FROM: Carol
Sept 1 @ 12:13 AM

Larry and Lea, I have sent your letters to several people…so many ask to be updated that I have started a “forwarding service” the letters are known as “the real love story”, “Larry’s Letters”, “Lea’s Story”, ” I Do Believe In Miracles”, and “The Magic of Prayer”.

How is the map coming along? Lea, you will have lots to read when you are recouping, and you are going to feel all the love again, because I know you are absorbing every word Larry tells you. When you are in a drug induced state there is no time, but there is awareness of sounds and feelings and love.

I feel selfish for the years we could have been in closer contact and will try to make up for lost time when you are up and at-em again. Love to both of you!

FROM: Doreen, Chaplain at MidState Medical Center
Sept 1 @ 8:35 AM

Larry (and Family), Thank you for including me in the updates. I will gladly share them with the staff on Pavilion C. that continue to keep all of you in thought and prayer. Your story made a deep impression upon them and I know reading these updates will continue that. I am very grateful for the opportunity to see you and Lea again. As I said I will be coming to HH on a regular basis and when I am there I will be sure to stop in. See you soon, Larry. Blessing for peace, P.S. Give our best wishes to your friend who is recovering!!

FROM: Carol Vogt
Sept 1 @ 9:51 AM

And nobody wants national health care – we wouldn’t have problems like this if it wasn’t for the all-mighty bottom line!

FROM: Kay
Sept 1 @ 3:32 PM

Dear Lea and Larry, Want to thank u for the updates on Lea, yes i finally managed to get them to come through my hotmail account… While we were in Colorado Karen, of course, asked for Lea… after all the updating.. she told me that she had only met Lea once .. apparently at Karol’s house.. the only thing she really remembers is how the whole room lit up when Lea walked in the door … I’ll look forward to that again Lea. So, Larry add Colorado to your pin map folks there are also involved…. also.. u might need a very large pin on your map for Chillicothe.. she has been on the church’s prayer concern for the last several weeks… so i can assure u that there are many many prayers lifted up here from Chilli. Off to Texas for the weekend. Love to you both.

FROM: Shana
Sept 1 @ 10:03 PM

Good Evening, Larry, Hope all is well with you and Lea this evening. I’ve been thinking a lot about you guys over these past couple of days, so I thought I’d drop you a few lines. I’d like to share with you and Lea some memories of our recent trip to see our grandkids. I’d always fill Lea in on our trips once we returned, so now you get the information first hand as well!

We just returned from Colorado last week. Michaella turned three on August 8th and is just as cute as can be. It seems like she’s going on about ten! She is very animated and definitely likes to see what she can get away with. At least this time I didn’t have to put her in time out! One evening she and Gary were leaving to run to the store and she said “bye Shan” when they were leaving. Totally cracked me up because she usually calls me Nana and I have no idea what made her call me by name. Of course she giggled after she said it and she said it a couple of more times while we were there.

One evening we were eating dinner and I got a really bad pain in my ear. Michaella asked what was wrong and I told her my ear hurt. She was very quick to let me know she could make it feel better and when she finished eating, she rubbed it for me. Of course, she also had her moments when she didn’t want anything to do with me and was eager to tell me to go away . At least she didn’t do it to me as much as Gary!

One morning Gary was getting ready and she was right there watching everything he did. He put deodorant on, she wanted some. He shaved, she wanted to shave. Gary put shaving cream on her face and then pretended to shave her face with the razor (with the lid on). Then, he finished by putting on “smell good” and she wanted some of that, too. I told her she could use Nana’s because she wanted to smell like a girl. It was all very cute and I was able to take a couple of pictures. Of course, I didn’t think quickly enough to grab the camcorder and get it on tape!

Mr. Zachary is now 4 months old and weighs a whopping 16 lbs.. He is just as cute as can be also and has the best personality. He smiles all the time, even in the midst of crying. We got to witness him taking his first bite of rice cereal which was really cute. He didn’t know what to think and it was so runny, it’s amazing any made it in his mouth!

Stacey and Steve spent the night downtown one evening, so I had to take a 3 a.m. feeding–whew was that hard to wake up! Luckily, it was only one night :8) I had already been downstairs, warmed the bottle, and was feeding him before Gary woke up and asked if I needed help. I told him I thought I had it under control, but thanks anyway! Gary thinks he will be walking by Christmas because he already likes to stand up in your lap and has very strong legs.

We were ready to come home because we missed the dogs (actually, I think Gary missed the Mustang!). Mom came and stayed with the “grand-dogs” and they spent some quality time bonding. She was totally amazed at how much energy they have. When I saw Lance in July, and got to meet Angel, he said Border Collies will always be active. So, I guess Cooper will keep us busy for many years to come. Mindy has grown quite a bit, actually more in length than anything. The Dacschund in her is really showing! I can’t tell you how much I love them. They are really a lot of fun. Lacy is still hanging in there, bless her heart. She does well with the other two. They actually leave her alone for the most part.

Well, I guess I should let you go for this evening. It’s almost my bedtime! Lea, I want you to concentrate on continuing to get well. We all miss you very, very much. Larry, we look forward to your daily updates. You have been such an inspiration to me. Your devotion and love for Lea is heartwarming! Your faith in God is awesome! I had April forward the updates to me while I was in Colorado, and now Stacey wants to keep them receiving them, so you can add Ft. Collins, Colorado to the list of destinations that receive them.

Please know that I love you guys very much and pray for you every evening. I hope you know you can count on me for anything you may need. I’ll talk to you soon.

REPLY FROM: Larry Vaughn
Sept 2 @ 12:11 AM

Thanks for the nice note. Lea will enjoy hearing it, I’m sure. Anything “normal” has to sound good. As far as a care package, I am trying to remember the things that are gone, because those were what I liked best . . . the microwave meals were just great . . I could have a light meal while writing, etc., without having to go to the cafeteria. I liked the instant lemonade and iced tea packets. They were very handy to take with me to the hospital and refill my bottle whenever. Peanut Butter crackers . .instant soups, where I just had to pour in boiling water were very nice. Everything chocolate, of course!  I suppose at some point I will have to get some things together for Lea, but that time is probably still a few weeks off. It will be nice to see her in a nightgown and housecoat again! (I sure look forward to slipping into bed with her and cuddling! What I wouldn’t give for a little pillow talk right now!)

Our love to everyone. I know Lea is touched by every note she gets. I’m told that she has no sense of time, but I have to believe that she has to feel fear, pain and hopelessness, which is overcome in part by the little touches of reality she gets through the cards, letters and emails. Your kindnesses and thoughtfulness is genuinely appreciated.

FROM: Link
Sept 1 @ 10:39 PM

Praise God! Thanks for the update.

FROM: Carol
Sept 1 @ 10:51 PM

She always did have pretty feet!!! Praise God for all blessings large and small…this was a large one to me. Rest well God is keeping you both.

FROM: Lance
Sept 1 @ 11:58 PM

YOU ARE SOOOOOOOOOO FUNNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!