Career Changes
After a very hectic spring, Laurel realized that she really wanted to leave her job to be home with Claire full time. Planning and concerted efforts to save enabled her to become a stay-at-home mom in late July.
Laurel's days have been very full with church choir, church library, Bible studies, play dates and projects to keep our expenses down and for fun. She was able to produce quite the array of gifts this fall out of our kitchen (preserves, herbed oils) and from her crafts (cross-stitch, knitting, and so on).
With Laurel staying at home, she and Claire have been able to reconnect with some old friends as well as find some new friends, including a neighbor who is also in choir and who has a little boy older than Claire.
Watching Claire change and grow has been an amazing experience. She took her first steps in August and has been going nonstop since then, climbing stairs, chasing the pets, and breaking into a swift toddle.
 She’s now a very active toddler who loves to explore, read, dance, make music, hug and kiss her dolls, and take things out of containers (the toy box, hamper, trash cans, etc.). Claire responds readily to verbal instructions ("Pick up the red block") and has begun to engage in imaginary play (e.g., stirring toy pots and pretending to eat from them).
Claire has also really enjoyed visiting some of our area attractions: the Please Touch Museum, Philadelphia's historic zoo (picture above), the Philadelphia Museum of Art, stroller rides through the Wissahickon section of Fairmount park, and the Celtic Classic music and craft festival (picture above, top).
Keeping up with Claire is exhausting, but also great fun.
Saying Goodbye
In late January Laurel took a trip with Claire to visit her parents in Florida. Little did she know that it would be the last quality visit with her father (pictured at right with Claire). Laurel got a call in late October with news that her father was gravely ill. She and Claire immediately flew to Florida to be with her mother and siblings.
It turned out that Dad was struggling with a bout of sepsis, combined with stapf pneumonia and kidney problems. As a result of the kidney problems, his salt levels rose to a point incompatible with regaining consciousness, even if the infections were successfully treated.
After six days in intensive care, the family made the decision to have Dad moved to a hospice facility. Suddenly, the family was away from all the machines, with no limits on how many could visit or for how long. Laurel was even allowed to bring Claire into the hospice. The room was lovely and comfortable like a hotel room, with a view of the lagoon in the retirement community.
Mom stayed the night at hospice and was able to move her bed next to Dad's so she could hold his hand the rest of the night. Mom called Laurel at about 6:10 to say that Dad's breathing had slowed way down and then just stopped. It was peaceful and she was able to be right there with him the way she wanted to.
Thus, Dad Webster died peacefully on November 2, early on the Sunday morning when the church commemorates All Saints. The family held a memorial service later that week in Florida.
Laurel returned home the next day with Claire, exhausted and grieving, but glad she was able to support her Mom during such a difficult time.
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