Stand fast in what you believe...be a Rock!

I would like to see John McCain and Obama take a stand, not just go for the press conference, not just go for the quick shots of sitting around the table with everybody but actually lead. Where is the leader? I'll tell you where the leader is. They are all afraid because what we have done is over time we have elected weasels. We have elected people that don't know what they stand for. They don't know what they believe in. I know what I believe. I know it, and I've been tested and I've been thrown up against a wall. So many people have. You probably have been tested, and you're tested through failure. That's the only way you know what you truly believe because once you failed, will understand what I'm about to say. When you're laying down on the floor in the fetal position on the carpet of a rat-infested apartment that you can barely afford and your whole life has fallen apart, you got two choices: Life or death. And when you choose life, you know, "Okay, I can't live this way anymore. So what got me here. What do I believe in. What are the things that I actually believe in." I've been in that fetal position. Millions of Americans have been in that fetal position. You may be in that fetal position right now for a myriad of reasons.
Our financial sector is in that fetal position right now. Well, damn it, where are the people who stand up and say "I know what I believe. I believe in capitalism. I believe in the American spirit. I believe in freedom. I believe in the ability to fail and the ability to succeed. I believe in my fellow American. I do not believe in some gigantic global entity that's telling me how to live my life."
The world is about to change, gang. As much as the world changed on September 11th, it is about to change even more. And unfortunately there are no burning towers to alert the people. But that's the way usual -- that is usually the way evil wins. When it's blatant, when it's on fire, you don't see it coming. And evil wins because good people do nothing, and good people do nothing because they don't necessarily see it. I really, truly believe in divine providence. I really believe it. I really, truly believe that you're listening for a reason. Maybe not everybody, but you. Ask yourself, what is the message that I'm supposed to get? What is it I'm supposed to hear? What is it I'm supposed to do? What is it I'm supposed to tell other people? I will tell you what I believe I am supposed to tell you today and that is we are going to make it. It is going to be ugly, it is going to be brutal, but we are going to make it, and the reason why we're going to make it is because of people like you, and you've got to go find more people like you. You've got to go take them by the shoulders today and look them square in the eyes and say, wake up, man; okay, wake up; here it is. You need to stand fast in what you believe. You need to rededicate yourself today to those things that are real. There is a massive storm coming to our shores and you must be the rock. But you've got to ask yourself, what is that rock? What are you built on? Not politics.

My Father's Funeral...

My father, Daniel Edward Stone Sr. had his funeral on the 18th of September. There were more than 200 people that attended that day. It was a time of sadness yet also a time of renewed family kindlings and friendships, as most all of my Aunts, Uncles and cousins were there, and family friends. The funeral was supposed to go smoothly but my father was late to his own funeral! The hearst arrived about 45 minutes late due to traffic and getting lost along the way. After they arrived everything DID go smoothly and the service was beautiful and I could feel my father's presence near. My brother-in-law sang "Danny Boy" and that song touched me so much. My father loved that song! Another touching moment was when all the grandchildren sang, "I am a Child of God." When the service was over we all drove out to Greenwood Mortuary in San Diego and had a special blessing service at the Moseleum site where my father was placed. My daughter Lydia took pictures which I have posted below.

This is outside of the Moseleum where my father rests in peace.




The older grandsons were the Pallbearers.

My father served for 6 years in the Navy during the Korean War so the Navymen were there to honor him. Taps was playedThey folded up the flag and then presented it to my mother.

My brother, mother and I look adoringly at the flag. My mother has been an angel throughout the whole time while being with my father during his last moments on earth. She is a strong woman!

It was a lonely feeling leaving my father...I still find it hard to believe that he is in heaven and not here with us. I miss you dad!

My hero...my Dad!

September 11th was my dad's birthday and I got a text at work from Conrad and Daniel informing me that during dinner my dad had a seizure. I called home and my kids told me that he was taken to the hospital by the Ambulance. I quickly left work and was teary eyed as I drove home. I was scared he wasn't going to make it!
I had called Lydia and when they arrived we went to the hospital, and it was the middle of shift change- so we waited for 45 minutes until we could get into the ICU. I'm so glad we stayed to see him because that was the last time I saw him awake. We walked into the ICU and sat at the doorway of his room because it was dark and it looked like he was sleeping. He must have heard us talking because he started to wave his hand underneath his blanket. We walked in and I was able to read him the birthday card I had made for him.
"He's a Man of great dignity,
honor and strength.
His merits are noble, and of admirable length.
He's far greater than all other men that I know,
He's my dad, he's my mentor, my friend and hero!" I love you Dad!
When I finished my father tenderly said "I love you too!" Lydia was full of life and started telling him about how Caden figured out how to open all of the kitchen cabinents and tried to take everything off of the shelves. He grinned his little grin and said "Naughty Caden!" We laughed and then she also told him about how Caden had found one of his cane's and was trying to figure out how to get through the doorways with it. He responded with his quick wit "He's raising cane!" We told him we loved him so much and that we would leave so he could rest. I asked him if he was going to be able to go home soon and he said he thought that maybe tomorrow or the next day he'd go home. (After thinking about that comment I think he was telling me that he was going home to Heaven) He wanted us to remember to shut the curtain so the lights wouldn't be so bright. His last words to us were "I love you!"
The next morning Lydia and I rushed over to the hospital at 9 am to get a paper for her husband's work and to sneak in and see my dad really fast. We got there and we saw the Dr. standing by him saying "Mr. Stone, Mr. Stone, do you hear me, Mr. Stone?" We just watched him for a second as he kept raising his right pointer finger to his lip over and over again. The Dr. turned to us and said, "He's just became un-responsive. We are getting him ready to go to a CAT scan. We have to check his brain because we think he is having a focul seizure." We went to to him and gave his hand a squeeze and then the nurse started talking to us and said that he was awake that morning, he had fed himself and ate all of his food, then right before we got there he lapsed into this seizure which turned into a coma. We were only in there for maybe 5 minutes before they needed to whisk him away to his CAT scan. My heart sunk and I was worried, but knew my mom and Bonnie would be there soon.
Lydia and I left to go and run some errands, we needed some things for my car since it had broken down. As we were in Target, I got a phone call from my sister Bonnie. I stopped dead in in the aisle and my voice got shaky and I said, "Oh my gosh Bonnie, did dad die?" I got off the phone and rushed back to the hospital and I told Lydia that Grandpa was bleeding to death. It turns out there was bleeding on his brain and it had gone from 1 cm to 6 cm. In order for the blood to stop, pressure was building up on his brain causing brain damage. They told us they could do surgery but he would need 24 hour care and would be more or less in a vegetable state. My father had told my mom he never wanted to live like that so we decided to stop all the medication and let him pass by himself. He was in a coma state until he passed away.
It's different to watch a person die and even more difficiult when it's your father. Since he was in a coma he couldn't swallow and the saliva was building up in his airpassage way. It was as if he was gurgling all night long. My brother, sisters, mother and I sat by his bedside throughout the night and listened to what sounded like a very loud, gurlgling snore. We shared memories of our father, the good and the bad...but mostly the good. We even laughed at some of the stories we remembered and had as good of a time as we could as we were surrounded by loving thoughts of our father. At one point we were discussing his funeral, around 7am Sunday morning, (Sept. 14th) and I noticed that it was quieter. I mentioned that to my family and we gathered around my father, held his hand and my mother gently stroked my fathers hair and whispered her eternal love and goodbyes, then kissed him. We held hands after that and watched my father take his last mortal breaths. It was oddly peaceful as he passed from this life into the next.
We thought that he was gone but feel that he played one last joke on us as the moniter went flat and everyone had gathered around him and then he took another breath and everything popped back up again and then flatlined for the last time. I said Icould picture him in heaven with his brother Burke saying, "Burke, watch this!"
As my daughter Lydia pointed out, he always had a twinkle in his eye and a joke ready to be told. He was a wonderful example to me and my children..and I too can hear him say, as he used to whenever he was done talking to me on the phone or when I left home...Don't forget!!! I won't ever forget dad...you love me! And don't ever forget....that I love you too!

Life...

Yesterday was a rough patch in my life... My father found out he had cancer about 6 weeks or more ago and within those six weeks he has progressively gotten weaker and weaker. It has been hard to see him go from being so actively involved with yard work, church, traveling, skiing, etc. to today. He has to use a walker now and I can see he is in pain when he gets up (with our help) and walks. I want to take away his pain and wish I could do so! My mother and sister (visiting from MI) went grocery shopping so I was here to take care of my father should he need it. He did. I had to help him go to the bathroom. I love my father so much and it just hit me that he might not make it. I want him to and feel like he will be a survivor...but felt differently yesterday. It saddened me and I cried. He has always been the strong one in our family so it is hard to see him so weak. I guess though that even though he is physically weak he is still morally and spiritually strong. He is my hero!