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Father/Daughter Love

Mike and Abby

There is nothing quite like the love between a father and daughter. There is a bond so strong it will defeat anything. Mean hockey coaches. The crazy guy next door. Anybody to tries to hurt their daughter. And a daughter's love is just as ferocious. Nothing can hurt their father. Neither illness or slight, nor gain, nor a wisecrack or any kind of disrespect.

Ours was a very peaceful household. Mike grew up with parents who never shouted. And so we never did. Mine were divorced when I was young and always treated each other with a great deal of respect. My grandparents were loud and loving, but that is my only exposure to a noisy style of relating.

Abby grew up in peace. She liked it. If Mike and I even tried for an adult discussion in front of her, she would say, "Momma, Daddy-boy, please no fighting!" She didn't like to ever think we would be at odds with each other! And we rarely were. We were more likely trying to solve a problem we were having with the world at large. So we would settle it on our own, and not in front of her!

Abby was very proud when anyone said she looked like her daddy. You have your daddy's eyes they would say. Of course, she does. And his sense of humor and mild, easy going disposition, and computer-like memory.

She likes getting out and mixing with people as much as I, and is not quite the introvert her dad is. Although as she gets older I wonder...perhaps she is more of an introvert than I thought. Friendly and kind and loving like her dad. Funny and fun, but preferring small groups and one on one to the big bashes her mom likes!

They have always been so close, almost like they had a secret language. Sports. That's one. And animals. And texting. I can text, but to them it is an art form. They are two peas in a pod. She always called him Daddy-boy. He was her daddy and a boy. Her friend and the one she respected and wanted the respect of above all else and still does.

When she was a baby, Mike was so very good with her. They must have bonded strongly like baby chicks! I have an Easter picture somewhere that proves my point! She is wearing her Easter dress and hat and he is wearing my hat and his suit. They are smiling at each other and there is a deep recognition. He is holding her in his arms like he so often did at that age...father protector...daughter divine! So precious their love is and so unspoiled even now.

Abby and I are close, but she and her dad are something special, father and daughter...sports watchers...texters...dream sharers...family history buffs...bookends...twins of the soul.

Love you both so much!

My Daughter is a Source of JOY!

Look at this kid! Isn't she incredible?!! I guess we could all put up pictures of one of our kids and say how great they are!

But really, what a face.

This is my daughter, Abby, 30, kickin' back in the locker room during a very long Hockey Tournament this past weekend in Duluth, MN where she played goalied for about 5 games!

Did they win the tournament, no...was she extraordinary? Yes! She and her teammates ran the tourney. She is the backup goalie. She usually skates out. She was born to play goalie, so makes no excuses, just plays her heart out and does very well.

But she does have new goalie pads that are hard to break in when you don't play every game! That's the momma making an excuse. I wish I'd been there. If I weren't in the throws of a recent fall that gave me a brain injury, you can be sure I would've been.

I love to watch Abby play in the net. She is fast. She is determined. She is focused like no other time in her life. She plays for WHAM, Women's Hockey Association of Minnesota, where a lot of former college players play.

She is awesome, but not just at hockey. She is a wonderful human being. With a sweet and generous spirit. A lot of love for her friends and family. A true joy to being around.

I miss her way up there in Duluth. It's only a three hour drive, but I just don't see her a day. What would be enough? Oh, I don't know...every day! She is one of my all time favorite people. If you knew her she would be yours too. She is a Geek Squader at Best Buy and going to college at Lake Superior College for Computer Networking.

She is a terrific person. I guess that's Abby. Her basic stats. Her personhood, you have to meet to believe. My husband and I named her Abigail, her father's joy or originator of joy in the Hebrew.

We were right.

Healing One Week Out!

“You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,
Love like you'll never be hurt,
Sing like there's nobody listening,
And live like it's heaven on earth.”
― William W. Purkey

One week to the day of my fall on the ice, my husband Mike and I went to the Neurosurgeon's office. First I had another cat scan and then we met with the Neurosurgeon. Needless to say we were a bit nervous. I had a good week of healing, I had followed instructions: rested, not fallen ;). The Subdural Hematoma, or brain bleed should have continued to heal.

My worst complaint had been room-spinning dizziness. My brother had driven me earlier that day to a Physical Therapist for an adjustment to correct that problem. That had worked quite well. I was feeling pretty good.

Nothing would have prepared Mike and I for the pictures we saw in the Neurosurgeon's office. She pulled up three. One taken right after the fall. One taken the morning after. And one taken the day of the appointment, Friday, March 1st.

She pointed out the white area that was the blood on the scan. The first one didn't look so good, but as she said it was contained. The second one was no worse, which is what they were looking for and why they let me out of the hospital, that and the rest of my neurological signs were good.

Then we looked at the scan from that day. It was beautiful. There was just a tiny, tiny speck of white. She said, many people would not follow up on a scan looking this good. My body has healed the hematoma. THANK YOU DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, HEALER AND LORD OF ALL! But, she said, I am very conservative. Come back in 4-6 weeks and I will do one more scan, you can say good bye to me then!

We were so happy and relieved! So very thankful and grateful! We thanked her and went out about the day with a spring in our step.

I think you can see the joy in my face in the picture above. This whole experience reminds me of the Irish Blessing, "May the Road Rise with You! And the wind be always at Your Back. May the Sun shine gently on your shoulder until we meet again." See you my friends, and I hope the same for you Libby