Visiting Uncle Emil

Uncle Emil (actually, Micah's great-great-uncle) has not been feeling well lately. He has a blood clot the whole length of his leg, so he spent some time in the hospital and is now in a rehab facility. We have been praying for him every night when Micah does his bedtime prayers, so we were happy to tag along with Grandma when she wanted to go up to Midland to see him yesterday. Micah made sure we brought along his homemade card, which he instructed me to sign, "Love, Micah D. Roe."

At 100 years old, Uncle Emil is still going strong. He is very anxious to get out of that rehab place and back to his Riveside home. He seems pretty determined, too. He got up to use the restroom  and nearly made it halfway across the room before three of us chased him down to make him take his walker with him. He's not used to things like that to slow him down. Micah, on the other hand, was very eager to try out Uncle Emil's wheels. He was intrigued by all the people using wheelchairs there as well. Of course, all the old ladies were intrigued with Micah (and my belly). We were certainly a highlight!

Though he was tired after we'd been there a while, Uncle Emil still wanted to get a quick game of euchre in before we left. So Mom and Uncle Emil's daughter Connie took on Great-Grandpa Schmidt and Uncle Emil. Of course, it was obvious from the beginning that the old timers were going to smoke the ladies. And they did!

Although he can't hear a thing (his daughter took his hearing aid in to be serviced), Uncle Emil still has the amazing sense of humor that entertains everyone (I think, because he can't hear, he sits there and thinks up one liners while everyone else is talking). Micah was really excited to sit next to Uncle Emil and the bed and "play cards" as well. Uncle Emil loves kids! So from the moment we had arrived, he'd been asking Micah to give him a high five. Micah was being a bit timid and gave very gentle high fives. Finally, while we were sitting together, Uncle Emil told him, "Smack my hand real hard this time." Micah did a harder high five, to which Uncle Emil responded, "Oh, that's better. I feel better. Do you feel better?" Micah, who has been praying every night for Uncle Emil to feel better, replied, "I'm not sick!" As soon as Uncle Emil read Micah's words I had written on the pad of paper, he threw his head back and gave a hearty laugh. Perhaps we have discovered the genealogical source of Micah's good humor!