Pray for my Papa

This is a photo of my maternal grandparents, Perry and Jane with my baby last summer. It's one of the best recent photos I have of Papa. He's at the University of Utah Hospital right now, undergoing brain surgery following a slip in the shower. Life is like that sometimes. One minute all is well, the next minute you've banged up your nose on the bathroom counter. Unfortunately, there was not only bruising on my Papa's face, it's also inside his head.

Papa is one of the most creative people I know. He is a carpenter and craftsman extraordinaire. He is a man of all work who can make or fix almost anything. He, along with my uncle, built the chest of drawers in my boy's room. He and my uncle also made all the cabinets in our home. Beautiful craftsman style cabinets in white oak.

He's the kind of grandpa who took his granddaughter on a date. He taught all of his grandkids the importance of sanding wood until it was so smooth it almost felt like glass. He taught me how to be meticulous in what I create. Not that I always am. He is passionate about the beauty of this world, and introduced each of his grandchildren to the joy that is our family reunions at Mack's Inn and Yellowstone. He built cabins for his family to get away in. Each summer our family would spend a month staying with Papa and Gran, not only to escape the summers in Phoenix, but to allow my brothers and I the opportunity to KNOW them. I am so grateful for that. He and Gran have been close by for the birth of each of my children, coming as soon as they could. Papa has a deep and abiding love for his Savior, Jesus Christ, and has instilled that in each one of us.

I am wrestling with many feelings right now. Fighting the tears that want to come. I am hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst.

Please say a prayer for my Papa Perry. He could sure use it right now.