[claire]7/30, 9:10am

[Mark Holmes]

Another quiet night with a pee break at around 7:15am.  Maybe that's=20
too much information, but it's part of our daily lives here ;-)

We reduced the dosage of the fentanyl patch that has helped calm Tara's=20=

body and breathing down, and she was more alert this morning.  In fact=20=

when the 3 of us were moving her from her side to her child's position=20=

(her two favorites), apparently we weren't skillful enough as she said=20=

"C'mon guys, you know the position.  Can't you get it together?"  It=20
made us smile.

Tara is in a semi-lucid state, and we catch snipits of her thoughts or=20=

dreams occasionally.  This morning she was trying to figure out how old=20=

she is.  No concern or worry, more curiosity.

I took Corey on a small tour this morning, and I think she's going to=20
enjoy her stay in India.  As you all know through the photos this is a=20=

beautiful place, and Corey's getting that first hand now.  She said=20
"you probably take this for granted now, but the butterflies are so=20
beautiful".  And she's right.

We're sitting on a horde of mexican food, chocolate, candy and popcorn.=20=

  Tara's irony reigns supreme again... a big scramble to get all this=20
food and she stops eating.  Oh well, we'll make sure it doesn't go to=20
waste.

The predominant mood here continues to be quite peaceful, and there's=20
less physically to do as Tara is resting so much more comfortably. =20
This gives us time to catch up on sleep, to sit and enjoy what is=20
happening, to share jokes and laugh softly with one another, and to=20
whisper sweet words of affection and simple care to our dear friend.

I still will make no predictions, but just keep sending you information=20=

as it happens.  The Buddhists call it 'beginner's mind', or 'don't know=20=

mind'.  Not that I'm in expert in this by any stretch; but if my=20
friendship with Tara in the last few years=97and in particular the last=20=

few months=97has taught me anything, it's just how profound and true =
this=20
message really is.

What I do know is that we send our love to you.

Mark=