Day 9: Sunday, March 27, 2016
Easter Sunday. Today
was not a great day. It started off
ok. The bunny came, we looked for eggs,
we found baskets, then everyone got dressed in their Easter best and we went
for an Easter Hike up the mountain we are currently residing on and found a tiny herd of elk by a
pond. There were two playfully chasing
each other around, in and out of the water and clearly having a great
time. Then there were two actually in
the pond, drinking water and giving the others looks that I’m sure Mike and I
have given to the boys. We didn’t get
closer because Tuck was afraid he’d get eaten, but it was a pleasant walk. Later, however, things took a turn for the
worse. We have been on this vacation
behaving as though everything is fine hunky-dory. In reality, Mike’s Dad is gravely ill. That’s actually a bit of an
understatement. He has late-stage
pancreatic cancer. The really bad
kind. We only found out about this in
the few days before we were supposed to leave, and only had it confirmed while
Mike was busy passing his actuary exam in the hours before our intended
departure. We talked to doctors, family,
and friends, and finally decided to leave anyway. There was nothing for us to do, and nothing
was truly known. His doctor herself gave
her blessing. When we returned in 3
weeks, there would be more to do and still plenty of time. But today, it doesn’t appear that this is
actually the case. I had to send my
husband home to his father and family while I put on my big-girl panties and
stepped up to finish this thing without him.
I don’t really want to. This is
our family’s epic vacation. It’s not
much of a family vacation without the heart of our family. But here I sit, alone in the mountains of
Arizona, contemplating what to do with my children tomorrow to keep their minds
off the fact that their father has flown away. We explained why, and I think
they get it, but I’m getting a lot of attitude from Jack. I don’t blame him. The fun parent left. Still doesn’t change
anything.
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