Life is too short

My dad has been really sick lately. He is often in lots of pain and nauseated or dizzy. He has been to the ER two times because his pancreas is not working right. The doctors said he either has chronic pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer. We don't know which yet. If it is just pancreatitis, he will probably need to have some or all of it removed and become diabetic, but the other option is far worse. Pancreatic cancer is one of the worst cancers because you don't usually feel anything until its much too late and cancer has spread. My sisters and my parents both think he only has a matter of time, though I choose to think that he does unless we're told otherwise.

This whole situation has had all of us reflecting on my dad and all he's done for us, and everyone around him. My dad is the most hard working, selfless person I know. He fixes cars for his family, builds houses to shelter them, lends them money interest free when they are in a tough spot financially, gives great advice, fixes everyones computers, does carpeting for people in the ward, and jumps up and gets to work whenever someone needs some help. He is a wonderful husband, father, and grandfather to us all. The kids can't get enough of "Papa". Benji always has a smile ready for him, and his first real chuckle was at Papa.

I had my dad and mom start a list of things they are going to do whether or not my dad has cancer. Saving for retirement is all well and good, but what if something happens and you don't make it to retirement age? Money is not only meant to be saved, it is also meant to be spent. You can't take money to the other side, and no one there cares just how much you had or made, but you can take, and keep forever, the memories you made. Some things we came up with are; renting a houseboat on Lake Powell with the family, Hawaii with the family, and Alaskan cruise without the family, and they are thinking of seeing the small island my dad lived on for part of his mission in Japan that my dad reminisces about every so often.

Keep us in your prayers, please. :)
Here are some pictures from the last month since I know can get my huge pics onto the internet.