Kids?

Just when you think the kids are gone, a snowman pops up in the middle of the yard!  This of course, is Dawn's creation - you can tell by the hair!  It seems that we all have a little kid inside of us that comes out to play sometimes.

New Years Eve already.  Can you believe that another year has come and gone?  They slip by when we aren't watching then taunt us from our memory banks, teasing that we cannot go back - no reset button, no opportunity to reboot, not even a chance to reload, just some pictures and memories.

But that is okay.  We have today to celebrate and we have a hope in our hearts that says tomorrow holds as much promise as it did yesterday. In some ways, it even holds greater hope because our faith has grown, and with it a confidence that all will turn out for good somehow in the hands of our Creator.  He is good and only allows those things that will bless and/or strengthen us in order to prepare for the road ahead.

Some things we simply cannot know.  Emily is going through a second bout with leukemia and who can say why?  Once again, we traveled to Pittsburgh to see her yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed our visit.  She was joking and talking up a storm.  Other than the fact that she was nauseous and couldn't keep her food down [due to the chemo treatments] she was ready to come home.  In fact, she is scheduled to come home later today just in time for the new year!  She will be home for about a month (maybe two) while they finalize the plans for a donor, then she will return for the toughest part of the treatment - a bone marrow transplant.  The transplant will have her in the hospital/recovery for 4-6 weeks.  We are praying that she will stay strong and that her blood counts will remain in the healthy range so all will go well with the transplant!

We also heard some other great news yesterday concerning Jim.  The tumor they found is isolated and has not spread to any other areas or organs!  They are putting a treatment plan together and are very confident that all will go well.  We will continue praying for him as well because we know that cancer can be very unpredictable, but this is good news indeed!

Mom had a pretty rough day yesterday and was feeling "icky".  That is how she describes how she feels sometimes because she can't put into words what is going on.  Her breathing is good, she is somewhat alert, but simply feels... well, "icky"!

All of that being said, I must say that this has been a fantastic Christmas season with countless blessings! Bringing Will into the family has been a very natural and easy transition, kind of like he has been in the family forever!  We continue to enjoy the time spent with him [and Jackie, too] and find ourselves laughing a lot!  [And not just at Jackie, either!  Haha]  In fact, we have been able to spend a great deal of time with Adam and all of our other family members too, and it has simply been... well, I can't overstate it - it has been a HUGE BLESSING!  It seems like the stars are all in line and the Lord has been filling our little family with His presence and that has brought tremendous peace and satisfaction.

So, another year behind us and one more before us; but that is okay because if it is anything like the others we have seen, let's point our wheels toward tomorrow and press on into another fantastic Great Adventure!

The Little Ones

Christmas and kids... what a fantastic combination!  Many of you know that Emily is my niece who is in the midst of a major battle with leukemia, but I haven't really taken the time to properly introduce her little sister, Tori.

Being the youngest in the family is not always easy.  The hustle and bustle of a teenager or two in a household can absorb a lot of attention leaving the little ones tagging along wondering where they really belong.  Add into the mix a major, life threatening illness and the young ones can be left with feelings of total insignificance.

Tori is a very special young girl to be around, full of joy, bouncy, and very active.  One of her favorite pastimes happens to be, "walking on the ceiling"!  That's right, you heard me, walking on the ceiling!  She makes me flip her upside down and hold her up to the ceiling to let her walk around.  That is, of course, until Grandpa (Mel) catches us and growls out, "Hey, what are you doing up there?  You're leaving footprints all over my ceiling!"  Then he quickly flashes a bright smile my way.  Tori and I look at each other in mock fear, sneak around the corner and quickly begin our trek on the ceiling once more.  She giggles and never wants to stop, it only ends when my arms (or my back) finally give out.

And talk about great hugs?!  She can almost pop my head off!  But oh, I love those hugs and cannot get enough of them.

Tori loves her sister so very much and simply can't spend enough time with her.  This season has been a struggle for Tori for that very reason and Emily's time at home was very quick and limited.  When I told Tori I was so very proud of her - she has been very brave and really good for her mom through all of this, especially considering that it is the Christmas season, her eyes welled up and I got one of those hugs.  My heart swelled and my chest tightened.

Tori, you are a very special young lady and you are loved deeply by all of us.

I'm reminded of the story of Jesus sitting on the hillside talking to a group of people and some children tried to run up to him, but the disciples wouldn't let them.  Do you know what Jesus did?  He scolded the disciples and told them to let the little ones run up to him and join him.  Can you see him scooping them up in his arms, tickling them, or flipping them upside down to walk on the clouds in the sky as he enjoyed their time together?  I can.  He loves children.  He loves you, Tori, and so do we!  Keep being brave and talk often to him because he listens and will help you and Emily (and the rest of your family) through this really tough time. Why?  Because he really loves you guys!

Blessings Abound

Meet Leah, Emily's older sis'.  We had a wonderful time on Christmas Eve and Christmas day with our all kinds of people in our family.  Those two days always equate to running here and running there, like, "Over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house we go..."  But the running and time are well worth it since it gives us an opportunity to catch up on all that is happening in each others lives and also gives us a chance to get to know newer family members better.

This year we spent Christmas Eve with Will's family and had a wonderful time meeting many of his family members for the first time and visiting with others we had met over the summer.  It is always interesting learning how others celebrate various occasions, and we continue to find that we have so much in common.  Many of our traditions involving family and activities are cut from the same Norman Rockwell collection!  Gathering with family, playing in the snow, eating, laughing, hugging, eating, sharing of gifts, trees, eating... did I mention eating?

Christmas day with Dawn's parents turned out to be a treat as well.  We broke our normal routine this year and decided to go up a bit earlier, take some food to make breakfast and spend most of the late morning and early afternoon with them (which is usually Mom's best time of the day).  She was really tired though because the day before she felt pretty good and wouldn't catch a nap.  The day after is usually when it catches up with her and Christmas day was no exception, but we still had the chance to cook some breakfast and enjoy the day together.

It was especially nice to have Candy and the girls stop in.  Emily was very tired, but she said, "There was no way they were keeping me in there [Pittsburgh Children's Hospital]!  I was coming home for Christmas and they couldn't stop me."  Of course, most every visit with Em involves the traditional, "Here, rub my feet."

It was great to see all of the girls - including Tori.  She has been a real trooper through this whole endeavor.  Check out my next blog... I am going to dedicate it to her.  Tori, if you read this, I want you know how proud I am of you.  Love ya!

Adam loves books.  He takes right after his mother.  Both of them have this thing about fanning the pages under their nose, then giving a very satisfied sigh, "I love the smell of a new book."  Go figure.

It has been really nice spending more time with Will.  He came home from California on the 22nd and will be going back soon, but we have had a great time together.  Last night we played Catch Phrase for a couple hours and ended up laughing till we cried!  Nothing like sitting around a table, playing games face to face, talking, fellowshipping, laughing, and yes, even crying together!

I pray that you thoroughly enjoy the rest of this wonderful Christmas season with those that you love.

Miracles

Merry Christmas eve!!!

We got some great news today - a small miracle, really.  Candy was able to bring Emily home for Christmas!  She is going to be able to spend the night at home, but needs to get back to the hospital by 9pm tomorrow for a chemo treatment.  That is all very good news because her ammonia level has been running too high to be able to leave the hospital and it also kept her from receiving any of her treatments.

You see, God is good and answers our prayers!

Here is my Christmas gift to all of you - a fantastic video I put together from a skit we did in our church last Sunday demonstrating the powerful and all-encompassing love of Christ!  Truly, the greatest gift ever given!  If you click on the link below (You are my everything!), you can go to Youtube, then click on the maximize button to view it in full screen.  If you are a bit patient, you can click on the HD button to view it with better clarity (it just takes a little longer to load up).  Watch it a couple times to capture some of the nuances of the skit.  I am simply blown away by the unending love of our Lord - He never, ever gives up on us!

You are my everything!

I pray that you will be richly blessed and encouraged by seeing this, feel free to share it with your friends as a Christmas present to them.  We never know how much encouragement we can be to our friends with a simple gift like this.

Merry Christmas!

Memories

I'm just sitting here thinking about warmer times not so long ago.  This shot came from our visit to Lassen Volcanic National Park in June.  What a trip.  Not a day goes by [literally, not a single day!] that I don't think about our motorcycle trip out west!  What a fantastic gift Dawn and I received through that experience.  (you can check it out on my blog archives from June and July if you haven't seen them yet)

Back to the present.  Today was the last day of school and so, tomorrow begins a wonderful week of rejuvenation!  Believe it or not, it is a necessary element to remaining effective in the classroom.  Teaching is an emotionally draining profession that, until you experience it from the front of the classroom, you can never fully appreciate.  [At least I didn't until jumping into the fray!]  Rewarding?  Absolutely.  Easy?  Never.  Worth it?  Depends on the personality.  For me?  Yes!  Even so, I still need a break from the demands of the job once in a while.

Can't believe it is just two days till Christmas!  This fall has flown by in a flash.  Do you suppose it has something to do with all that has gone on in our lives - both good and bad?  [Mmmm... just took a break to get some of those delicious AE-muns]  Did you ever get the impression that I may be just a bit ADD? Don't know where that might come from.

We heard from Mel and Candy tonight.  First Emily.  Her ammonia count is down, which is a good thing.  When her count is up, she doesn't feel like doing anything at all except laying in bed and staring at the wall.  Today she had a pretty good day though and her spirits seemed to be up a bit.  Depends on how she is feeling as to whether or not we will do any singing tomorrow.  But the declining ammonia numbers is a huge blessing and an answer to our prayers.  Hopefully she will be able to come home for a brief stay after the holidays.

Jim.  He found out that his tumor is relatively small.  He had a CAT scan on Monday to see if the cancer shows up anywhere else but they are still waiting for the results of that test to see what the overall prognosis will be.  His spirits are pretty high, especially considering all that his family is facing this season, and all of us are hoping for a full recovery after his chemo treatments, radiology and surgery.

Mom.  Mel said that she had a pretty tough day yesterday.  She did a lot of coughing due to a lung infection that is settling in again.  When she spends a day working so hard at clearing her lungs and expending the effort to simply breathe, she is usually wiped out the next day.  COPD is a relentless disease that slowly deteriorates the lungs and the treatments for it will only slow that process.  So today Mom spent all day in bed sleeping and trying to regain some of her strength.  The nurse told Dad to expect her to sleep more frequently and for longer periods since she has to expend so much energy just to breathe.  The balancing act comes in the struggle with the medication.  She can be given medicine that helps her relax, easing her breathing, but that makes her totally unresponsive and glassy eyed like she is on the brink of returning to the Lord.  Or she can forgo most of the medication for relaxation and she is far more alert but labors much more just trying to breathe.  Kind of a catch 22.

In all of this, Mel is very quick to count his many blessings and the rich, full life that they have been able to spend together.  He is also the first to point out that it isn't over yet, that the good Lord is continuing to give them wonderful fellowship as they journey together through life.

Memories can be a tremendous uplifting part of our fabric.  As we look back over the years, at the many great experiences that have accumulated in our brain and interwoven into our spirit, they cannot help but bring a smile to our face.  It is a matter of looking at the glass half empty or half full; looking at the empty chairs in the auditorium instead of the audience members who have come out to join you in a fabulous evening; focusing on the few troublemakers in our lives instead of the abundance of fantastic people that we share this journey of life with.

May you see your glass as half full, enjoy the people who have chosen to join with you and appreciate all those fantastic friends and family members that the Lord has interwoven into your life!

Merry Christmas and a Happy, Blessed New Year!

generosity: take two

Have you ever put on five pounds in one evening before?  It all began when I walked through the kitchen door after school yesterday and found Jackie in the kitchen baking away.  Not only was she making some great cookies, but she told me to look in the refrigerator where I found a FIVE POUND box of freshly picked AE-munds that Will sent me for Christmas!  That's right, AE-munds.

What is an AE-mund, you ask?  Well, we call them almonds, but he was quick to point out to Jackie that us Easterners pronounce it all wrong!  So from now on, they are going to be AE-munds.

When Dawn saw FIVE POUNDS of AE-munds, she immediately suggested that Jackie do something special with them, like, turning them into freshly roasted cinnamon AE-munds.  Oh-ma-gosh!  They were simply fantastic!  I couldn't quit eating them!

Dawn picked up with the whole baking thing when she came home from work, and between my two girls they made more goodies than I could resist.  From the dough to the finished product it was all irresistible!  Hence, the extra FIVE POUNDS that I had to carry around my waist to school today.  Probably end up taking me a month to get rid of it, but ohhhh-ma-gosh, was it ever delicious!  Wanna know what I did when I got home from school today?  Guess.  [Hint:  buckeye, reese's cup cookie, cinnamon roasted AE-munds... get it yet?]

Unexpected gifts are sometimes the best though.  Today the middle school teachers surprised me with a gift certificate to the Peppercorn and Vine Restaurant that I blogged about a couple weeks ago.  They used it as a "thank you" for the work I do in private dining.  [Aside:  I just took a trip into the kitchen to grab a drink and a handful of... you guessed it... cinnamon roasted AE-munds!]  What is private dining? Basically, a form of discipline we use to help students who misbehave focus on more productive behavior and decision making processes.  But what an incredibly cool surprise!  [Another aside: I just finished the delicious handful of AE-munds!  Might need more...  I know what you are thinking, "Only FIVE?"]

Brittany, one of my students, brought me in a plate full of cookies and fudge.  FIVE and counting!  Thanks Brittany!

On a sadder note, you might be wondering about Emily.  She is still having some major troubles.  The doctors wanted to do a MRI on her to try to get a better picture of her liver and kidneys, but Emily couldn't stay in the tube and crawled out.  They tried to sedate her so she could relax enough to stay in the MRI, but even sedated she couldn't handle it so they decided not to continue.  At this point, it has been decided to keep her in the hospital through Christmas so there will be no coming home for the holidays for Em.

Dawn and I plan to stop in to see her on Christmas Eve.  Maybe I'll carry the guitar along and some songbooks and do a little caroling in her room.  Just the mention of that plan perked Candy up and she thinks that Emily will really enjoy that, too.  It is simply too hard to imagine what it would be like to be so sick at Christmastime and stuck in a hospital getting poked and prodded every day, all day.

So much going on and so little time to share... Will came home today, Jackie went to pick him up at Pittsburgh Airport.  Basketball game tonight, Lions won by one point at the buzzer after the ball bounced around on the hoop.  Pep Band had a blast tonight.  Sunday services were FANTASTIC and an extreme blessing to all!  (More on that later... stay tuned)  Dawn's mom has stabilized, still tough on Mel, but now can breath a bit easier.

Until next time, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

God Bless!
Greg

The Gift

Here it is Dad; your nativity set in my yard!  Thanks, it looks great out there!

Somehow he seemed to think that was the only reason Dawn and I went up to see them yesterday, to get this set from his attic.  But, the truth is that he offered it to me last year and never dug it out of his attic so, since we were there yesterday and Christmas day is quickly approaching, it seemed prudent to get it out and set it up.  Don't you think?  It looks nice at night when it is lit up.  Along with the nativity, I scarfed a set of lighted toy soldiers too!  National Lampoon's Christmas, look out - here I come!  Hahaha!

And how 'bout those Steelers?  They finally shook the monkey off their back and pulled off a win!   Dawn couldn't stand it - the pressure was way too much for her so she spent the last four minutes of the game pacing around the house and only watching the replays (when they were good, that is).

On a far more serious side, though, we heard from Leah today concerning the latest news on Emily.  Her ammonia numbers are very high which is making her very weak, causing all kinds of problems.  They have been trying medications to get the ammonia balance right, but so far have been unsuccessful so the next step is to take a liver biopsy.  Jackie pointed out that the liver and kidneys work in conjunction to keep the ammonia levels in balance - ammonia is actually a necessary part of our overall body functioning but when it gets too high, it becomes toxic to the central nervous system.

We don't even know what to pray for at this time, other than that the Lord would lead the doctors in their findings and treatments and that Emily's liver and kidneys would begin functioning normally so she can regain her strength.

At this time there is a "sitter" in her room around the clock to help keep an eye on her.  Things are very serious for Em - heartbreaking really.  And Candy is both exhausted and frustrated that she cannot do anything to help.

Lord, you are the Great Physician and we come before you asking that you would continue to hold our Emily firmly in your hands.  Please heal her liver and bring her body functions back to normal levels.  We lift her up to you today and fully trust you in everything... even in this frightening situation.  Thank you, oh Lord!

Generosity

What a great surprise!  I came home from work yesterday to find Jackie working in the kitchen, making my favorite kind of cake - German Chocolate - MMMmmmmm!  It smelled wonderful!  The best part was that it was totally from scratch and very nicely decorated.  Eat your heart out folks... sorry that I can't send a piece over the internet to you.

When Dawn came home, she and Jackie finished putting a great meal together - my birthday meal - "surf and turf"!  Again, MmMmmmmmm!!!!  It was rather comical though when Dawn turned to me and pointed out the obvious, "steak simply tastes the best when it comes off the grill, so for your birthday you get to go out in the snow and cook part of your birthday meal."  Hahaha.  Good thing it wasn't a blizzard.

Adam came home and joined the party.  We chatted around the table and laughed and thoroughly enjoyed each other's company.  A great birthday, indeed!

Shelly, your generosity was also a great surprise.  You sent an unexpected package to Candy which she received yesterday in the mail.  She was deeply touched that someone would send a package filled with loving thought and care.  She said, "Thanks!  It will be a huge help!"  That was a tremendous blessing.

Unfortunately, Em's numbers are still off and the doctor doesn't know if she will be able to come back home for Christmas.  She is due for another round of chemo treatment that will take five days to complete, but they cannot begin the treatment until her blood work comes back in the acceptable range.  She has been kind of grumpy.  Go figure.

Jim is halfway through his tests and they have found a small glimmer of good news that the tumor doesn't seem to have spread to far into the colon.  He has some further testing next week and we are praying that more good news is in the wings.

Psalm 121
 I lift up my eyes to the hills—
       where does my help come from?
 My help comes from the LORD,
       the Maker of heaven and earth.
 He will not let your foot slip—
       he who watches over you will not slumber;
 indeed, he who watches over Israel
       will neither slumber nor sleep.
 The LORD watches over you—
       the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
 the sun will not harm you by day,
       nor the moon by night.
 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
       he will watch over your life;
 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
       both now and forevermore.

Lightning never strikes twice! Right.

So much for a relaxing stay at home. Emily went in for a check up today and was admitted into the ICU in The Pittsburgh Children's Hospital. She has been having some serious problems with hallucinations and couldn't get any rest because every time she closed her eyes she would weird out. Her balance is still messed up and she has been very weak. Combine all of that and the doctors are very concerned so they ordered a CAT scan thinking that there may be some clotting in the brain due to her falls and recent treatments. They also found her blood pressure to be too high.

There are still many unknowns that the medical staff will be considering and researching, but unfortunately, our Em is back the hospital and not at home. Of course, Candy is beating herself up with the thoughts of "could-a, should-a, would-a". Our hind-sight is always so clear, but it is much more difficult to make decisions on a daily basis without all of the pieces in place!

Candy, take heart, you are giving as much as you possibly have and so much more! Your love for Emily is evident at every turn.

Candy will be staying in Pittsburgh with Emily again tonight and isn't sure of what this stay will encompass. She is quite apprehensive because they haven't had to face any of these issues to this degree before. We are all praying that it is just a combination of medications that can be easily adjusted, but the reality that it could be much more than that can work on the back of our minds.

What a way to spend Christmas.

Compound that with the fact that Jim goes in for his next round of evaluations tomorrow. Argghhh.

We love you guys and continue to hold you up in our prayers. I know that the Lord will hold you very close and firmly in His hands!

The Unexpected Call

We got a call from Mel yesterday and he was pretty upset. Mom was not doing well and could we come up? Of course there was no hesitation, we were planning to go see them within the hour anyhow so we put the plans in fast motion, grabbed my bible, a hymnal and headed north.

When we got there, Mom was pretty unresponsive. She recognized us, that was good, but she was very distant and we couldn't help but wonder if this was the day she would receive her new body, be reunited with her family members who have gone on before her and best of all, meet the Lord face to face! Her breathing was labored and you could see the great concern she had for Dad in her eyes. She tries so hard to keep from stressing Mel and never wants to add to his problems or be a difficult patient.

Dad was pretty shook up, too. It is so hard seeing the person you deeply love go through a struggle of this magnitude, never knowing when that kiss is the last. You feel so helpless, as if standing on the sideline unable to contribute to the situation.

After saying our, "Hello's" and sharing hugs all around, things settled down a bit. I asked Mom if she would like me to read some scripture to her, sing some hymns or just sit and enjoy some quiet rest. She moved between scripture and hymns, never opting for the quiet time. Both were very relaxing to her and there were a few times she even joined into the hymns! Before long we were all (Adam and Jackie were with us as well : ) singing hymns and Christmas carols with Mom listening mostly, but every once in a while a few words would slip from her lips. Even when she didn't have the strength to sing, her lips would be forming the words she didn't have strength to make audible. I know, in her spirit, she was praising her risen Lord!

Jim and Candy stopped in for a few minutes to see her as well. Jim shared some of his upcoming treatments and probable surgery timeline. They are going to have it so difficult as Jim and Emily are both facing surgery at the same time frame - sometime in February. Jim will be out of work for up to 5 months, but home for most of that recovery time. A colostomy is inevitable and we are praying that it will only be temporary - please join us in that prayer. However, he is preparing himself for the reality that there is a good chance that it will have to be a permanent part of his life.

Emily will be in Pittsburgh for at least 4 months as she recovers from her bone marrow transplant. Right now she is at home but having a tough time of it. The combination of leukemia and chemo treatments have wracked her body so the most basic of actions, like a shower, are both painful and exhausting. I'm not gonna lie, she can get a little grumpy - I wonder why? NOT. Her mediport is still painful for her as well.

It is hard seeing their family face such tough, imposing hardship. As of now, their employers are understanding and supportive, but they have many days ahead that will be very trying. Again, we truly appreciate all your prayers. The Lord is mighty, indeed! He hears the prayers of the righteous and is full of compassion and mercy.

By the way, we had gone to Erie planning to spend the night due to how poorly Mom was doing, but by 9pm, she had made a turn for the better and had regained some strength. She got a couple bites of food down and some Italian Ice to keep her hydrated. With the love of family (my mom and dad had stopped in and joined us in fellowship, too) and a little time, she had become more alert which made Mel feel much better. So well, in fact, that we decided to head home for the night. God is good!

Dawn called today to see how they were doing and found them to be having a much better day. Ahhh. That is a relief.

Thank you for joining us through this mixture of times, those of great joy and those of great hardship. That is a sign of a strong community, that they come together to support one another. You are truly a greater blessing than you will ever know!

May the Lord greatly bless you throughout this fantastic time of year!

"It's Christmas time in the city."

Once again, it is that time of year when the fresh snow falls to cover the drab earthen brown, bringing with it a sparkling beauty that ushers in this magical season! There is a special joy that surrounds this season as people show more kindness than any other time of the year - they greet each other with smiles, hold doors open for strangers, and are oft times more chatty than ever.

And with all of that comes music that is both uplifting and comforting, like coming home to a warm world of hope and love! Music that speaks to the heart of hope and new beginnings, happiness and cheer, and reminds us of the most wonderful time of the year.

So, I coerced the family into going out once more to spread a bit of Christmas cheer at the Hotel Conneaut where they are once again presenting their annual Festival of Lights. We spent the evening amidst the Christmas tree display singing, reminiscing and laughing together as families strolled through. We even had one little girl stop and join the band. You know me, I couldn't resist the opportunity to talk to her and invite her to play along on a couple of songs! She added the jingle bells to, "Jingle Bells". Try as I may, she simply would not sing into the mic for us. Oh well, maybe next time : )
Adam joined us on bass. He is an incredible musician and always a blessing to have in my ensembles. As this cold snap has moved into our area, I'm reminded of what a great service Adam provides for people. Heat during this time of year becomes critical and he is doing very well as he learns the ropes in the programming side of the HVAC field. In fact, he is doing so well that his company wants to send him to Minneapolis for some specialized advanced training on some do-hicky thing-a-ma-bob! [you would have to get the other name of it from him - it's kind of Greek to me] Only problem is, as he advances in the field of programming HVAC systems he forgets how to feed our old-fashioned firebox with wood! He is quick to point out that there are more modern systems available for us... go figure! : )

Jackie came home on Thursday after finishing her last final exam for the semester. She has once again done very well as she prepares to enter the nursing field and will, no doubt be a fantastic nurse as she enters the field. But last night, she was our lead voice - and ohhhh what a golden voice she has! If you have never heard an angel sing, you could have heard one last night!Joining us for the evening was my other "son", Terry and his wife Joy (guess that makes her my daughter in law, ho-ho-ho!) At least, that is what they became last night.

Terry is the worship leader in our church, the Linesville First Baptist Church, and is a remarkable keys player and singer. More than that though is his tremendous good nature and joyful spirit. Add to that Joy's contagious smile and optimism and you have a couple that spread good cheer throughout the year! [Hey, didn't know I was a poet did ya?!]

Although we are pictured around Santa, we embrace this season as the celebration of the entrance of the long awaited Messiah into our bleak world. He has transformed the face of the world by deeply impacting one heart at a time. How do we know that? Well, we are witnesses to the fact that He is still at work because He dwells within our hearts, daily shaping and forming us into vessels that can be used to carry His love into our homes and communities!

May God bless you with the incredible love of this season through His Glorious Son!

Merry Christmas all!

What a Weekend!

Jackie put this picture together of us "A happy family is but an earlier heaven." Saa-wwweeeeettt!

What a weekend, indeed! Thursday was my buildings Christmas party... had a good time.

Friday we took care of some projects at the house.

Saturday... We headed south again to see Emily. Jackie met us on the way down so she could get over to see her too. Em wasn't feeling very well. She was really tired and her stomach was unsettled again. Candy was there and the two of them had taken a couple of walks around the halls to try to build a little strength back into Emily's legs. She had a few more bumps and bruises than we expected from her fall on Thursday night, she really went down hard.

We are hoping she can be home for Christmas. After that, it will be back in for several treatments and eventually a bone marrow transplant. She is a tough kid, that is for sure!

After spending some time with Emily, we turned toward Waynesburg to see Jackie's concert. Jackie had to be back early, so after dropping her off at her car, Dawn and I got some Christmas shopping in. We actually found some stuff. SUCCESS!

Then it was off to the college for a fantastic concert! One of the numbers they sang/played was an arrangement of The Ukrainian Bell Carol (arranged by the band director at Waynesburg University) that incorporated a bell choir, the wind ensemble and the chorus. The chorus lined the aisles and it just happened that Jackie's spot to stand was within 5 feet of our seats! The arrangement was something very special, and of course, so was Jackie! The rest of the concert was a treat as well, Jackie and Mary couldn't quit giggling about who knows what?! I must admit, it was rather contagious!

Then it was back home - 2+ hours which put us home around 1am.

Sunday - up at 6am to get ready for church. I play in one of our worship teams which led worship in both services and Dawn helped with the hospitality. I also teach sunday school for an adult class which has been focusing on the Gospel of Luke. After the morning services at 12:30 we had a drama rehearsal, then home at 2pm.

Crazy yet? We thought it was time to settle in and relax a bit before heading back to the church for an evening of Christmas carols when we got a call from Mel (Dawn's dad) saying that Mom was not doing well at all. He had called hospice to come in and so we jumped in the truck to head to Erie. Mel sounded like he could use a little support and Mary was really struggling.

By the time that we got there, the nurse had already given Mary a couple of treatments and had her pretty relaxed and feeling more comfortable. But the struggles of the day had taken their toll on her so she was exhausted for the rest of the night. Let me tell you though, when we left, I got a hug from her that about popped my head off! Her lungs and breathing might be weak, but her arms are still really strong!

Tonight... catching up on some loose ends around the house again. You know, cleaning drains, putting screens up and storm windows down, ebay stuff, etc.

But now it is 10pm and it is most certainly time to turn in! Good night world.

God bless!

When It Rains...

Look at the eyes! Can you see a little trouble in them? She was just teasing, honest!

Emily had a rough night last night. Many of you know that she is currently in the hospital being treated for leukemia. Last night she tried to get up in the middle of the night to natures calling, and as her mom was helping her, Emily got dizzy then fell and hit her head. She now has a nice little bruise as a trophy. She said her legs just got weak and gave out. So it looks like some physical therapy is now in order to keep her strength up.

Please keep their family in your prayers though, because Emily's step father was just diagnosed with cancer. Candy and Jim have not been married very long at all, just over two years, and have been wonderful blessings to each other. Now their world seems to be coming apart at the seams! Our hearts go out to the family as they are faced with some incredibly difficult times ahead. There are many unknown elements concerning treatment and prognosis for Jim, and of course, the unknown simply provides too big a void where imaginations can run wild.

Life can be crazy at times! No doubt about that. So we continue to trust in the Lord for wisdom, guidance and comfort for all involved. We will also do whatever we can to help them out. We will always appreciate your prayers - thank you!

Sweet Surprises

So, there I was getting ready for my Sunday School lesson in church, when around the corner walks Jackie! "Hi Dad!"

Was I ever surprised to see her! She spent the week with Will in California over the Thanksgiving break and was dearly missed here at home. It was kind of like a tiny preview of next year after she moves out there permanently after the wedding. Hard to imagine what that will be like. Tonight at a meeting, Mary told said, "I bet he [referring to me] will be a blubbering mess when she moves out there." Mary, you are probably right on the mark with that.

While she was home, Bear was right on cue. He whines and whimpers constantly when she is around and simply cannot contain himself. Here he was jumping on the couch (which he is NOT allowed to do since he is such a shedding, hairy beast!) to give her kisses. He practically glues himself to her when she is here.

What do you think, should Jackie and Will take him to California with them next year? After all, they are a very cute couple, wouldn't you say?

The Visit

So much for having some extra time over this Thanksgiving break to keep up with the blog. Once again, we were able to keep most of the weekend packed with adventure! Perhaps the next couple of days can be taken to catch up on all of our stuff, but it is more likely that we will keep adding stuff faster than it can be posted! Of course, the alternative is to write a book, but I doubt that you would be interested in reading that much! So here is but a snip of our weekend...

Emily, our 15 year old niece, has recently experienced a leukemia relapse. Obviously, any prayers you could offer on her behalf would be greatly appreciated! On Friday, we had the opportunity to spend the day with her in Pittsburgh Children's Hospital. Before we arrived, she had a rough morning and spent most of her time in the bathroom with her stomach and digestive tract in disarray (putting it very mildly!). But when we arrived, she was getting her appetite back and feeling much better. Emily asked Dawn to warm up some pasta for her which she then had to eat with a spoon (there was not a fork to be found!) - but it was very entertaining to see her giggling as she chased the food around the platter with the spoon! Then, she had a brilliant idea - in order to get a fork, she ordered this pizza and baked potato!

"You'll see," she said, "I will never be able to eat the pizza, but at least I will have a fork!"

In the 30 minutes it took to get her meal, she figured out how to finish the pasta with the spoon and was still hungry, so she ate her own words along with the pizza! Emily said that it would never stay down through the day, so we prayed that the Lord would calm her stomach.

As you can see, she didn't get a chance to eat the potato - needless to say, Dawn likes baked potatoes!

Then it was time for me to climb in with her for a little rest... after all, the turkey was still working on me from the day before (you know, the tryptophan thing...). Do you think we could get any sleep? No way, Dawn is full of questions you know! [Although, truth be told, I was picking at Emily quite a bit so the lack of rest was my own fault! Don't tell Dawn that I admitted that, okay?]

Emily's stomach started bothering her a bit later in the day, but it calmed down as her sister, Leah, came in. Leah stayed the night with her and has been ultra supportive! Just try to keep them apart - it simply cannot be done. By the way, she was able to keep her food down for the rest of the evening! One of those small answered prayers.

After we left, Leah shaved Emily's head. After the treatments, her hair was falling out and with each stroke of her hair, gobs would come out. In fact, she couldn't even brush it because it was all matted on the back of her head like a beehive doo! She was able to laugh about it though and looked forward to having it off. She told us, "it's so itchy, it is driving me crazy!"

Emily's next big round of chemo treatments came on Sunday. As part of that treatment, there are three shots that must be administered in her legs. She told us that she prefers getting them all at once, so three nurses came in and counted off, "One, two, three!", and stuck them into her legs at the same time! She insisted that is the way she prefers it, "much better than getting three different shots, isn't it? That way it is all done at one time."

She is a tough kid, no doubt. Obviously, we are praying that her treatments and upcoming bone marrow transplant go well and are 100% successful. Will you join us?

What a great day of thanksgiving! Surrounded by family and friends, all coming together to laugh and catch up on all that is going on in life. Here, Leah is teaching Kaylee a little attitude - cute attitude that is! Leah has been spending as much time as she can with Emily since her relapse - it has been tough on both of them. [Leah's sister, Emily, is in Pittsburgh Children's Hospital now undergoing more treatment for leukemia - please keep them in your prayers]

Adam and I grabbed Santa while he was on break and away from the children for a photo. He wanted to get back in his red garb, but we assured him that times have changed and everybody is wearing t-shirts these days! Really, how many people wear suits when they are relaxing and just hangin' out? Right?

Don and Kim came in from Kansas as they have been doing for many years and, in fact, had the meal started for us. When we got there, we all dove into the kitchen work to prepare the feast. Of course, Don and I had to have our political discussion first. Don't worry though, we are on the same page so there was no bloodshed! [grin]

In case you didn't realize it, I am not a believer in the statement, "Never talk about two things - religion or politics!" Quite the contrary - we need to talk about those things because it is through the interaction of differing perspectives that we grow to a deeper understanding of each other! It seems that the most important thing to remember is that you won't ever agree on all points, and that is okay. But definitely talk about them, we desperately need those discussions in our society!

After we finished cleaning up (a job we all chipped in to do - many hands make light work!), I gathered all the ladies together and made them smile [not that it was a difficult task at all - we smiled and laughed a lot throughout the day (and even shed a few tears)].

After this photo, Leah, Kim and Don left for Pittsburgh to see Emily. Adam, Dawn and I went to my parents house for the rest of the afternoon/evening and let Mom and Dad Naylor recuperate from the days activities - Mom was totally spent! But both of them surely enjoy the company.

God is great and takes all circumstances in the lives of those who trust Him and use them for good. All of the trials and struggles, the joys and blessings, tragedies and sorrow, laughter and tears - all of them He will use for good in our lives if we can only trust in Him. May he richly bless you this season!

One Day Away

Family is really something special! Can't wait to spend more time with them.

This one seems to be very hungry and ready for some turkey! Gobble, gobble!

Guess who this is...

Here we sit, just one day away from a mini vacation - a five day break will be good for all of us! Not to mention, the Honey-do list has really added up over the past couple of months. It is really hard to say though, what will actually get accomplished (considering the fact we will probably spend most of the time running around visiting family).

But Thanksgiving is a great time for such things - family, friends, and food (all for the glory of God of course!), who could ask for more?

Leave some comments and tell me some of the blessings you are grateful for as you ponder this past year. As for us, not a day goes by that we don't talk about our Great Adventure last summer - that was an incredible vacation that blessed our socks off!

God bless!

Catching Up

We caught Adam catching a few extra Zzzz's on Saturday afternoon. He had his computer on his lap and was talking to Dawn, when all of a sudden, mid-sentence, he started to snore! I'm not gonna lie, it was pretty funny.

In his defense though, the poor guy was out all night helping with the youth group's lock in. He did manage to catch a couple hours of sleep while he was there, and miraculously, didn't even get pranked! You gotta admit, he is one brave guy.

Of course, whatever big brother does, little brother has to copy! Yes, Bear really sleeps like this. In fact, when you pet him, he rolls right over to let you get his belly. Strange dog fits right in with the rest of the strange family! Haha. (No comments necessary, Uncle Dan!)

Now that marching season has come to an end, my life will get back to some semblance of "normal" so it will be fun to be able to post entries more frequently again. It is nice to be able to share a little glimpse now and again of what is happening in our world and enjoy hearing what is going on in yours as well.

We are really looking forward to this week as we celebrate Thanksgiving - after all, we have a great deal to be thankful for! I pray that you too, will find reason to celebrate and give thanks to the Lord above for all that he has given you throughout this past year. Please feel free to reply to this posting with some of those things you are most thankful for this year! May God continue to richly bless you.

Unexpected Surprise

This is one of those nasty maple trees that insists on dropping leaves all over my yard - taken about 2 weeks ago

It has been quite a while since my last posting due to a crazy schedule! In fact, we had a yard full of leaves that has been collecting and collecting, then collecting some more. Due to all that is going on though, we haven't been able to pick any of them up.

With the upcoming wedding, we committed to spending last weekend with Jackie to do some shopping for a wedding dress, watch a play at Waynesburg College (WAY TO GO MARY! GREAT JOB!), go to the church they would like to have the ceremony in and close out the weekend with a concert by the touring choir (in which, Jackie had a solo that she just happened to NAIL!).

Well, Jackie found a dress that fit her perfectly, so we bought it on the spot! The play was really well done and very entertaining. The church was very pretty and the touring choir was fantastic! Success!

Of course, when we got home at 11:30pm Sunday night the leaves were still covering our yard. They didn't get up and walk themselves into the woods or anything! Yes, I'm not gonna lie, I was stressing over it. If they stay there, they eventually get blown into the neighbors yard and that is NOT good! I told Dawn, "If they will just stay put till Wednesday and Thursday I could actually take care of them - a two day opening in the schedule that will be perfect for gathering leaves! And wow, go figure, the weather is going to be perfect, too!"

So what was the unexpected surprise, you ask? When I came home at 4:30, Adam had already started the job and Matt was here helping, too! In what was left of our sunlight, we were able to get about half of the leaves hauled away! Let me tell you, a half acre of yard under cherry and maple trees can gather some serious piles of leaves!

Thanks Adam and Matt for the help, it was a truly unexpected and an awesome surprise!

Time Warp

It is always amazing to me that we go into marching band season in August when all is beautiful and green. The warm breezes of the evening, dance across the lush mountainside and carry us away to better places. We can stretch out and enjoy the warmth of sun during the day and a good campfire at night.

Then I wake up while staring at the calendar and find that two months have passed - like I unwillingly zipped through some twisted time travel! Any leaves still clinging to the trees are shriveled and brown and all the others are piled high on the ground below. No time to rake them so they simply lie there daring Old Man Winter to come early with his blanket of snow; as if it is some kind of cosmic race dauntingly waving its earthtone patchwork flag as a sign of victory!

The seasons surely do fly by fast these days.

Is There Any End In Sight?

Unbelievable! How much money can our government actually go through before they realize that there is not a grove of money trees on the South Lawn? CNN reports, "All told, the government estimates some 64 million Americans will receive the one-time stimulus checks this year, at a cost of $13 billion to the federal budget." 13 billion dollars. Like it is simply pocket change, that is the amount being offered to a large body of retirees and disabled persons on fixed incomes. (http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/05/07/seniors.stimulus/index.html)

There was no overall inflation this year, in fact, many expenses have deflated this past year, so there was no cost of living increase. Now I know it is hard to live on a fixed income and I am sure I will have a better understanding of it while living in those shoes. But I do know that the reasoning behind the offering of this money does not match the payoff.

1. We are paying this because there was no cost of living increase in payments. Okay, but if there are no significant changes in the inflation index, it does not cost more to live.

2. I heard today that it is being offered to help offset the sagging housing market because many seniors sell their homes and will lose money. Okay. But are they trying to tell us that $250 will make up for the losses experienced on selling a home? Gimme a break!

Could it be that it is being released just in time to try to appease a very large group of people who are very concerned over the looming health care debate? 13 billion dollars used to be shocking to people 30 years ago - it was still considered a very large number. Now it seems to be a disposable amount! Sorry Mom and Dad, but what it costs the nation doesn't seem a good trade off for the small gain it brings you. After all, we all want free money, but Dad taught me long ago that there is no such thing - somebody, somewhere pays for it!

I am concerned for our children and grandchildren who are going to be left with nothing but a suffocating national debt to a myriad of foreign nations! Our national debt is currently over 11 trillion dollars! And what is our answer? "Let's throw some more money at it!" It is pure insanity! What does 11 trillion dollars look like? $11,000,000,000,000.00. We simply get lost in all the zeros. This is our NATIONAL DEBT! Not our deficit, that is different. Our deficit adds to our debt every year. I think that our congressmen and women have simply gotten lost in all those numbers.

And the proposed health plans are going to cost us even more. What's more is that we cannot pay for what we are doing now, and they want to add more to bucket? Granted, we need to address some of the problems in our current health care system - but the thought of totally revamping the best care in the world is ludicrous.

There are some who have told me that the best is "no good at all" if some people cannot receive that care. Again, I agree that some elements of our health care system need to be addressed, but a total and radical overhaul to make our system more like that of the socialist nations would be crazy.

I had the opportunity to live in Holland for nearly four years while in the military and experienced socialized medicine firsthand. Adam was born in Utrecht, Netherlands, where Dawn stayed in an open, concrete walled bay with 14 other women. The patients in several bays shared a common bathroom and shower for the entire floor. We had a Dutch neighbor who was a friend and happened to be a highly specialized "in vitro surgeon" who earned about the same wages I was making as an E-5, Staff Sergeant in the US Air Force. He hoped to be able to move to America some day to practice medicine with the best equipment available.

The stories go on, but I don't want to put to sleep those of you who made it this far. I am concerned that these proposals our government is considering will drive our costs up while diminishing the great quality of medicine we enjoy in this country. There are some great concepts being tossed around that do not require a total overhaul of the system and I hope that common sense and reason will be the order of the day.

After all, if I were to go into extreme debt and never bring in more than I spent, there would be an abundance of agencies knocking on my door and taking all that I have to try to offset that debt. One day, they will come knocking on the door of America! Then what?

Winter already?

It seems to be that time of year to begin preparing for winter. This evening was spent getting the camper winterized since this morning we walked out into a very heavy frost! News reports are showing snow in some of the upper elevations out west, many of which we were riding through just a few months ago on our motorcycle!

Odd to see them getting pelted with snow already. It seems like we were out there just a few weeks ago... CRAZY how fast time marches on by! After all, I just finished the video of our Great Adventure, maybe that is why it doesn't seem like so long ago.

We still have quite a bit more to do to get ready for the deep freeze that seems to be coming our way over the next few months. Is this winter going to be unusually bad? Many are predicting that and the way it is starting off, it sure seems possible!

All I have to say is, it is very nice to have an evening free to take care of some of those chores! I had to do them alone though, because Dawn is really under the weather with a pretty bad cold. Poor girl is all congested with the scratchy throat thing going on, chilly, then warm, etc. Of course, in this case, she really does not have to "share and share alike"! Honest, I will understand!

Sunrise, Sunset

As Dawn and I were preparing for our wedding, my mom requested very little of us. But one thing she did ask, was to have the song, "Sunrise, Sunset," performed during the ceremony. I thought she was crazy. Did you ever hear that song? It sounded like an old persons song! "Okay, Mom, we can have Uncle Lou sing it just for you."

What seemed like only a few seasons later, we watched our own children growing and often pondered those lyrics from Fiddler on the Roof...

Is this the little girl I carried?
Is this the little boy at play?
I don't remember growing older.
When did they?
When did she get to be a beauty?
When did he grow to be this tall?
Wasn't it yesterday when they were small?

Sunrise, sunset.
Sunrise, sunset.
Swiftly flow the days.
Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers,
Blossoming even as we gaze.
Sunrise, sunset.
Sunrise, sunset.
Swiftly fly the years.
One season following another,

Laden with happiness and tears.

As I watch Adam playing some game on his computer, I often flashback to simpler times when he would be jumping - yes, literally jumping with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as he battled the other mutants on his Nintendo 64. Somewhere along the way he has outgrown the jumping part but still enjoys a good video game.

Well, Jackie came home for an overnight visit and as she took a phone call from a friend, she happened to be standing in front of our french doors in our living room. She has grown to be a very impressive young lady in so many ways. My attention was drawn through the doors onto the deck where my mind flashed back to the days when she would climb onto the railing and treat it like a balance beam. She would say, "Look Dad, I'm in the Olympics," then proceed to walk back and forth on the narrow five inch rail cap.

My heart would pound a little faster as I quickly calculated how many things could go wrong, but would respond with something like, "Go get 'em kid! Just watch your step, okay?"

Sometimes both of them were so brave and others they simply needed the comfort of our embrace. I cannot help but marvel at how much the Lord has blessed us over the years in countless ways. And in those blessings, I am still amazed at how many sunrises and sunsets fly by in fast motion leaving us to wonder, can this be my little girl? Can this be my little boy? They seem to have grown so quickly... I still find myself saying to them through my thoughts, prayers and words, "Go get 'em kid! Just watch your step, okay?"

Of course, sometimes the way they act I wonder, should I have some DNA tests done to see if they really are mine?

HAHAHA... just kidding, just kidding! They are unmistakably ours and we will keep them. You guys bring us great joy! Keep on, keepin' on!

It Has Been A While!

I simply cannot believe how fast time seems to zip on by! Has it truly been over 2 weeks since my last posting? So much has happened... I'm not gonna lie! My days have been jam packed with students, band and "run here; run there!"

Some great news? Our marching band participated in the Clarion Autumn Leaf Festival Parade last Saturday morning and finished first in class! Of course, my students were ecstatic! Way to go band!!

Other news? Dawn's Mom has had some pretty rough days but she is tough, just when you think she has had enough she bounces back strong as ever. The past couple days have been very good for her and in a couple more days, we will be celebrating her birthday.

More news? Jackie's wedding plans are moving right along. She is more excited than ever and has already decided on some of the details for the big day. Will is more than happy to let her run with it since he has started his new job in Chico, California.

Yes, life is rolling right along. Sometimes it seems that I am dangling by a string that is attached to a rocket streaking out into orbit! Have you ever felt like that?

Our First Paxton Family Reunion

It is true. This was our first ever Paxton Reunion and I must say, we had a great time! Where else could you get a bundle of black, white and pink pipe cleaners with the instructions to make a Holstein for a competition? Yes, you read that right, a "Holstein competition". You know me and Jackie when it comes to a competition - we went right to work!

When all of the twisting, bending and laughing was over, the table was covered in cows. But take a close look at the cow on the bottom left of the picture - the one that is laying down because it was made pancake style. Hmmm.... someone (not mentioning any names) thought they would cut some corners and rely on paying off the judges. More to come on the outcome later in this posting.

By that time in the evening, we were already very well fed - thanks Susan for another tremendous meal! Wow. Will was right, nobody goes away from a Paxton gathering hungry or wanting for anything. If you do, it is your own fault! Every base was covered from the pulled pork to the great desserts - fantastic!
We were even granted permission to wear the official "Paxton Gear" (of course we had to sign a formal agreement that we would not air any portion of the afternoon without written permission from the league... hahaha)
The long awaited vote finally came from Bill and John that kept everyone on the edge of their seats! It was really funny to hear all of the areas that the Holstein experts pointed out in each of the entries, but in the end they had to name a winner and two "runner-ups." After much deliberation, they placed all of the Holsteins entered. It was nice to see that our entry, Flow-ie, placed and won a price. Wondering which one we made? She is the real pretty one with a bow on her tail that is standing right above "Pancake Girl". [hahahaha just kidding!] (By the way, thanks for the apples, I had a couple tonight and they are delicious!)

The pancake Holstein? Last place. Lesson? It doesn't pay to try to schmooze the judges!

The girls certainly enjoyed some time to catch up on some chatter. Aren't they cute?

Seriously, thanks to all of the family members that we got to meet today. You have all made us feel like part of the family already!

Yuck!

Home sick today! Blah! I really hate having to stay home when I'm sick, don't you?

It seems that we just don't have the energy to really do anything of substance. Can't really go anywhere cause we don't want to pollute other people. We just feel gross! Personally, I would rather stay at work and at least do something productive, saving my sick days for retirement!

But the people around us deserve a bit of courtesy too. We are called to share with those less fortunate than us, but I don't think they want this!

Dawn was wondering if it is the swine flu. I really don't think so, because when I looked in the mirror my reflection boar no more of a resemblance to a pig than normal! Haha! [cough, cough... don't worry, that was into my elbow!]

Engaged!!!

The question many people are asking us "Really, what do you guys think about this?"

Well really both Greg and I are really excited and extremely happy for both Will and Jackie! Remember we have known Jackie for many years, we know her heart pretty well, her hopes her dreams. Will fits, he adores her, balances her, fits her dreams, LOVES her fully!

We haven't know Will years and years, but what we have gotten to know about him we approve. Did we tell you he LOVES her! We know they will have their challenges in the upcoming years, but haven't we all. They already are on the right track in their communication skills, keep working on that. We feel the most important thing they have going for them is they are trying to keep God as the center, yeah for them that will serve them well in all that they do.

I remember all the people who told Greg and I we were too young to be looking at getting married. As parents of Jackie we thank God that you are both committed enough to each other that you want to get married and not just live together until you are sure this is what you want. True love = commitment.

We love you both and couldn't be happier for you both or more proud of you both!

Notice the jealous dog in the picture? I think he is having the hardest time with this. He doesn't like it that he has been replaced as the love of Jackie's life.

The Big Question

What a great night! Good friends, a great crowd, delicious food, music and ballroom dancing! What more could one ask for?

Saturday night the Hotel Conneaut, located in Conneaut Lake Park, PA, was the scene of this extravaganza - a celebration of the reopening of the Crystal Ballroom. Among the 80+ people were my parents, Carole and Lew! It is really special to watch your parents dance the night away to the music that you are making. Thanks, Mom and Dad, for coming down and sharing in this great evening with us!

You see, I lead the jazz combo that provided the music for the night (truth be told, they are so good that my leadership is basically, "stay out of their way and try to keep up!"). The dance floor at times was packed and there were dancers all evening - very good dancers I might add! Although, don't let that scare you away as it rolls around again (perhaps as early as this spring!), because ballroom dancers are not judgmental or pompous as some might think. Instead, they are generally helpful and quick to show newcomers how to join in the fun. So next time put on your dancing shoes and come swing the night away!

Of course, all of that being said, my highlight of the evening, was not the food, or the dancing. Not the fellowship (all though that was great!) or making music with friends. Spending the evening with Dawn is always incredible, but that wasn't the highlight either. I always love to have Jackie sing with us since she is incredibly talented, but even that wasn't the highlight!

The highlight was definitely when Jackie came up to me after our second set of music and joyously told me that Will had proposed to her. She, of course, said yes!

So, the big plans include wedding bells early next summer. Will is going to start a new job in California in 10 days, therefore, after the wedding Jackie will be moving there as well. Many emotions are swirling through our household right now, but undoubtedly, we are thrilled for them. They care a great deal for each other and are certainly two peas in a pod, for sure!

One of their challenges will be trying to focus on work while being so far apart, Jackie on her studies and Will on his new position. They happen to feel as though they are up to it. We happen to know that they are!

What a sa-weeeeeet night.

Congratulations Jackie and Will - may the Lord richly bless you both as you step out into your very own Great Adventure!

One More Day

Ok. I'm not gonna lie. This week has been exhausting. Yesterday was much like Thursday, PACKED! But the band show was energetic and very entertaining. Way to go band!

The football team pulled out a big win against a very strong opponent. At the end of the first half it was anybodies game, but once again, they made the right adjustments at the half and powered their way to the end. Way to go team!

This morning? Waterfowl Parade in Linesville.

This afternoon? Set up for a ballroom dance at the Conneaut Hotel in Conneaut Lake Park.

This evening? A ballroom gala event celebrating the grand reopening of the Conneaut Hotel. My jazz band, The Baseline Combo (comprised of local professionals), will be providing the entertainment for the dance. Dinner at 6:30pm, dancing begins at 7:30. I do believe the cost for the entire evening is only $50/couple.

Tomorrow? Church, Sunday School, then a little R & R!

A Day In the Life

In walk the normal group of students, asking questions and getting ready for the day. High school students seem to have a lot of questions at times. Then again, there are other times that one simply feels invisible around them.

As the bell rings to start the day, they all head off in their own directions, lumbering off to begin another day. The typical half closed eyes and shuffling of the "night owls" mix with the laughter and optimism of the "morning people".

Then in walks the new student I met yesterday. A very nice young man. Very polite and excited about this new opportunity to learn a band instrument. He is a junior and has just moved into the area but has an interest in music.

"I'm going to have to see what level of aptitude you have for the instruments." I ask, "have you ever played an instrument before?"

After taking a moment to think about the question, he answered, "Well, I have never played a trumpet. But I would like to try. I think I can do it."

"I hear that you have played the drums before. Would you like to show me how you can play those?"

"Yes," he said. "I would like to do that." What a great lesson we had. A very pleasant young man who has some special needs but was able to brighten the room with eyes that smiled and eager enthusiasm!

He definitely showed some aptitude for music and was a joy to work with. At the same time, in the other side of the room was the other extreme. One of my very gifted seniors who was working on a piano piece that she wants to perform at an upcoming show. "Hey, 'P', what do you think of this? It is really frustrating me."

A few other lessons come through the room, then my first class arrives - Music Appreciation. We spend our time working on some rhythmic theory and reading notation, mix in some ear training and a bit of sight reading. We laugh a little at some of the "music" they created - and I must say, the term music is used very loosely!

Next is a group of about 45 students. A mixture of 9th and 10th grade students that I hadn't planned on, but were sent to me to watch while our juniors and seniors were pulled out to discuss graduation projects. Since it is very hard to waste any time that could be used encouraging young minds, I begin a discussion on what they can expect as they move into their junior and senior years in regards to their graduation project requirements. Of course, once again, the class is a mixture of blank stares, looks of fear, fatigue, interest and confusion. In an attempt to motivate, I link the project requirements to interests and hobbies they currently have. "Do something that you enjoy! Try finishing it early - don't procrastinate! In the end, you might actually learn something about yourself that you didn't know before."

As they leave, some stay behind with questions. I tend to get a lot of questions in a day - I mean A LOT!.

In walks my band. They have a very wide spectrum of abilities and interest levels. Through the class, we cover a few theory items then have a short discussion on the level of performance we are at with our marching band. "How can we improve our performance? What is wrong with it? What have you heard from people concerning the show?"

High school students can be very insightful at times. They were able to identify many areas that need attention and improvement. Then we played some music. Unfortunately, our music rehearsal wasn't very productive - once in a while, we have those days where nothing seems to go right, musically speaking. Oh well, we will have another crack at it later in the evening and perhaps it will go a bit more productively.

Next, I work with several students on various things, from piano parts, to broken horns that aren't playing right, to reading music for the guitar, to improvising on a pentatonic scale.

The bell rings and everyone slowly trickles out, on their way to their next class. Ahh. Peace and quiet. Now I can get some work done during my lunch time - there is always a pile of paperwork to be accomplished, especially during marching season. Ahh, who am I kidding, there is always a pile of paperwork to do all year long!

Just as I sit down, it is like I have a button on the chair or something that summons students, because in walks the senior pianist, "Hey, 'P', mind if I work some more on that piece of music during lunch? I won't stay for long."

What's a guy gonna say? Of course it is alright. What's the harm? After all, now I get to do my paperwork to piano music! Although, it isn't long and I have to actually kick her out of the room. Sorry, but you really have to get to lunch!

Then I get the news that one of my seniors will probably be withdrawing from school. A great member of the marching band and one that has so much untapped potential. He has a fantastic personality, is really bright and very talented, yet hasn't found those organizational skills that make him successful academically. What a kick in the gut. I was really pulling for him - and still am! I pray that he will find that motivation soon because he has a great deal to offer!

Several classes, lessons and great moments pass by. Including the boy who handed me the instrument during junior high band and said, "Mr. Peters, this piece just fell off. What do you want me to do?" It was one of the mounting posts for the keys! Basically, the instrument will not play without it! The humor is that this poor boys seems to have a good dose of my dad's luck - you know, things seem to fall apart in his hands!

The day finally comes to a close at 3:05 and the students all head for the door. That is of course, all of them except the handful that will hang out in the room until marching band practice at 6pm. That is okay, tonight I have a pile of work to get caught up on so they are fine in the room while I get some work done. Some of them messing around, you know, playing around with the drums and guitars, some working on homework, and some just playing games while listening to music. A great environment for me to get my work done, wouldn't you say?

More and more students gather until 6pm quickly rolls around and we begin our practice. Once again, we begin with a discussion on what needs addressed followed by an overview of the rehearsal order; we will begin with parade work, focus on basics, then review pre-game, run the show as a review, then clean up the 4th song.

Our parade rehearsal was pathetic. I gave them a swift kick for motivation (figuratively, of course!). Wow! We ended up with a fantastically productive rehearsal through the rest of the night!

I drag myself into the door at 8:30pm to the smell of a wonderful supper that Dawn and prepared. We chat for a while then I grab a shower. And, well, here I am. 11pm.

So, why do I share all this with you? I'm not sure. Perhaps you can get a glimpse of what happens behind those walls of a music room where those strange combinations of sounds seem to continuously stream out. Perhaps you are pondering working with children in some capacity and you find this to be a confirmation to that thought. Or maybe you are simply rejoicing that your days are much more peaceful than mine! Go ahead, rub it in!