This past weekend we hit the lake as a family.  It is mom's favorite summer tradition - from preparing the same meals we would eat at the Kersting Lake Weekend for all the days to seeing us kids (and now our kids) enjoy the water to playing games to drinking (or encouraging us all to drink and filling the glasses with ICE)! :) 

As we updated a while ago, we found the perfect house on Watts Bar Lake and knew it was meant to be.  It was just as amazing as the pictures.  The whole first floor was fully accessible so dad was completely independent in the main living space and could go all the way down to the dock with just a little 4" step we had to get him down to get him onto the large dock.  It worked out great! 

We rented a boat both days which was so much fun and beautiful! All of Keith and Judy's grandkids are water babies just like they raised us to be.  They all hogged the tube - even Garrett who would shout "More Time!" anytime his turn was over - and we had so much fun treading and swimming in the coves.  Dad loved being out on the boat, watching us tube and swimming in the coves like old times.

Mom had a hand in the weather, we know it! It rained Thursday night when we arrived and Sunday when we left but otherwise, she kept the skies clear.  We felt her presence as everywhere we went.  We could always spot a cardinal or a yellow butterfly - even on the middle of a cove while swimming one big yellow one just kept coming around and landing on the boat as we all swam.  It was comforting and made us miss her tons.

We set off a lantern to mom and thanked her for all that she instilled in us - like the love of the lake and a close family.  We won't lie, lots of tears were shed throughout the weekend and we often found ourselves saying, "Remember when mom would...."  She is truly the best.  It was a great weekend for all.  

Dad is continuing to do well at their house.  He is a bit tired after having my kids and I in town for the week prior and is excited to relax a bit this week.  He is looking forward to the Visi festival this weekend and a trip to the Casino this fall with friends.

We did learn that what we've always thought was a skin tag on dad's right eye water line is actual mucin-producing endocrine sweat gland carcinoma. We don't know what it is with our parents and weird, rare cancers that don't fit their demographic.  They are definitely overachievers.  It's taken us several weeks, lots of appointments with varying specialists and some different scans but we were able to confirm the cancer is not systemic (nor did we think it was but had to be certain).  With all the information we could possibly get as we've become great medical detectives from mom's journey, we've decided on next best steps for dad.  While the recommendation is to do a pretty intensive surgery on that right eye lid to rid the cancer and decrease potential to spread, the risks do not outweigh the benefits because of the required recovery and potential outcomes with dad's already present health conditions.  Dad has decided, and we support, to hold that surgery for the time being.  We are very comfortable and confident in the decision - and so is dad's closest medical teams.

Many have asked how they can continue to support and help us so, at this time, we decided to resurrect the meal train for dad.  We are going to start with one night (Tuesdays) a week and go from there.  The meal train will help us know set night's dad has dinner coverage and keep dad's relationships with others strong - it is also important to stay engaged cognitively with his MS.  If you feel inclined to participate in the meal train, here is the link:  Meal Train for Keith Graman (it is the same one we used for mom, just updated with current information).  Please also feel free to share with others.  

We hope you all are doing well and keeping mom (Judy) alive in your thoughts, actions and prayers.  We still can't believe it is only and already been 5 months - how fitting the end of our vacation was another month anniversary of her passing on.  We miss her dearly and look for signs of her every day.  We love getting messages and check ins from you all with when you think of or are reminded of her too so always thank you for those and never hesitate to share! Love you all!