Hi All from the Wards and AnitaThis is a hard letter to write.
Our 2008 started out with Nathan a senior in High School and getting ready to graduate. His Orchestra in high school traveled to University of Illinois in Urbana for a festival, they played Dvorak Serenade for Strings movements Scherzo, Larghetto and Finale they did great. Then they traveled on to Chicago to visit a couple of museums and hear the Chicago Symphony play. Of course they had fun. He had a great Orchestra teacher during his four year in high school. His teacher is great in getting the music out of the kids beautifully.
Prom came and both Nathan and Sarah went and had a ball. It was very exciting to see both kids going off to prom.Graduation was in May. Mom and Dad and Bruce, Bruce’s mom Phyllis and Sarah and I all sat in the stands to see Nathan graduate and we were really proud of Nathan. The Orchestra played for graduation, which made it even more special.
Then
the Wards went on a great Disney Vacation and Cruise. We had a
ball. Sarah’s boyfriend John’s family was there at the same time
and we had a fun time with each other on all the rides. After 4
days in the parks we were all ready for the 3 day cruise of rest
and good food. It was a ball. We would go again but just take the
cruise only.Sarah is now a junior keeps busy with the school plays. She helps with the building of the sets and will be in charge of the set and crew for Peter Pan in April. Sarah also works with the Girl Scouts in the spring and fall giving trail rides to troops. She really likes it and enjoys being around the horses.
In July we gave Dad an 80th birthday party. Lots of relatives and friends came and we all had fun. Our house was filled with love and laughter. Dad really had fun. Kitti did a great job on the cake and we had lots of good food.
Mom and Dad went to Kitti’s for 2 weeks in July. They all enjoyed the visit.
In
August things started challenging us. Nathan went off to college,
University of Missouri Science and Technology in Rolla Missouri.
Mom was told her cancer was back, so weeks of tests were scheduled with
Mom having surgery Sept 16. Dad got pneumonia at the end of August
and was in the hospital before Labor Day. He was also diagnosed
with leukemia and things did not look good from then on. Dad was in
the hospital then nursing home and then back in the hospital
during Moms surgery then back in the nursing home with hospice. He
hung on till Mom was better from her surgery and he passed away
Sept 22. Mom caught an infection and was in the hospital longer
than expected. Dads’ funeral was delayed for Mom to recover enough to
be there, she got out of the hospital the same day as Dad’s viewing.Then things got even more challenging. The day of the funeral at the family viewing, we were very shocked to see not Dad in the casket but someone else. As some of you know we did have the funeral but with a closed casket. We did not know what to do and later found out that Dad was buried at another cemetery because of the mix-up and 2 days later we had a small funeral and we made sure Dad was buried at Jefferson Barracks Cemetery.
Mom moved to our house and she is now living with us. Mom started chemo in October and got very sick with septic and a bladder infection and was in the hospital for a week. I just kept thinking what next is going to happen. Mom has had 4 chemo treatments and is doing better. She might have her last chemo in Jan.
Nathan is doing great in college keeping up with his music playing in the Rolla Community Symphonic Orchestra and Sarah is enjoying her junior year at school.
I don’t know how we made it through all of this, but prayers and lots of crying helps. Family, Friends and our church family helped us get through all of the hard times. We miss Dad not being here but we have lots of nice memories and fun times with him that we will never forget.
Thank You all for being Our Family
Love the Wards and Anita Schnabel
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