Day 1 - 30 Day Giving Challenge

My giving today was to my family.

My father-in-law is having some rather serious health challenges at the moment. Several years back, after an operation on his knee, an infection set up that eventually required the amputation of his right leg just above the knee. In spite of this "disability", he continues to be one of the most active people I know. He cares for his aging mother (Mamaw is 89). He drives the local Amish people around - locally and nationally, having recently made a couple of trips to Delaware.

Anyway, he learned this summer that his other knee requires an operation, and he is understandably nervous. In addition, he has a slipped disk in his neck and that needs an operation as well. He was at the hospital today getting a CT scan.

DH approached me at home and asked if we could take the kids to Stanford, so he could be there if his Dad needed him. Chris was worried because when he talked to his father on the phone, he said his father sounded like he was drunk. FIL wasn't drunk, but has been taking some serious painkillers to deal with his physical ailments. He said his father would probably be upset at him, but he wanted to be there just in case.

So we woke up the kids, got them dressed and we headed out. I was deliberately obtuse about why we were going, because the two youngest (DS2 - age 12 and DD - age 7) tend to get rather upset about sickness and injury. We just said we were going to help Papaw.

Well, when we were halfway there, Papaw (FIL) called and said he was turning into his driveway. So we turned to head towards his house. Before we got there, DH decided not to go. Obviously his father got home ok. FIL is extremely independent and DH thought he would probably get mad that we all came up "to check on him" and probably needed rest anyway.

This took 3-4 hours out of our day. But it was for family...and that means everything to me.

*+*+*+*+*

Even though it is past the beginning of the month, I invite y'all to join in the challenge, by clicking on the button to the left for more information!