Father's Day

Today was Father's Day and I not only honor my father (Bob Weatherhead) but the Father of my children.

Rocke was born in the Ladysmith hospital on May 4, 1960 to John & Lila Baker. He grew up working on his parent's and grandparent's farm, so he always knew hard work. When he was 21 he met the love of his life (me!). We were married on December 4, 1981. (I just noticed that the 4th is significant for his dates) We had 3 children Amber (who is 25), Kitty (who is 22), Cody (who just turned 21 on the 11th of this month). Amber has 3 little girls whom I mentioned earlier in a blog (Destiny, 7; Jasmin, 6; Hailie, 3). Rocke worked as a farmer, then a A.I. technician, a herdsman, a hamburger flipper @ McDonald's, a foundry worker, a truck driver, and now a pipeline worker. He has never set idle. I have rarely seen a man work so hard and there was no job that "was beneath him". He did whatever he had to do to take care of his family. While he was driving milk truck, he became very ill. He was throwing up and running a high temp. He had been sick for almost a week, but he finally told his boss he was too sick to drive. He was still on his route over by Glen Flora picking up milk. The boss and his wife came to the farm he was at, and Jeanne (the wife) said she was taking him straight to the hospital. I was on my way to church with Amber & the girls when I got the phone call asking me which hospital to take him too. I told them to take him to Rice Lake. Now we are talking about a man who had never been sick other than a cold. I rushed to the hospital beating them there. Once he was admitted, they took all kinds of tests to see what was wrong. He was still throwing up and his temp was 103 degrees. The doctor came and said he didn't really know what was wrong but his blood counts were "out of this world". The next few days were a blur as he continued with tests and was taken by ambulance to Eau Claire. It was there that he was diagnosed with leukemia. There are different types of leukemia. The type he had was treatable but not curable. Hew is now said to be in remission thanks to the daily pill he has to take called Gleevec. Even as battled his disease, he worked if not on a job, he went every day to Mom & Dad's and helped on the beef farm. He is the hardest working, most caring, loving Christian man I know. The thought of losing him caused both of us to turn our focus to our Lord & Savior. We were both Christians before this, but we both have became so much stronger in our faith. I thank God every day for this man. Right now he is off working in Fond Du Lac, WI. Cheers to my man, I am the luckiest girl in the world!!