"When it rains - it pours."

Isn't that so true sometimes?

Jeff and I did decide to go to New York for our Anniversary after all. We had a wonderful time visiting with his sister, brother-in-law and our little niece. We did a bunch of tourist type stuff - visit the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, museums, a musical and a bunch of really great places to eat.
We saw the remains of Hurricane Hanna while we were there - we had never seen it rain so hard and so much in our lives. Thinking it would only last a little while like it does here in Utah, we opted not to buy an umbrella from the street vendors. We were soooo wrong, and were soooo soaked when we finally arrived back at his sister's house - even our shoes were soaked through and sloshing out water with every step. But it was fun nonetheless.
Thankfully we were able to enjoy our time there despite the goings on here at home. Jeff's mom was so kind to make phone calls and follow up with my dad the entire time we were gone. I felt so much better knowing that. Which brings me to the sad, sad news:
Two weeks ago - on September 3rd, my sister-in-law was hit by a drunk driver and killed. Tammy was married to my older brother, Danny in 2002. They had a baby girl, Allie, in October of that year. Unfortunately they later divorced and Tammy moved to North Carolina with Allie. We, thankfully, were on very good terms with Tammy and were able to visit with Allie several times a year, and when Tammy would come out to Utah for business, she would stay at my parent's home instead of a hotel. We were able to continue a very close relationship, and in fact Tammy and Allie both flew out twice last summer specifically to visit our family - once in July for my brother Dave's wedding, and again in September for Jeff and I's wedding. Jeff was just commenting the other day that on our wedding day when he didn't know how to affix his boutonierre, Tammy was the one to help him.
The story of her death is quite tragic - she had gone to pick up her younger brother from his night courses at the college, upon arriving home, she parked her truck at the end of the drive so she could pick up the mail and her brother could load the garbage cans in the back of the truck. The drunk driver was travelling in the opposite lane of traffic, crossed the middle lines, crossed the oncoming lane, nearly missed her brother and struck her at 60+ mph. She was thrown over100 feet. We are all hoping that she passed quickly, however, that will not be confirmed until later as we are awaiting the Medical Examiner's report that will be used at the trial against the driver. The story continues and just becomes more and more tragic - too much to talk about right now. The part that is worth mentioning is that unfortunately a legal custody battle has ensued between Tammy's mom and my brother Danny for Allie. It is so easy for me to see both side's points-of-view. Tammy's mom has already lost her daughter - tragically - and now faces the loss of seeing her grand-daughter every day as she has become used to in the last several months that she has been living with Tammy and Allie. That thought is horrible, and I feel so very, very sad for her. On the other hand, I also know that not only does my brother have a legal right, as her father, to have custody and care of her, he sincerely wants her to come back and live here. He wants to have the father-daughter relationship he has not been able to have the last three years simply because of the physical distance between them. He is perfectly able and capable of providing her a happy, healthy and stable home - here, and he deserves his legal right to do so.
Ugh - what a mess. I''m so glad that I do not have to be the judge who decides what the right thing to do is. But for those of you with children, let this be a lesson to you: Make a will. Get it done as soon as possible. Make it very clear what your wishes are for your children and your estate should one or both parents die young. Most of us have a belief that we will live long lives, but we never know when something like this could happen.

Rachael

Cancer

I hate cancer. I HATE it. I truly do. I wish I could do something to make it go away.

My darling dad is going through six months of chemotherapy after successful removal of a tumor in June. WHY??? does he have to have more chemotherapy after his cancer has been removed??? Because the cancer doctors said he needs to. I don't know what to think about that. This chemotherapy stuff is for the birds. My poor dad has lost over 50 lbs. He is very weak, tired a lot of the time, and is having a hard time being his normal happy self.
Yesterday, Jeff and I went to visit him and my mom at their house. He answered the door when we rang and said he felt light-headed like he had gotten up too fast. I leaned in to give him a hug, and he passed out right there in my arms, and I wasn't strong enough to hold him up. I was trying so hard, but he went down, and I went down too. I'm sure he is all bruised today, and I couldn't help him. That is what I hate the most about this whole thing - I can't do anything to help. I can't make it better, I can't tell him that he'll feel better soon.
And then I keep hearing about all these people dying from cancer at ages as young as and younger than my dad, and I can't handle the idea that it is possible to lose someone you love to this hateful disease. I love him so much - I don't know how I can help him to know that.
Jeff and I have a vacation planned to go to New York City for our one year anniversary leaving this Friday and will be gone for over a week, and I am so scared to leave. My heart is breaking at the thought that something might happen while we are gone. I don't know what to do. :(