more rain...

Hello again. So JA is back home and doing pretty well. She gets tired by the smallest chores and sleeps a lot, but that's good since she didn't sleep well for the week she was in the hospital. Let's hope it continues to get better and she'll be better then her old self in no time.

When you go through something like that, and then another thing gets added on, it really tests the human strength to endure hardships. My Grandma's doctor found a tumor in her head the other week at the doctors office. She got a brain scan on yesterday to see what it is. They said it's not cancer and they think she's had it for a long, long time. Yet again, I hope they are right and it's really nothing. She already told us that she's not doing anything about it. She said she's too old to fight it now, and if the doctor said don't worry, she's not going to worry.

I hope this is the last of the bad news for our family. We need something good to happen soon!
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This is just a eulogy that I found that a man wrote for his brother. It's such a touching letter and I thought I'd share it.

Darren Opicka’s eulogy for his older brother, Dean Opicka, killed in action in Iraq April 14, 2008:

Good morning. My name is Darren and I am Deano’s little brother currently stationed in Camp Pendleton, California. I’ve completed two successful combat tours. I’ve walked in the same soil that took Dean from us.

My parents always told us how many people are praying for you every single day and that’s always meant so much to me.

But looking back, me and Deano, the youngest two of four boys, and I believe the best looking, we always spent a lot of time singing karaoke, singing in the car or playing some kind of sport. It always seemed it was so convenient, every single day, come chore time, it was the fourth quarter in our front yard football game in which me and Dean took turns being Brett Favre trying to throw the winning touchdown pass against the Bears. You know we always won.

Come baseball season, me and Dean would spend many hours throwing the baseball around the front yard until one day there was a nearly perfect circle in one of the barn windows. It soon became obvious to mom and dad, and yet still to this day, no one threw it.

I’m sure the past week of everybody rekindling memories of Deano, everybody’s come to know something. I came to learn that my brother was the most organized packrat – ever. (He was) so meticulous that he sent himself letters from Iraq with receipts in them and he kept these organized forever. I don’t understand how he did it, but he did.

I know when Dean finally made it to heaven and he met God, he continued exactly where left off. When God got to him, he said, “Dean, here’s your receipt.”

People always wonder through their actions and what they’ve done, if they’ll affect people and change lives. Everyone knew Dean as a giver in all aspects of life. It never mattered what Dean had, but rather what you needed. Me and Dean were both very proud not just to be brothers, but also United States Marines – to serve the great nation, to serve an outstanding tradition and freedom. Dean’s passion and what he believed in led him to the greatest sacrifice for freedom – his life which he gave honorably.

We all have guardian angels. But I know on that fourteenth day of April, I got another one. One I could never have imagined nor asked for. Dean’s going to be the best guardian angel to walk by my side and to watch over me. Dean, you’re going to be missed by all. You’ve been an amazing Marine, a tremendous friend of all and the most incredible finacee, son and brother anyone could ever have asked for and will forever be in our hearts.

We love you Dean, it’s time for you to get some rest. Brother, you not only earned it, but deserve it. Your mission’s over. You’re home now.