Meta tags:
description= Stories of connection and healing by David LaBelle;
Headings (most frequently used words):
and, of, post, navigation, love, the, bridges, angels, main, menu, chasing, his, dream, becoming, single, parent, giving, receiving, father, there, was, something, about, mary, joy, to, world, is, friendship, treasured, gift, friends, standing, test, time, mr, enthusiasm, recent, posts, follow, blog, via, email, stories, connection, healing, by, david, labelle,
Text of the page (most frequently used words):
the (386), and (329), you (267), therese (192), she (140), was (134), her (134), that (119), have (82), with (81), for (65), not (61), they (60), said (58), would (57), had (57), but (56), can (56), about (54), his (52), when (52), are (52), don (51), know (50), this (45), one (45), what (42), going (41), from (41), just (40), here (40), time (38), like (36), there (35), all (35), didn (34), dave (34), #labelle (34), get (34), people (33), see (32), him (32), want (31), were (31), after (31), out (30), how (30), who (30), other (29), years (29), 2025 (26), your (25), love (25), more (25), good (25), come (25), friend (25), year (24), because (24), think (24), now (23), 2024 (23), life (23), has (23), than (23), really (22), will (22), back (22), did (22), got (22), two (22), mary (21), jim (21), gaul (21), day (21), long (21), before (20), some (20), where (20), while (20), been (20), mother (20), baseball (20), nice (19), even (18), came (18), ever (18), god (18), maybe (18), could (17), family (17), home (17), little (17), well (17), then (17), their (17), children (17), last (17), today (17), friends (16), down (16), first (16), too (16), any (16), why (16), 2023 (15), take (15), each (15), told (15), met (15), room (15), need (15), vasquez (15), father (14), though (14), much (14), way (14), them (14), walk (14), both (14), make (14), mickey (14), world (13), sister (13), anything (13), still (13), pape (13), since (13), bessie (13), laughs (13), help (13), thought (13), son (13), ray (13), talk (13), eat (13), nest (13), something (12), team (12), always (12), during (12), our (12), past (12), game (12), leigh (12), few (12), man (12), say (12), thank (12), fallon (11), those (11), better (11), things (11), right (11), left (11), over (11), state (11), three (11), brother (11), also (11), yet (11), lot (11), run (11), feel (11), sure (11), hard (11), married (11), tell (11), yes (11), new (10), everything (10), special (10), another (10), wanted (10), made (10), loved (10), called (10), labelledave (10), posted (10), kansas (10), visit (10), remember (10), march (9), play (9), heart (9), without (9), until (9), kind (9), doesn (9), very (9), week (9), story (9), such (9), every (9), voice (9), often (9), old (9), next (9), morning (9), away (9), facility (9), young (9), husband (9), went (9), never (9), parents (9), games (9), copyright (9), bec (9), glad (9), joy (8), many (8), somebody (8), took (8), doctor (8), later (8), off (8), put (8), asked (8), getting (8), same (8), breakfast (8), wife (8), raised (8), book (8), should (8), jules (8), felt (8), pictures (8), jake (8), once (8), working (8), daughter (8), dedrick (8), nobody (8), look (8), isn (8), doing (8), read (8), goose (8), eggs (8), bridges (7), angels (7), follow (7), december (7), friendship (7), april (7), older (7), christmas (7), especially (7), hand (7), seven (7), girls (7), coach (7), wouldn (7), assured (7), started (7), shared (7), wasn (7), school (7), everybody (7), dubuque (7), several (7), eyes (7), close (7), coming (7), pair (7), days (7), small (7), soon (7), sit (7), live (7), passed (7), night (7), church (7), whatever (7), moved (7), birthday (7), jan (7), loving (7), miss (7), house (7), important (7), five (7), keep (7), yeah (7), kids (7), trying (7), played (7), email (6), giving (6), give (6), place (6), playing (6), olympics (6), won (6), person (6), let (6), couldn (6), able (6), might (6), saw (6), point (6), weeks (6), together (6), decided (6), loves (6), says (6), usually (6), call (6), car (6), six (6), watch (6), start (6), town (6), most (6), comes (6), table (6), comfortable (6), does (6), california (6), fast (6), forward (6), thing (6), david (6), stay (6), die (6), talked (6), photography (6), rick (6), lady (6), lunch (6), leg (6), enough (6), choir (6), grew (6), mate (6), league (6), name (5), gift (5), dream (5), these (5), places (5), boys (5), degrees (5), part (5), knew (5), taught (5), competing (5), picture (5), pretty (5), doc (5), eight (5), being (5), iowa (5), true (5), support (5), teams (5), born (5), jerry (5), head (5), others (5), winter (5), which (5), month (5), gone (5), become (5), share (5), front (5), around (5), canada (5), cold (5), months (5), someone (5), schloss (5), trouble (5), daily (5), alone (5), times (5), meet (5), own (5), side (5), lost (5), care (5), must (5), drive (5), living (5), women (5), farm (5), along (5), died (5), leave (5), watched (5), lacrosse (5), became (5), emotional (5), logan (5), find (5), lovely (5), haven (5), looks (5), seeing (5), laughing (5), independent (5), dreams (5), hoping (5), appreciate (5), sleep (5), college (5), palm (5), springs (5), show (5), content (4), already (4), com (4), blog (4), posts (4), february (4), player (4), party (4), saying (4), competition (4), begins (4), bowling (4), contain (4), regional (4), knows (4), try (4), medal (4), ran (4), best (4), couple (4), line (4), big (4), please (4), offered (4), teacher (4), sports (4), attention (4), finished (4), move (4), second (4), heard (4), above (4), dyersville (4), conversation (4), having (4), bob (4), dinner (4), surprise (4), sunshine (4), visiting (4), porch (4), texas (4), nine (4), 101 (4), finally (4), dining (4), behind (4), making (4), tells (4), greatest (4), nursing (4), jesus (4), faith (4), betty (4), manchester (4), tagged (4), job (4), gave (4), learn (4), change (4), bathroom (4), wedding (4), photograph (4), wonderful (4), photographed (4), offer (4), nearly (4), ruth (4), earlier (4), age (4), seen (4), woman (4), myself (4), hour (4), least (4), broke (4), whether (4), telling (4), reicher (4), showed (4), emotion (4), fall (4), boyfriend (4), camera (4), feb (4), built (4), wondered (4), happened (4), men (4), yourself (4), patience (4), outside (4), wants (4), missed (4), tired (4), kept (4), food (4), talking (4), hands (4), warm (4), watching (4), possible (4), signed (4), log (3), wordpress (3), join (3), enter (3), enthusiasm (3), november (3), june (3), receiving (3), single (3), recent (3), post (3), tears (3), blue (3), track (3), field (3), takes (3), else (3), wrote (3), career (3), bit (3), gets (3), jimmy (3), looked (3), explained (3), surgery (3), through (3), fallen (3), double (3), area (3), high (3), caring (3), gives (3), against (3), including (3), teammate (3), towards (3), traveling (3), players (3), baby (3), buried (3), feet (3), motel (3), heading (3), evening (3), red (3), makes (3), across (3), face (3), sitting (3), sun (3), anymore (3), used (3), 2009 (3), continued (3), added (3), families (3), miles (3), far (3), lives (3), use (3), walking (3), therapy (3), waiting (3), done (3), leaving (3), almost (3), relationship (3), christ (3), began (3), sat (3), helmrichs (3), mercedes (3), into (3), neighbor (3), july (3), term (3), recently (3), books (3), lived (3), stroke (3), depend (3), fayemarie (3), funeral (3), hug (3), holding (3), reach (3), season (3), named (3), drawn (3), believe (3), wish (3), country (3), near (3), dropped (3), under (3), soft (3), turn (3), driving (3), workshop (3), altoona (3), distance (3), may (3), henry (3), afternoon (3), liked (3), worked (3), chanute (3), learned (3), healing (3), sometimes (3), sharing (3), stuff (3), xavier (3), news (3), grandfather (3), clarke (3), beautiful (3), filling (3), expressing (3), emotions (3), regretted (3), final (3), again (3), visits (3), kiss (3), yesterday (3), sassy (3), aids (3), valentine (3), besides (3), aid (3), honey (3), patient (3), faint (3), foot (3), stranger (3), tickled (3), herself (3), complaining (3), self (3), lesson (3), totally (3), control (3), laugh (3), supposed (3), teach (3), whenever (3), denver (3), body (3), sweeter (3), sweet (3), inside (3), beck (3), grandchildren (3), healthy (3), wake (3), asleep (3), forgot (3), alright (3), plan (3), anybody (3), dodger (3), dodgers (3), money (3), sang (3), tried (3), arm (3), shot (3), geese (3), gander (3), goslings (3), hatching (3), river (3), motionless (3), dead (3), laying (3), mlb (3), safe (3), pitch (3), ball (3), chase (3), required (2), write (2), sign (2), subscribed (2), subscribe (2), subscribers (2), address (2), receive (2), standing (2), test (2), treasured (2), august (2), becoming (2), parent (2), 2026 (2), chasing (2), navigation (2), end (2), enthusiastic (2), tree (2), qualities (2), siblings (2), finals (2), disabilities (2), word (2), ribbon (2), ride (2), events (2), worried (2), race (2), worth (2), 100 (2), running (2), finish (2), sore (2), ready (2), hurts (2), stop (2), olympic (2), allow (2), mean (2), ahead (2), feeling (2), great (2), boy (2), crying (2), chance (2), ago (2), words (2), seemed (2), middle (2), attended (2), western (2), bobcat (2), fan (2), spirit (2), anyone (2), competitive (2), athlete (2), qualifying (2), tournament (2), hearted (2), younger (2), variety (2), picked (2), spare (2), athletes (2), platform (2), softball (2), members (2), caught (2), lose (2), disease (2), syndrome (2), leading (2), cause (2), commercial (2), realized (2), less (2), francis (2), fun (2), laughed (2), goes (2), wash (2), street (2), looking (2), details (2), wintered (2), unfortunately (2), stayed (2), menu (2), dressing (2), smile (2), stretch (2), shopping (2), dancing (2), couples (2), golfing (2), mexico (2), mcallen (2), mexican (2), lord (2), means (2), arriving (2), wrong (2), keeps (2), hair (2), different (2), station (2), supper (2), catholic (2), worship (2), stone (2), belong (2), hugging (2), thinking (2), services (2), shortly (2), beyond (2), imagination (2), blessed (2), known (2), fiction (2), reviews (2), marriage (2), caregivers (2), needed (2), dependent (2), difficult (2), serious (2), wheelchair (2), 2004 (2), suffered (2), believed (2), 2003 (2), planned (2), fell (2), photographing (2), documenting (2), dear (2), law (2), real (2), confident (2), mind (2), thousands (2), nick (2), agreed (2), breath (2), 1984 (2), pure (2), himself (2), turned (2), mile (2), history (2), charles (2), happy (2), 89th (2), forever (2), motives (2), changed (2), comfort (2), early (2), natural (2), leads (2), psychology (2), widowed (2), only (2), conversations (2), road (2), guess (2), probably (2), gravel (2), hoped (2), determined (2), 2021 (2), immediate (2), anytime (2), brought (2), youngest (2), spent (2), sadly (2), glenn (2), clearly (2), letter (2), returned (2), ohio (2), stopped (2), teaching (2), retired (2), rettmann (2), 2011 (2), spotted (2), believes (2), helps (2), hey (2), traveled (2), likely (2), eye (2), disappointed (2), walked (2), grass (2), university (2), witnessed (2), purpose (2), prayer (2), knowing (2), jacket (2), confessed (2), beginning (2), dad (2), theres (2), lesser (2), sorry (2), favorite (2), mass (2), gather (2), disgusted (2), actually (2), makeup (2), depressed (2), thankful (2), smart (2), hear (2), rather (2), writing (2), acres (2), quit (2), lovin (2), kissing (2), crabby (2), slips (2), overcoming (2), helped (2), sudden (2), theresa (2), guarantee (2), experiences (2), guy (2), shouldn (2), prickly (2), arizona (2), rain (2), sons (2), surprised (2), bossy (2), prayed (2), hat (2), aug (2), top (2), hope (2), shares (2), hurry (2), perfect (2), stupid (2), professional (2), runs (2), towel (2), buongiorno (2), protein (2), mostly (2), ending (2), ask (2), chapter (2), written (2), titled (2), ages (2), pay (2), moss (2), caitlin (2), pills (2), superbowl (2), beard (2), dec (2), bible (2), john (2), trim (2), pray (2), rings (2), preacher (2), dying (2), begin (2), sleeping (2), visited (2), fussed (2), unlikely (2), newspaper (2), searched (2), directly (2), brew (2), local (2), grumbled (2), frowned (2), odds (2), raise (2), resolve (2), checked (2), unhatched (2), protect (2), mama (2), nests (2), spot (2), summer (2), matters (2), submarine (2), base (2), settle (2), matter (2), work (2), worries (2), sacrifice (2), barber (2), lots (2), mills (2), power (2), major (2), coaches (2), scouts (2), stories (2), connection (2), website, comment, loading, comments, collapse, bar, manage, subscriptions, view, site, reader, report, privacy, account, 215, 027, notifications, via, agrees, santa, claus, supporter, celebrates, amy, olberding, performance, concluded, optimism, joyfulness, adversity, bottle, truth, lacking, politics, wars, patriotic, national, anthem, needs, varying, challenge, vicky, typically, normal, struggled, learning, struggle, shaped, bus, playful, stressed, observant, sensitive, recognize, empathize, sent, appreciates, whole, slow, meters, fingers, excited, calls, promised, involved, easy, winner, internal, stiches, decide, allowed, compete, gotten, incident, illustrates, occurred, remembers, worse, scott, tests, revealed, hernia, requiring, qualified, teachers, staff, create, award, exhibit, concentrates, cut, competed, interested, everyone, 110, percent, laurie, sisters, education, hawkeyes, cares, competes, reassures, matt, deutmeyer, misses, supports, pats, agnes, wulfekhule, moves, 2022, progress, competitions, unabashed, joyfully, congratulated, effort, win, playfully, warns, bats, joan, farley, genetic, fragile, inherited, autism, cocking, squinting, pointing, sees, recognizes, event, heightened, unparalleled, belted, saluting, 150, apart, cemetery, fogies, server, beer, planner, scouted, secured, cost, 000, rooms, kitchenette, beamed, disappointment, south, location, motels, sentenced, demolition, restaurant, disappear, choices, large, shrimp, horseradish, ketchup, roast, beef, salad, baked, potatoes, 113, causing, proud, tan, prove, uses, cane, dance, golf, sightseeing, flea, markets, garage, sales, thrift, stores, prolific, dancer, listening, music, group, hang, 111, ina, grace, 2019, pilgrimage, fishing, county, cheaper, costing, knees, southern, tip, harlingen, gulf, between, brownsville, border, helping, adult, fact, cousin, loosely, casually, referring, facebook, nicest, nicer, dearly, expect, death, insists, assigned, seats, leans, pushing, walker, aide, teases, count, teaches, afraid, crooked, straight, exercises, sidelined, health, issue, indoor, routine, forth, hallway, wing, meal, inseparable, bother, baptist, lutheran, denomination, alike, unselfish, anxious, continuing, happier, common, husbands, differently, attend, solve, problems, opposite, gravitate, macular, degeneration, discuss, meeting, feels, strawberry, adjustment, resident, wildest, offers, childhood, twilight, case, residents, following, edited, version, published, press, romance, review, managed, considered, admired, endured, sacrificed, attractive, flight, attendant, absolutely, flying, insisted, full, additional, active, cruises, eventually, lifting, developed, injuries, issues, knee, surgeries, etc, relationships, complicated, marriages, physically, businessman, lane, controlling, forced, adjustments, shave, carry, push, tough, 70th, devastating, paralyzed, advice, dated, treated, princess, background, fine, regardless, environment, request, officiated, gosseaux, documentary, photographer, abhor, artificial, images, created, merry, suffer, kingdom, disposition, tuned, jakes, salutes, fans, winners, fresh, air, blessing, intelligent, embodies, unpretentious, hunger, document, importantly, imitate, card, brings, description, joyful, enjoys, patricks, parade, wagner, marker, holiday, moving, serendipitous, facts, jeannetta, 1951, honored, searching, obituary, accompanying, confusing, wonder, intentions, nothing, losing, emptiness, spouses, surrogate, child, dozen, befriended, thru, counted, agree, taking, fields, property, wishes, expressed, thankfully, granted, deep, meaningful, government, paced, changing, reminded, walks, endless, dangerous, vehicles, speeding, foolishly, convinced, advised, periodically, arrived, carport, nowhere, knocked, loudly, figured, enjoyed, breeze, waited, note, tractor, yard, flagged, shut, machine, climbed, wichita, trip, atchison, forgotten, occasions, mid, 2020, send, favorites, tribune, postmaster, memorable, 1979, contest, 2008, plans, grown, dusty, roads, weathered, belonged, magazine, cover, conducting, students, kent, hurt, obviously, pulled, aside, bud, howard, breaking, hundred, determine, playoffs, passing, meets, sophomore, unaware, depth, pain, photo, incline, makeshift, locker, collapsed, edge, sorrow, painful, scene, crushing, loss, moments, photographers, nature, wildlife, exotic, portraiture, christianity, 1927, proper, dress, wore, suit, tie, pleased, thoughts, bad, gash, healed, fail, feared, minneapolis, 5th, check, informed, 3rd, finding, cried, weekly, light, fight, otherwise, nope, sound, sounds, wearing, purple, colors, wisconsin, freezing, 11pm, virus, understanding, rid, abandoned, earnestly, valentines, rolls, sarcastically, mood, shining, putting, decent, accept, except, worrying, confesses, positive, happens, stride, deal, balance, whispers, reassured, service, door, apostle, paul, tents, tent, either, advantage, fills, within, lets, pushed, crazy, simple, lucid, meds, confused, montana, bought, melts, sincere, unusual, outburst, reaches, goodness, contorts, stubborn, longer, kinder, tolerant, pride, answer, morgue, debating, open, casket, garden, bugs, worms, burial, compassionate, notices, given, value, kindness, remind, israel, rub, reciprocal, benefit, trust, spectacular, assignments, rest, unturned, patty, helper, ate, adjusted, wall, plants, sept, mental, space, flowering, crabs, redbuds, aren, cherry, trees, anyway, slept, late, bed, tonight, repeatedly, sake, yours, overnight, shower, color, disturbing, silently, contemplates, question, girlish, sarcastic, hidden, meaning, hadn, flies, sarcasm, worry, wow, waste, intentionally, painted, cranberry, barn, cap, permanent, shuffling, strokes, shooting, ice, hockey, rules, television, seldom, motive, scored, ninth, inning, unheard, wrap, 108, quilt, shock, drinks, chair, lump, monday, crew, gosh, kill, wait, nonfiction, third, asking, yesss, notice, grades, subjects, 8th, grade, twin, taller, graduated, four, spoiled, bride, match, million, dollars, wealthy, rolling, plenty, wnba, record, points, realize, handsome, birth, chattering, half, flowers, trimmed, hurting, frustrating, terrible, twisted, stood, lift, relief, shove, underneath, black, pillow, wind, blowing, bring, tomorrow, rolled, missing, hazy, medicare, stole, choice, evaluation, mine, calm, upset, fighting, apples, eating, shook, buying, tavern, idea, break, oldest, singing, ring, brothers, loras, preaching, comforting, homes, sick, seem, healthier, vince, peosta, none, basketball, star, listen, reminds, winded, sermon, noticed, yelled, replied, reading, narrative, excerpts, friday, minnesota, quick, witted, memory, curiosity, sense, humor, jokes, puns, senior, ritual, saturdays, throughout, recorded, neighbors, blossomed, grow, writer, copy, editor, reichter, shoes, store, repair, fractured, plate, inserted, closest, minute, basilica, fair, reason, befriend, box, skinny, swallowing, dashboard, challenged, seat, encounter, coffee, shop, quickly, usher, evident, talented, proceeded, barked, navigating, steps, stairwell, director, gingerly, narrow, steep, metal, spiral, staircase, joined, sanctuary, floor, loft, organist, january, company, followed, cocked, suspiciously, poor, hatchlings, adulthood, ones, protects, swimming, beat, confess, courage, course, incredible, bravery, sacrificial, scheduled, held, nose, egg, peck, marks, trace, raccoon, fox, skunk, feasted, remaining, stench, rotting, carcass, strong, wafted, bridge, anger, lurking, fought, valiantly, rains, pounded, angry, swirling, inches, swept, storms, rising, waters, fascination, admiration, incubating, clutch, lie, nearby, leaves, minutes, wings, nibble, barely, sprayed, chemicals, island, predators, saddened, expected, female, abandon, protective, found, pairs, areas, laid, tragedy, struck, sits, lies, johnnyv09, yahoo, hopeful, states, paycheck, balk, according, 82mph, pickoff, stands, pick, runners, short, gamble, hopefully, system, definitely, starts, girlfriend, showing, youth, rhetorically, stage, chased, repetitive, reflected, adds, essence, utility, pursuit, pitching, compton, community, received, scholarship, leavenworth, catch, elementary, jail, danger, streets, 160, entertained, focused, poorer, neighborhood, gangs, future, mindset, prison, generation, american, understand, understands, olds, park, ten, happiest, honestly, bachelor, degree, criminology, masters, forensic, holy, names, oakland, licensed, cutting, dorm, proudly, fruition, options, training, seattle, academy, era, train, weighted, balls, bands, pros
Text of the page (random words):
ble lesson in bravery and the sacrificial resolve of a mother the odds of this poor widowed goose canada geese usually mate for life being able to raise the three hatchlings to adulthood without the gander s help are not good when a pair of geese raise young ones often the father protects swimming behind the goslings but then she beat the odds for nearly a month so i would like to believe she finished the job we could all learn something from a goose of giving and receiving posted on june 27 2025 by labelledave 7 by dave labelle why do you come to see me therese reicher asked me while visiting her in a long term nursing facility in dubuque because i love you and because jesus told me to she cocked her head and frowned suspiciously well not directly i followed besides i thought you could use some company and somebody to read to you if i was in here i d like someone to visit me that was in january of 2024 the beginning of an unlikely 14 month friendship i met therese a year or so earlier while working on a story about her church choir director at 96 she was gingerly making her way down the narrow and steep metal spiral staircase that joined the sanctuary floor and the loft where the organist played and the choir sang oh don t take my picture she barked while navigating the last steps of the stairwell why not i shot back she grumbled and frowned then proceeded to tell me her daughter bec worked for the commercial the same newspaper i was working with yes i know i like your daughter she s a talented lady after that first encounter whenever i spotted therese about to come inside brew and brew the local coffee shop to visit with friends i would quickly help usher her inside though she fussed and grumbled under her breath it was evident she liked the attention you don t even remember my name do you she challenged the first time i walked her arm in arm to her seat it s not theresa another day i helped her put a letter in the post box after she dropped it trying to reach her skinny little arm from the car swallowing her while driving i don t know how she saw above the dashboard therese lived directly across the street from the st francis xavier basilica in dyersville iowa where she attended and along with daughter bec sang in the choir and it is fair to say though good hearted therese was known to be prickly at times all the more reason i determined to befriend her whether she liked it or not on dec 17 2023 therese fell in her home and after surgery to repair a fractured leg including having a plate inserted she needed to stay off her feet for at least three months her family searched for a long term facility that offered the care she would need but the closest was in dubuque a 30 minute drive from dyersville i told her daughter bec a writer and copy editor for the newspaper who also runs reichter shoes the store her father and mother started some 70 years earlier that i planned to begin visiting her mother therese and husband ray reicher who passed in december 2009 had eight children five girls and three boys soon an unlikely friendship blossomed that continued to grow for the next year or so he s not my boyfriend she assured her neighbors at the facility he has a wife quick witted with a good memory a healthy curiosity and sense of humor that caught most of my jokes or puns visiting therese 24 years my senior soon became a ritual we both looked forward to i visited as often as possible usually on saturdays especially during the season when my sons had home lacrosse games but i tried to see therese at least once a week throughout the year the only weeks i missed were when i was out of town or out of state and i usually took a camera and recorded our conversations the woman who fussed the first time i photographed her soon grew comfortable with the camera my last visit with therese was on friday march 29 2025 she left this world on april 3 while i was out of state in minnesota rather that write a long narrative i am sharing excerpts from some of our many visits jan 20 2024 i began reading to therese this day she asked me to read from a book i had written titled bridges and angels the story of ruth therese does it have a good ending me i think so therese now if i fall asleep just keep going me i have put a lot of people to sleep me this reminds me of a story i heard about a long winded preacher who in the middle of his sermon noticed a man in the back sleeping he stopped and yelled to the man next to the sleeping man hey wake that guy up you wake him up you put him to sleep he replied therese ha ha ha me you can just close your eyes and listen and i will read to you i don t think i ve ever read a book to someone not since my kids were little therese nice jan 26 2024 jan 26 2024 we begin the visit talking about iowa women s basketball star caitlin clarke therese none of this has gone to her head she is just a nice nice person me i am going to go see a man in the way home that is dying his name is vince he lives in peosta therese that is so kind of you me i m thankful i get to do that if we can t be a comfort to people what s the point of living therese i am glad i got to be your friend me i am glad i got to be your friend too therese i am still on the choir i haven t retired me do you think you will go back therese if i can get out of here i will me other than your leg you seem healthier therese if god wants me to stay here i d better be after it me i was just telling my wife that one of the things i miss about preaching is comforting people going into their homes when they were sick she said you don t have to be a preacher just be you holding her hand i ask about her rings me why are there three rings jan 26 2024 therese this is my wedding ring i was married in a double wedding my sister and i were married the same time in manchester and my brothers sang for us they were in the men s choir at loras therese i remember so well with my brother who was the oldest after the singing my dad gave my sister away and my older brother came down from the choir and gave me to ray therese and ray said i know you don t love me enough but i will make you and it was so true and he did he was such a nice man therese he had told my mother i should not be going with him because he was buying a tavern and he was seven years older it just wasn t a good idea i told my mother if god wants us to break up he ll take care of it therese and husband ray reicher who passed in december 2009 raised eight children five girls and three boys me whenever i see your daughter i hug her therese good for you therese we were not an emotional family we had five kids in our immediate family and i don t remember ever getting a kiss from my mother never me ever therese no therese our family was not emotional it took ray a long time when our boys were going to college he always shook their hand i said ray you could hug them then he started and he started hugging everybody feb 10 2024 therese is eating lunch therese i have been waiting for you all morning me i have been trying to stop by after lunch but if you want me to i ll come before lunch me how about i read to you while you eat how do you like them apples therese pretty nice me how have you been therese oh i am fighting trying to be nice me i am going to read today from the book of john you get to eat food and eat from the bible too me why were you getting upset today therese oh i don t know some of the aids are sassy i have a hard time with that i try to stay calm but it s hard when you sit here by yourself all day me how s the food today therese if rick was here he wouldn t eat it rick is her daughter bec s husband therese when i first got i here they had an evaluation of some kind to see what you want well i said mine is i want to die therese i prayed god would take me in my sleep me then you decided you were not going to leave therese well i knew i didn t have any choice so you might as well say ok me i am glad you didn t me i told beck the other day that i was coming to see you and that you have become my friend me what if we stole you out of here what if we just took you out on a joy ride and they came on here and you were gone therese they would take me off of medicare that s for sure therese my voice is getting more hazy because i don t use it enough me how are you doing with your leg therese it s going well yes but it s just not going fast enough i just have to learn to walk again me do you like people to pray with you therese yes me would you like me to pray with you therese sure therese thank you me thank you my friend therese i was missing you the first time you came it was after mass me yes remember i picked you up and rolled you down to your room therese now do you trim your own beard me yes i know i need to trim it me are you going to watch the superbowl tomorrow therese i hope so if somebody comes to watch it with me it s not any fun watching those games alone me i am going to read today from the book of john therese are you going to bring me another one of your books me oh yeah i forgot all about it i will next time me this is perfect you get to eat food and eat from the bible too me alright i am going to read another chapter feb 17 2024 me it s like 25 degrees and the wind is blowing therese 25 is really cold therese i need that black pillow me should i put that underneath you therese that s relief now give me a shove back me one more time i am going to lift you a little bit therese oh wonderful therese i get so disgusted because they don t do therapy with my leg i haven t stood on that foot since dec 15 th me i guess when it broke it broke and twisted therese i am to the point where it s not hurting anymore it s so frustrating when you can t help yourself it s just terrible me i know i am sorry i don t look forward to the day when i can t help myself therese i feel good i would like to go for a walk but my leg doesn t like me me maybe this will teach you patience therese oh i have more patience than bec does she is laughing me i trimmed my beard a little feel how soft that is therese oh it is soft me somebody brought you flowers therese rick came and watched half of the superbowl with me she is chattering away talking about her grandchildren and sports the aid comes in with pills she is supposed to take therese what are you giving me me she is giving you birth control pills she laughs therese i wanted to tell you something and we got off the thing i wanted to tell you me you wanted to tell me how handsome and nice i am that s all right i appreciate it therese you are very nice thank you therese you are here every week me when i can i try to be here therese that s nice me it s important because if i was in here i would want you to come visit me therese i would if i could drive march 2 2024 me what s new since i saw you last week therese i was doing therapy yesterday but it was so hard i finally said do you want me to faint oh my god young girls don t realize that you actually get tired do this do this i can t do anymore me i saw that caitlin clarke finally broke the record for the most points in college therese she is going to the wnba and she is going to have a hard time there therese she has plenty of money now me i am wealthy too in everything but money they say a rolling stone doesn t gather any moss and i don t have any moss on me me i don t know what i would do if i had a million dollars i d probably just give it away therese when you are in a place like this it really goes fast me i don t know if i would do it be in a place like this i think i would run off therese when you can t walk you can t run she laughs me good point we talk about her husband ray therese some people can just start a conversation with anybody and ray was that kind of person therese we were married almost 70 years therese i always said i was a spoiled bride and i was we were such a good match he was a good man ray and therese on their wedding day me you ve had a very blessed life so far therese i don t remember doing anything but working until i graduated from college and then i taught school for four years i was 17 when i started therese they didn t pay me until i turned 18 because they didn t want the state to know they had a teacher under 18 she taught all subjects and all ages up to 8th grade in the one room school house and there were twin boys that were about this much taller than i was me so you taught all grades all ages april 27 2024 therese you have a new hat me yeah nice of you to notice did you miss me therese yesss me what are you looking forward to today therese i really can t look forward to anything me that s not good you need to look forward to something therese let me ask you the last chapter was that totally imagination she was asking a book i had written titled bridges and angels the story of ruth me the book is mostly nonfiction but about a third the last part is mostly fiction i wrote an ending i could live with me are you going to eat your lunch i will wait and sit with you therese i don t want to eat today my daughter said you got to eat protein i said if i miss protein one night it s not going to kill me june 22 2024 me buongiorno buongiorno therese i didn t think anybody would talk to me me somebody did me it s me i got back from denver as soon as i got back i said i wanted to come see my friend therese why couldn t you see your friend me you i am talking about you me you re my friend whether you like it or not me what s new what has happened in the past week therese bec s family came to visit the girls came there were nine people in the room me oh gosh i wish i were here to see them therese they were here from monday on but they didn t come to see me and bec didn t tell me because she wanted to surprise me it was bec s son in law he was the head of the crew and the girls one of the girls had a boyfriend with her therese it was really almost a shock in this little room and to have nine people walk in all at once and you can t offer them drinks you can t offer them a chair you just sit there like a lump on a log me looks like you got a new quilt therese i ve had that when i sit still my hands get really cold now all i take is a towel and wrap my hands in a towel to keep them warm it can be 108 degrees outside and my hands are cold me they say cold hands warm heart it s warm in here warm as a nursing home in here me i went to denver and watched two dodger games my son henry and i went to two baseball games and one was one was one of the best baseball games i ve seen the dodgers came back and scored 7 runs in the ninth inning and won unheard of therese they were professional teams is that why you went down there me i seldom do anything with a single motive we went to see family see friends and go to the baseball game therese i turn the tv on and whatever is on that station which is what i watch which is usually something stupid and that television has stupid stuff on it therese i like to watch...
|
