Dave,
Keep doing what you are doing, it is great and I really like reading them. As soon as I see a trip report from you everything else has to wait till I get through it.
I like your "It is just 10 minutes more" on a long hike. When I use to go fishing with my father in law before he passed his saying was always "It is just up the hill and around the corner". The probablem was it seemed like there was always just another up the hill and around the corner, one after another. Had a great time hiking and fishing with that man and still miss him.
Also hoping and praying for that little granddaughter that she gets better soon and all goes well for her.