Jess MIA

I feel like I've been missing in action for the last week.... it's definately been a trying week. Last Tuesday, 3-17 Wes called me from work very upset and asked how quickly I could get a house sitter together, I wasn't sure what was going on but said I would call my sister and see what she could do and I asked him what was going on. He simply said "my grandfather is in the hospital and he's going to die"

Eden pulled through for me yet again on very short notice to stay here at the house and watch the dogs and we packed up and headed out to Augusta, GA where his grandfather was in the hospital.

I won't get into the issues at the hospital and what all happened because well, that's his family's business and personal. But on Friday the 20th we were told that his grandfather was inproving enough to come off of his ventilator. I think everyone wanted to believe it because no one wants to lose a family member but deep down they all knew that it was only the machine making him do better.

Wes and I not knowing what else to do headed back to FL on Saturday the 21st, we had been in town only hours when his cell phone rang and his stepfather telling us his grandfather had meerly hours left. We hadn't even made it back to the house yet, and had told everyone we were heading home, but after hearing the news I decided that it wouldn't make much sence to go home for a night and turn right around in the AM might as well go back to GA right way. So, we did we arrived at the hospital around 11:30 and his grandfather passed at 12:05 on the 22nd

I did my best to keep my family and friends updated via facebook and myspace when I could and when there was something to tell. Everyone left such sweet comments and my family is so sweet to Wes offering support and prayers. Afterall, it wasn't long ago that we lost loved ones in the same way.

Wes' grandfather was 80yrs old and lived a very full life, his memorial service was very sweet. He was retired army so he received the 21gun salute and the whole nine yards which was very hard for my husband as he's military as well. One of the cool things from the service came from one of his cousins he went outside and collected the bullet casings from the salute and gave one to all the children and grandchildren. I believe Wes intends to have it placed on his keychain.

Last year Wes went up to GA alone, my schedule wouldn't allow me a weekend off to travel up there. His grandparents wanted photos since they knew that time was getting close... So Wes took all the old lighting equipment up there (the large pannels and all that crazy stuff.. Tara and Jenny will remember what I'm talking about) and he did some photos of his grandparents... some of them even got used in his memorial slideshow... in fact the slideshow ended with the photos that Wes did... it was really a beautiful memorial service....

I'd like to thank everyone again for all their prayers and support. Wes is doing well, he is sad and misses his grandfather but that is to be expected. It's never easy losing someone you love. Here is the closing photo from the slideshow and unquestinably our favorite of his grandparents together.