There is no way to announce that time has passed; my beloved mother-in-law always says that even as she turned 84, she still feels like herself, and doesn’t ‘feel’ old. I went home to Texas for the holidays, dragging my teenagers and husband with me. My dad and Nancy picked us up at the airport, and we headed out to Poteet. The specialize in allowing me to feel like a child; I get to choose where we eat, what we do, they pay for everything, and all is fun. This felt like — a passage in itself, this trip. It was quick — three nights, two full days — because of our children’s schedules. It was poignant, because my dad is becoming forgetful and really really struggles with his vision — can’t drive at night, and chooses to drive during the day but prefers not to with us in the car. I just had a last time feeling that I hope was wrong the whole weekend as we did a puzzle, went to the best BBQ places, made a Christmas flan, and reminisced about all the fun we’ve had on the farm — the place my dad came home from the hospital to!

Anyway; on the last morning, Oliver and I were sneaking out to get a haircut (him) and go for a run (me) (training for my SECOND marathon!). Nancy came out quietly and I’m ashamed to say I snapped at her — we are trying to sneak out! We’ll be back soon! She quietly, kindly replied — I know, your dad just fell out of bed in the middle of the night, and we think he broke his hip.

So, we stopped. Dad wanted to get to the car by himself, but could not move. He had somehow (HOW?) pulled himself up from the CONCRETE floor, and got back into bed. But moving from the bed to the car proved impossible, and then who knows how we would have gotten him from the car to the hospital. The one in Jourdanton, not very far from our Poteet home (8 miles?) was convenience, but even with Oliver/Jason willing to lift him, it just hurt too much. So the ambulance came (quickly!) and got him onto the stretcher. The rural (thankful it is still around!) hospital was excellent, but couldn’t do surgery until Thursday (today!). So they confirmed he had broken his hip, and he got an ambulance to Houston. It was an agonizing ride for him — Nancy stayed and rode with him.

The five of us got in their two cars and drove to their house in Houston, visited with my sister, Anna, and tried to sneak in some Houston stops (the NY Bagel Shop, always). We saw dad on our way to the airport the next day (us stopping in, pictured). You really (really) never do feel old. But you wake up one morning, and you are.