Tomorrow I begin the long, long journey home to my sweet family. I have missed them so much but I am so grateful for the time I have had here with my mom and my sister. We've laughed and cried and talked in between...It was a precious time for the Deahl girls. I am thankful for all the great memories we have of my daddy and that mom and Diana got to be beside him in his last hours. He went very peacefully...unusually so, as COPD is a very hard way to go...your lungs just fill up and quit working. I thank God that my daddy simply slipped away and then quit breathing. The nurse later said that it was one of the most peaceful and beautiful home deaths she had ever seen. I am completely sure that this was in answer to the many prayers being lifted up on our behalf. Thank you everyone. My dad did not want a funeral or any type of service so our time together was quiet.
I leave at 1pm and fly to Chicago, London(12 hour layover), Bahrain, Abu Dhabi. I am not looking forward to the trip but I am anxious to get back to Mike and the kids. They are doing well but we don't like being apart. Ryan returns Sat. from Bangladesh and then I will arrive Sunday morning around 11 am...which is about midnite Sat. Dallas time. We have lots to catch up on and then prepare for our first Christmas in the Middle East. I imagine I will have lots to tell you.
Thank you everyone. Please keep my mom, Nancy, in your prayers. She is a strong lady but this is very hard..they were married 54 years.
Lots of love,
Mattie (in El Paso)
