Christmas weekend

(Picture was taken at the hospital. Hosanna was allowed in the room for a little while as long as Dad didn't hold her or she didn't get too close. First row -Tina, Mom and Dad, Heidi and Elizabeth. Second row-Ed, Joe, Melody, Doug, Marcus and Hosanna. Dad wanted a picture of all of us in masks so that is what we did, but we didn't really have to wear them unless we were sick. Melody and Joe and Tina are wearing gowns because their chilren were sick and they didn't watn to hug Dad after being sneezed and coughed on.)

Well, it has been an eventful weekend. We all made plans to get home this weekend so that Dad could have his Christmas wish of having the whole family together. Melody and Joe and the boys got in Friday night after Ed and Tina and the kids and I had left to come back up here. Ed had something he wanted to do on the computer and they wanted to do some visiting. Ed and Tina an d Melanie ended up staying the night. On Saturday I had to work so I went to work, had the best day of work I ever had and then changed my clothes and drove straight to the hospital where I was met by the rest of the family. Doug had brought the kids down earlier in t he evening. All the kids had to have baby sitters because they weren't allowed in Dad's hospital room. Elizabeth's sister is spending Christmas with Marcus and Elizabeth and Hosanna so she stayed in t eh family waiting room with the baby. Our kids went to a family friend's house and Melanie and Nathan and Joah stayed at Grammie and Papa's house with the youth pastor from their church. THANKS PASTOR MATT! All of these arrangements so that we could spend some time with Dad. We did our gifts and we sang together. Dad had some thoughts that he wanted to share with us and Marcus read the Christmas story from the Bible for us. Dad had been having some bad reactions to some of his medication and of course to the chemo but not long before we all started to arrive at the hospital, he started feeling better and he actually looked really good. He tires very easily though and was ready for us to go.
Today we all made it to church with Mom and then we had a nice dinner together. The kids ate first and watched a movie while the adults ate. After lunch came the opening of gifts and then everyone started to pack up to leave. Ed and Tina and Melanie went first. Then the kids and I and Joe and Melody shouldn't have been too far behind us. Marcus and Elizabeth and Elizabeth's sister, Elice and Hosanna are staying for the week. Melody and Joe and the boys and the kids and I and maybe Doug will head down there at the end of the week for what was supposed to be the regular family Christmas. Ed and Tina had no way of being in Ohio that weekend.
We don't see any signs of Daddy losing his hair. He has horrible sores in his mouth that make him not really want to eat and his appetite has changed since the chemo has changed the way food tastes to him.
One more last update, he has been moved again to room 8412. There is a sign on the door asking that he have no visitors except clergy and family. He doesn't like to talk too much because it makes him cough and he is worried about losing his voice and not being able to sing anymore. He also gets very tired very quickly.
Merry Christmas too all!