story: My friend in small group asked me if I’d like to go on his grandfathers private jet to visit my grandpa before I came down the end of the month. I prayed about it and wrote him and took him up on the offer. There was one seat left leaving Monday the 10^th and coming home Thursday. I was amazed, stunned and so blessed. And at the time I thought I’d still come the end of the month. I flew to long beach Monday the 10^th and chris picked me up and went straight to grandpa and grandma’s.

Grandpa was doing okay. Looked worse than I expected: ghandis, kidney’s failing and bloated from it, lost a ton of weight, couldn’t move, only laid in bed in one position and in a lot of pain. He was just waiting for the Lord to take Him at the right time. He was coherent and talking to us, responsive, and making jokes. I kept bringing pictures and laid in bed next to him while looking through them and spent amazing time with him. He was saying to help take care of grandma. Later on I told him how I wish Chet would call me his bride, because grandpa kept calling grandma his bride after 55 years of marriage and he said ‘to not try to change or mold chet.’ Wow! That stuck! He kept calling grandma his bride, which I love. He was so selfless. He wanted Loinne to be comfortable or do anything for grandma rather than himself even though he was the one with terminal cancer. He talked about how at first he thought he was cheated by God but then realized that God had a better plan and he knows he’ll be in a better place. He said he felt God with him wherever he went, holding his hand the entire time. He said wherever I went, God went. Again, Wow!!!! What an amazing man of God. I wonder what he was thinking in his death bed and how within hours he will get to face God and be with him for eternity in a new and perfect body. With NO pain whatsoever.

But Monday was a good day. We stayed until 8pm and I came back the next day, Tuesday morning around 10:20 and it was night and day difference with how much he declined. I was stunned. He was becoming less responsive, didn’t want music, only talked a little in the beginning but got less and less until he didn’t respond anymore. He had talked to grandma that morning and told her I’m getting weak, I don’t know how much longer I can last and that I love you. That was a powerful and intense moment. He had to get oxygen because he wasn’t breathing correctly, had a horrible cough with mucus and secretion, didn’t pee in three days, didn’t eat anything, they stopped giving him all his pills since he couldn’t swallow and only gave him liquids of pain medicine to take away the pain and make him comfortable. But I was able to say my goodbyes for the grandkids and me and that I loved him. He didn’t respond to me but I know he understood me. Courtney changed her flight to come out the next day, Wednesday. Chris left class early to come and hang out with us and say goodbye to gramps. Uncle Greg and them tried to move their flight up but they couldn’t.

Gramp passed away on Wednesday around 10:30am. I had left to go pick up my sister so it was dad, grandma and the nurse there. They were able to spend the last few minutes with gramps. I picked up court at 11:45 and it was too late, which is so crazy. When I came Monday I never knew it would be that soon. I thought on Monday I’d still come the end of the month. But on Tuesday the Holy Spirit was telling me it was going to happen that week. I loved him so much and miss him already. He was the best Grandpa ever!

A Great Way To End September

Well I have to say September flew by so quickly. Thankfully we had a remarkable September with Montana weather. We were, on average, ten degrees warmer than a typical September. I loved it!!!! But I now have to accept the fact that this weather doesn’t last and before I know it snow will be here.

My mom and Ron came to visit us in Montana as well as my Aunt Becky, Shauna & Syenna! It was their first time coming and I’m so glad they brought Syenna. We had such a good time hanging out, going on walks, hikes, shopping, and showing them Montana. The time spent with them was wonderful, but it went by too fast. Syenna is a bundle of joy and loved so much. It was a learning experience having her here for three full nights and four days. I didn’t realize how much work babies are and how time consuming it is, but I loved it. I was very sad when we had to say our goodbyes, but I just pray it’s sooner than later that I can see them all again.

We also had guests here and there throughout September. The B&B did slow down, because summer is over. I started working for Murphy & Michelle as their bookkeeper/administrative assistant. Murphy was the GM for the B&B, and they have their businesses here in Marion. So I’ve been working for them when I have some spare time. Also, Chet will now be in his 6^th week of school, so he’s staying very bust with 17 units. He’s going to get his bachelors in Professional Aeronautics. He also flies for a skydive company every once in a while and he’s still in the Montana Air National Guard and reports one weekend a month for his drill. So between the both of us we’re busy.

He just had his guard drill this past weekend and came home last night. I stayed home for the weekend and had my list of things to do. It was just Mary and I, but it was a great way to end September for a couple reasons: 1. My wonderful mother-in-law taught me how to sew my first project, an apron. I really enjoyed sewing and can’t wait to make another one. 2. She also taught me how to read a pattern on crocheting a blanket so I’ve started that. I did have to take it out and start over, but she’s teaching me that’s all part of the learning process. I really enjoy crocheting and hope to be able to make several other things. I’m trying to keep myself busy and learn new things since I have a long winter ahead of me, and thankfully I have Mary to help and guide me along the way.

And that’s about it with me. Chet and I are doing well and love living up here. But I do miss my family a lot. Continue to pray for Chet with school and for our marriage. And my last prayer request is VERY important. Please pray for my grandpa to be healed completely and for the cancer to be wiped clean of his body. The doctors said he has liver mass cancer and he’s not doing well physically. Please pray the Lord heals him, takes away the pain & gives him all his energy back. He should find out today or tomorrow the exact type of liver cancer and how to treat it.