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?