You and Me

Email from Dan to Ellie:

We're meant to be together, and we always will be together, and I will do whatever it takes to make you happy about those two facts. I will cherish you and honor you. I will support you and respect you. When you are going through tough times like you are right now I will step up and let you lean on me and I will even carry you if you want. I will appreciate the work you do around the house and the time that you take to raise our son. I will try to help you get sleep when you need it, and when you have projects due or studying to do I will watch Teddy more and I will express my pride and respect for you. I truly do think that your school is just as important as my work, and I acknowledge that you work as hard as any human being can possibly work. You're an incredible person and every day I am proud that you're my wife. I brag about you all of the time and I will try to express to you how proud of you I am because you need to know. I've loved you from the minute I first laid eyes on you and I will never stop loving you. This whole thing isn't just about pride and love and words, it's about actions and deeds (and time and sleep), and I will try to make my actions and deeds reflect my pride and love, and I will try to make these words more than just words.

Can I Visit You Guys?

Email from Leslie to Ellie:

ellie can i visit you guys dec 3rd? i would come in the evening and stay the night...

i know it's way in advance! but i'll be driving adam to the airport that evening so i will be in your neighborhood! you are going to be SSO preggers by then!

love

lester

Email from Ellie to Leslie:

Yes absolutely! Would love to have you. :)

I feel like I'm soooo preggo already...

Email from Leslie to Ellie:

yay! can't wait to see you!!!

My Phone Died

Email from Dan to Ellie:

My phone died . Crap. Im at henrys tavern downtown.  Im using scotts phone to email. I will get a ride home with nick.  So don't pick me up.  Love you!
I hope you get this.


Email from Ellie to Dan:

I got it. Love you!

Too Late To Say Goodbye?

Email from Ellie to Mom (Monkey) and Faffy:

hey guys,

keep thinking about granddaddy, sad that he's not doing very well health-wise.

be SURE to tell linda, erik, and chad that he's going down-hill so that they can call him and say anything that needs to be said. Not that there probably is, but its nice to have the choice.

Love you,

Ellie


Email from Faffy to Ellie:

Hi, Ellie,

Nice that you are thinking of GD.  Unfortunately, I do not think he is able now to carry on a telephone conversation.  He can hardly communicate even in person.  Most likely will go on Hospice care regimen this week.  Hi to all.

Love,

Pop

Email from Ellie to Faffy:

Hey pop. Sad to hear that. I love you. Let's skype soon.

Love,

Ellie

Email from Mom (Monkey) to Ellie:

it's a really good idea--everyone knows except Erik--I'll remind pop to call him tomorrow.

However, it's probably a bit late. I was kicking myself for not telling G'daddy how much he's meant to me before he got so sick he probably can't understand. I tried to say a couple things to him this visit but he didn't respond. Don't know if he even heard, or maybe it just didn't compute, or maybe he was embarrassed. Anyway, I keep doing that over and over and over---not letting people know how special they are until it's way too late.

It IS sad, but mostly for us. He's had a long, productive, successful life, and his body is giving out. It's mostly for us that it's hard. I just wish we could be around him when he dies, instead of him passing on alone. It won't matter to him, I don't think (and neither does pop) but it matters to me--a lot.

We asked his doctor to get Hospice involved--they're REALLY good at estimating how long people have to live, and ensuring that they're comfortable and at peace at the end of life, so I'm hopeful they'll let us know in time.

We love you honey.

Mama


Email from Ellie to Mom (Monkey):

It might still nice to have a conversation, to say you love him, even if you dont get to say anything meaningful you get to think it and express it in small ways. just saying "i love you" and really, really meaning it is a good thing. i think erik has made a real effort to have his kids get to know gdaddy, im sure they would like to talk with him.

i keep thinking about him dying alone, too. really sad. :(

thats the problem with living far apart.... i wish we'd moved gdaddy to seattle when he first moved out of the house. then we could go see him a lot more easily. oh well. live and learn.

i agree that it wont matter to gdaddy, but its just not what he deserves. he has a lot of family and he has been really good to all of us. :(

i know everybody is busy... but if it were MY faffy (or monkey) i wouldnt be okay with the situation. of course, you guys are different people - i dont think you would live so far away from all of us, you're not as attached to a house/place as gdaddy. (but even if you were i would have moved you closer.) just sayin....

love you,

ellie

Email from Mom (Monkey) to Ellie:

I am determined to make it as easy as possible for you guys when it comes to situations like this. Whenever we mentioned to those guys (when you guys were little) the possibility of moving to west coast, they'd poo-poo it, and say things like,"we never want to be a burden on our kids". As if worrying about your parents, and missing them, and feeling terribly guilty for having to choose between your career and kids vs caring for your parents isn't at all a burden! Anyway, we'll move anywhere to make it easier for you guys I promise. 

I too wish we had insisted on moving him to Seattle when he had to move out of house too. However, I think he would've refused then. He's pretty stubborn, plus he has a lot of strong connections there. We will never know I guess. 

Gotta go night night. You too. 

Love you

Mama

Sorry!!!!!

Email from Dan to Ellie:

Hey baby I am so so so so sorry about my alarm this morning. I remembered that I forgot to turn it off a few hours ago, and I was walking towards my car to come back and turn it off but then I got another consult. Busy busy night. Anyhow I'm very sorry. I'll make it up to you with lots of love and comfort food this weekend. You can sleep in tomorrow and Sunday!! I hope you're feeling okay.

Bye love. About to start that big surgery. I actually think that I don't have to do the second one though, but not sure yet.

Kisses and hugs to the little one for me.

Email from Ellie to Dan:

Aw sweetie I love you. It's okay. I got a good nights sleep. Hope you have a good day.

I Want to See Pics of Your Belly!

Email from Leslie to Ellie:

how are you feeling? i want to see pics of your belly! i feel like my stomach is humungous already! it seems like it should be totally obvious to everyone, but i guess it's not. what are you guys being for halloween? 

loveyou!

les

What Big Brothers Are For

Email from Ellie to Monkey, Faffy, and Dan:

hopefully this isnt teddy when the new baby comes!

:)

Email from Faffy to Ellie:

But of course not!