Our Emily

A beautiful light flickered, then went out.

A light that once shone brightly,

Full of life and spunk;

Always asking questions

And even giving an occasional attitude.

A beautiful light flickered, then went out.

Collecting bugs from the yard,

Trophies from heaven;

"Let's go swimming, the water's great!"

Later, sitting with droopy eyes next to the campfire.

A beautiful light flickered, then went out.

Growing up is not always easy for a teenage girl,

Awkward adolescence,

Good friends, bad friends,

Boys.

Oh, boy!

Decisions - some good, some bad.

Feeling sick.

Leukemia?!

Reality check.

Growing up is not always easy for a teenage girl.

Hospital stays that seem to go on forever!

Poked, prodded and tested

As if she was a pin cushion;

But take heart, 

Everything is going as planned.

Medications and trips to Pittsburgh

Follow-up, check-up, 

Cheer up girl,

Everything looks great!

Growing up is not always easy for a teenage girl.

Wonderful, caring people

Nurses that truly love their patients;

Open, honest and helpful.

They are simply blessings, 

Angels sent from above.

Recovery.

Chances are very good that this is coming to an end.

Stay on track,

All looks good.

Medications and trips to Pittsburgh - YUCK!

Make a wish, any wish.

Hawaii it will be,

Take your Mom, take your Dad,

Take your sisters too!

Recovery is so sweet!

Bad news - it's back.

By the way, Merry Christmas.

Just another week and it is off again to Pittsburgh

But this time the odds are not as bright.

Make a wish, any wish.

The marrow transplant.

Lots of hope.

Complications as weeks turn into months!

Things are not going as smoothly as the first round of treatments.

Complications.

Hopeful.

Confused.

Fighting.

Praying.

Surrounded by chemical pumping machines.

Tired.

Complications.

Tears.

Questions.

Prayers.

Nurses and doctors that continually show deep compassion.

Love.

Exhausted.

Tiring of the fight.

Trusting in God.

Many more tears.

Make a wish, any wish.

Life is not easy for a teenage girl.

Look to the Lord with open arms.

A beautiful light flickered, then went out.

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children (Genesis 50:20-21).

Unending Love - The Beginning

I thought it might be nice to share the video we played before Jackie and Will's wedding. Crazy how similar they were as they grew up - kind of like God had a plan all along.  Simply click on the phrase "Unending Love - The Beginning" below.

Unending Love - The Beginning

They are doing really well, by the way. Will's dealership is now officially open. Gracie is being the perfect pest that Jackie thought she would be. And the three of them actually have some time to enjoy each others company for a change.

Butterfly Kisses

Once again, time has quickly slipped away in the blink of an eye.  So much has happened over the past couple weeks that have kept us on the run - some were fantastic and some very sad.  Over the coming days I will try to catch you up on the happenings in our world, but please, be patient and don't hold my feet to the fire, Steve.  I promise that as I have time and exhaustion hasn't set in, the updates will come.

There's two things I know for sure:
She was sent here from heaven and she's
daddy's little girl.
As I drop to my knees by her bed at night
She talks to Jesus and I close my eyes and
I thank god for all the joy in my life
Oh, but most of all
For butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer;
sticking little white flowers all up in her
hair; "Walk beside the pony, Daddy, it's my first ride."
"I know the cake looks funny, Daddy, but I sure tried."
In all that I've done wrong I know I must
have done something right to deserve a hug
every morning and butterfly kisses at night.

Not so long ago, seven year old Jackie and I were dancing to a new release by Bob Carlisle called Butterfly Kisses.  Jackie's butterfly kisses and dancing was part of everyday life in our house.  Good night stories and big dreams of what the future would bring.  Sometimes castles and princes occupied her mind while other times she dreamed of living on the prairie on a homestead.  She would say, "Don't worry Dad, I'll always love you!"  [Okay, I'm starting to get choked up again... better move along]

Sweet 16 today

She's looking like her mama a little more everyday
One part woman, the other part girl.
To perfume and make-up from ribbons and curls
Trying her wings out in a great big world.
But I remember
Butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer; sticking
little white flowers all up in her hair.
"You know how much I love you, Daddy, But if you
don't mind I'm only gonna kiss you on the cheek this time."


I knew that one day she would find a great guy who would step into the picture and sweep her off her feet and, sure enough, along came Will.  That time simply comes faster than any of us could ever imagine - and that was 18 months ago!  It has been fun to watch them grow in their love for each other and we have been so proud of their desire to be true to one another and to the Lord through the decisions they have made.  They have dreamed together of what can be, what should be, and how they can make it all happen.  That is the way it should be - you know, lots of dreams.  And yet, just like the wind...

All the precious time
Like the wind, the years go by.
Precious butterfly.
Spread your wings and fly.

June, 26, 2010.  That day arrived in just about as much time as it takes to get a butterfly kiss!

She'll change her name today.
She'll make a promise and I'll give her away.
Standing in the bride-room just staring at her.
She asked me what I'm thinking and I said "I'm not
sure-I just feel like I'm losing my baby girl."
She leaned over...gave me butterfly kisses with her mama there,
Sticking little white flowers all up in her hair
"Walk my down the aisle, Daddy-it's just about time."
"Does my wedding gown look pretty, Daddy? Daddy, don't cry!"

What a beautiful young lady!  She was glowing when she came down the hallway with the bridesmaids, just outside the sanctuary, and we were all fighting back the tears with a range of emotions flowing through us.  "Look at my brown flowers," she said with a smile and a little giggle.  The bridesmaids came up with the idea to help redirect her thoughts and avoid the tears.  It helped a little, but her cow lily bouquet was a beautiful white not brown at all, and Jackie was a gorgeous young bride who was ready to meet her bridegroom.

It was time.  The walk down the aisle to her prince charming was at hand.  We can do this Dad.

Oh, with all that I've done wrong I must have

done something right.

To deserve your love every morning and butterfly

kisses-I couldn't ask God for more, man this is what love is.

I know I gotta let her go, but I'll always remember
every hug in the morning and butterfly kisses.

I am told that you can tell a great deal about the groom by the way he watches his bride come down the aisle.  Will was completely taken by her beauty.

The scriptures say, "and the two shall become one."  Jackie and her Prince Charming, Will, in front of a room full of guests, shared their vows and celebrated the beginning of their new life together.  It was a day of very rich blessings!

We pray that the Lord will watch over you both as you seek to serve each other in complete devotion.  May His love grow in you as you grow in Him!  We love you guys!

Impressive Young Lady

We are in the Pittsburgh Children’s Hospital with many of the family members at the recommendation of Emily’s doctors. You know that means Emily’s time with us is very limited – that is of course unless the Lord chooses to intervene with a major miracle. We are preparing for the likelihood that the Lord will be calling her home soon and are working through the many mixed emotions that come with saying goodbye. The Lord is sovereign and we totally trust in Him regardless of whether we understand His ways.

Emily has fought a long hard battle that isn’t over yet.

“Tears are God’s way of releasing the pressures of the heart.” Pastor Freeman stopped in today to check on the family and shared those words with us as he brought with him an excitement for the Lord that was contagious and uplifting.

There is another amazing young woman that I am thinking about today as well. On Saturday, we will be celebrating Jackie and Will’s wedding. Jackie has proven to have incredible character through all of the storms of this past week. Not only has Emily taken a very bad turn, but Jackie’s Matron of Honor was in Virginia with her family last weekend for a different wedding when her father had some serious seizures and was hospitalized – placed in ICU. The seizures were so serious that he had lost his speech and it took several days to regain it. Thankfully he has improved and it looks like they will be coming home soon, and we are very grateful for that.

Most brides, faced with all that is going on, would be a wreck! But Jackie has shown such faith and maturity through these eventw that I cannot help but be blessed and very proud of her. Many people have wondered if Dawn and I are concerned that she is getting married so young, but we realize how mature she is and are confident that God has some great things in store for the two of them as they travel this life together. Will there be tears and struggles along the way? Of course. But as they grow in Christ, they will most definitely grow closer to one another. I wonder if Will realizes that he is getting such a strong, confident, faithful young lady? My guess is that he does.

My favorite verse comes from Proverbs 3, beginning in verse 5: “Trust in the Lord with all your and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.”

Through it all, our trust is in the Lord.

Adam's Birthday

As Adam's birthday is quickly approaching, we thought it would be nice to take the kids out for a meal. We decided to give a new restaurant in Meadville a try, Montana's Rib and Chop House. The food was fantastic! The pricing is on par with Applebee’s and other such restaurants. But oh, were the ribs delicious! Adam ordered calamari as an appetizer… mmmm. Did I mention the ribs? If you are going to try it out, we have heard that it is a good idea to make reservations on the weekends (which we did and had no problem). Two thumbs up!

On the way home we had to stop at Wal-Mart. It was an experience, for sure. You see, Dawn gave Adam a pair of jeans for Christmas that didn’t fit. He never exchanged them, so last week Dawn exchanged them for a pair that she thought would fit. Nope. They didn’t. So we were in the store yesterday listening to, “You are going to try these on to make sure they fit!”

We all got a good laugh out of that. Jackie walked away embarrassed. Adam said he felt like a little kid again (which at age 25 isn’t all that bad). And, in keeping with those rebellious years, never did try them on. It was a good time.

Happy Birthday Adam!

Quick update

Emily was really depressed that she is still in the hospital for Memorial Day weekend.  Every year, Dawn and I have had a picnic to celebrate the holiday and the kids always look forward to riding our four-wheeler (of course, Candy and Kim have every bit as much fun on it as the kids do!).  The last couple years have also included some motorcycle rides - Emily and I went on a nice long ride last year celebrating her recovery and chatted all along the way.  When we got back, I was in big trouble with Dawn because everybody was ready to leave, "and where did you go for so long?!"  We were only gone for 40 minutes or so.  She got over it pretty fast when I told how much Em enjoyed our time together.

Emily told Candy the other day that this is her favorite holiday because she gets to come down and ride the motorcycle and had really hoped that she would be home by now.  Then she began to cry.

It simply breaks my heart that she has been in the hospital for more than 100 days now.  The doctors are still struggling to keep her blood pressure in check and cannot find what is causing it.  They fear that her luekemia may returning so will be performing another bone asperation this week.  She has been sick and not eating for the past week.  We pray that there is some other cause because a relapse at this time could be devastating. 

The only good news is that they have finally found a cream that has been effective in healing her open sores.

Jim is not doing well either.  He is still in a great deal of pain and has no strenghth left.  Candy is simply overwhelmed by all that is going on

And yet, Romans 8:28 states, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."  Even in this terrible struggle all of you find yourselves wrapped up in, God will work good out of it in a mighty and powerful way.  Call on him and he will lift you up and strengthen you!  We love you guys!

Emily, I have said it before, I'll say it again, you are one tough young lady!

Em's Struggle

Emily has been having a really tough time lately as she fights her ongoing battle with leukemia.  A few days ago she took a surprising turn as her temperature began rising without any known cause.  After her nurse insisted that she be watched very closely, the doctors decided to put her in ICU where her blood pressure dropped to nearly zero and she had no pulse in her outer extremities.  After pumping her full of meds, her blood pressure skyrocketed then the battle was on to bring it back to normal. 

She is still in the ICU as they try to figure out what caused the dramatic changes in her system.  They have ruled out any infections, which is a good thing.  However, that leaves them to speculate what caused the spike in temperature and drop in blood pressure so they need to retest her marrow.  That will have to wait for another day because she is too weak right now to go through that - the doctors will wait till she is a bit stronger for any tests like that.  We are praying hard that her leukemia has not emerged again to wreak more havoc in her body.  She has been through so much - please continue to pray for her.

Two More Weeks?

How in the world does this happen?  The next thing we know, two more weeks have flown by!  I am sorry, it is just a little crazy!

Okay, so here is a bit of a "catch up."

Last weekend Jackie had a bunch of women together to celebrate her bridal shower... oh yeah, Grandpa Naylor, too.  But the real miraculous part of the party was that Grandma Naylor was able to come down to Linesville to celebrate with them!  There were so many family and friends that came out for the day, Jackie was extremely blessed.  When I came home from the Junior High District Band Festival, Jackie was so excited about the day that she could hardly contain herself!  Thanks to all of you who shared that day with her.

Last Wednesday, we held our Spring Band Concert at the school.  It was an incredible evening that brought many compliments to the students and was a great overall blessing.  It is hard to imagine that another class will be graduating in a couple weeks - a class of students that seems like just yesterday they were bouncing into my kindergarten classroom fully expecting another great music lesson and all excited to learn another new song for the day.  I will miss having them in my ensembles but am looking forward to seeing them soar off onto the horizon as they move into the next chapter of their lives.  They had better come back to visit once in a while, that is all I have to say!

Then, this past weekend Adam and I (along with 11 other members of our worship teams from church), went to a fantastic praise conference called AMS @ Crosspoint Chapel in Buffalo, NY.  We all walked away touched and blessed beyond measure.  There was so much information offered that every element of praise and worship was touched on with great points covering ways to improve our ministry as we strive for excellence for the Lord.  The bands and worship teams were simply out of this world! [No pun intended]  We have already put next year's conference on the calendar as a "must attend".

Finally, today was our church's annual blessing of the bikes.  You might find it hard to believe, but I spent most of the early part of the festivities meeting and talking to newcomers to the event.  By the time I got out to the parking lot to take some pictures many of the bikes and riders had already been blessed and left!  So I snapped a few shots as people were leaving but had to talk with those who were left.  Like the father and son (16 years old) riding matching custom Harleys who were going to be featured in an upcoming advertising campaign by Harley-Davidson trying to reach out to the younger generation.  Or the woman who had unfortunately hit a dog on the way to the church.  There was some damage to her Harley, and sadly, some of the remains on the pipes and covers of the bike.  The blessing is that she was able to keep the bike upright and was not hurt.

Many of the bikes had left by the time I took this picture, but the exciting thing was that this year we set a record with over 160 motorcycles.  Talk about time flying by... this was our 8th "Blessing of the Bikes" event!

Unique machines?  It seems that each year brings something that is very unique and this year did not disappoint.  Of course, it is customary that whenever something really cool comes along, our pastor has to take it for a spin around the parking lot.  This tiny little chopper packs an incredible 110cc powerplant with a 4-speed tranny!  After his first lap, he stopped in for a pit-stop to find out how to get it out of 1st gear!  The shift pattern is simply four down, come on - everybody knows that!  (ha-ha, who woulda' guessed, right?)  After the blessing, we went out for a ride to the historic, White Turkey root beer joint in Ashtabula, Ohio.  You know, you have to have a root beer float!

Many of you look forward to updates on our family members who are facing some very difficult times, so I thought it a good idea to share a brief update with you.  Emily is still struggling, so please continue to keep her in your prayers.  The doctors are going to try some experimental medications to see if they can help with her recovery.  She is having a very tough time of it.  Jim is struggling even more than she is, so we greatly appreciate all of your concern and prayers.  Poor Candy is trying to keep up with everything but it is so overwhelming.

One Never Knows

On occasion, life has an interesting way of bringing great people alongside of us.  For the past couple months Dan Miller has been working with me as a student teacher from Edinboro University, PA.  He was a tremendous asset and a real blessing - a friendship that I am sure will continue to grow over the coming years.

The kids thought he was fantastic!  If you work with kids, you know that says a great deal.  Thanks Dan, for all that you brought to our little school!  I pray many blessings on you as you continue on your way which, I'm sure, will be a truly great adventure of your own.

Dan graduates this Saturday but is coming back to Linesville next Wednesday to conduct a couple selections at our Spring Concert.  We are all looking forward to a great evening.

Tired of the bridge?

Okay, I'm not gonna lie - I cannot even believe that it has been an entire month since my last posting!  Life has had us on the "wheel" and we have been running like crazy but not really getting anywhere.  Have you ever been there before?  Now, in all honesty, looking back we have truly covered a lot of ground as we get ready for things yet to come yet at the same time we have been taking care of an incredible amount of present day demands.

My classes went very well, but demanded far more time than I had planned.  And to think that I only have another fifteen months to go!  Woo-hoo!  They were very good though and I was able to glean a great deal from them.

The wedding plans are coming along very well - thanks of course to Dawn and Jackie [between the lines = no thanks to Will and I!].  This weekend will be the big wedding shower.  A gathering of all kinds of chicks - from the mother hens all the way down through the little chickadees.  Joys!   Just kidding ladies, just kidding!

I just talked to Jackie and she is doing really well at school.  Her classes are finished this Thursday and she is really excited to come home.  That will mean that she is on to her next thing... Here comes the bride...

Will won't be there because he is busy in Sommerset putting the new business together.  He is planning to open his doors on Monday.  Of course, if he doesn't have to be there, neither do I!  Now don't get me wrong, I would love to spend the day with my girl, just not at a shower.  I've passed through a couple of them before and they are most certainly designed for those with the xx chromosome.  I think it is a chromosome thing.

Many of you are probably wondering what is going on with Emily.  She has been having it really tough lately.  For over 75 days she has been trapped in her hospital room!  She has only been able to escape a couple times during the past couple weeks and even then, only for 15-20 minutes.  Due to a low white blood cell count she cannot risk exposure to any germs.

She has a couple different infections as well, so they have had her on various anti-boiotics in an attempt to fight them off.  In conjunction with that, is a battery of steroids which is why she is so puffy.

Emily is tough though, she has been through far more than any teenager should have to face and yet, carries a positive attitude that simply exudes a sense of, "I'm gonna get through this!"  The doctors feel that she is on track to pull through the transplant and treatments just fine.  It is taking longer then we expected, that's all.

Jim is not doing as well.  They still have not performed the surgery and the cancer has moved into his spine.  There is far too much happening there to write about in this entry, but please remember him in your prayers.  A miraculous healing would be wonderful!

For those who look forward to my postings, please forgive my absence.  I will try very hard to keep you up to date.

Where is that bridge?

I was asked about the bridge in my last posting so here is a little information about it.  From Wikipedia:

The Smolen–Gulf Bridge is a covered bridge which carries State Road (Ashtabula County Road 25) across the Ashtabula River and the Plymouth and Ashtabula Township line in northern Ashtabula County, Ohio, United States. At 613 feet (182.9 meters), it is the longest covered bridge in the United States – a title formerly held by the Cornish–Windsor Covered Bridge in New Hampshire – and the fourth longest covered bridge in the world.[3] The bridge, one of 16 drivable covered bridges in the county, was designed by John Smolen, former Ashtabula County Engineer when the idea of bridging the Ashtabula River Gulf with a wooden structure was first conceived in 1995.

Here is a link to its location:

Smolen-Gulf Bridge, Ashtabula, Ohio

A great destination on such a beautiful weekend!  Happy riding!

We pray that you will have a very blessed Easter this year!  Remember to take some time and thank our Savior for all that he has done, and continues to do, for us.

Goodbye old friend...

Don't worry, nothing drastic or crazy is happening... well, not too drastic that is. Adam and I uncovered the camper today so I can start prepping it. This year, the plan is to sell it. We hardly used it the last two seasons and after such a fantastic journey last year on the bike, well, it just stands to reason that it is time to say goodbye.

It has been a great deal of fun over the years to camp in new and exciting places with the kids. They loved packing up all the gear (and don't forget the bikes!), inviting a friend, and heading out with great expectations of another exciting adventure.

Over the years, we have camped in northern Michigan, Maine, the Outer Banks, Kansas, Florida, on the Chesapeake Bay, West Virginia, New York, Ohio, and countless Pennsylvania locations. That of course, is not counting all the trips we took while living in Europe and California! Traveling seems to be in our blood - the road simply calls to us and we cannot resist its bidding.

But the kids have grown. Jackie will be moving to Somerset with Will, and Adam is busy with his job. And when we travel, we thoroughly enjoy riding the bike which means staying in a hotel. So for the time being we won't be using our old friend very much, therefore it makes more sense to sell it than to use it as a lawn ornament.

I never thought there would be a day when we wouldn't have a camper, but the time has come.  Afterall, for everything there is a season: a time to sow, a time to reap; a time to get up, a time to lay down; a time to camp, AND A TIME TO RIDE!

Walking

Oh yes, we definintely love walking during this time of the year.  The air is crisp and clear, the trails are dry, and there aren't any bugs that chase you down and suck your blood!  Not only did we get to go on a motorcycle ride on Saturday afternoon, but have been able to get out for three different evening walks!

This coming Saturday will mark another first for the year - we plan to go cut some firewood!  Time to fire up the old Stihl and fill the wood sheds back up for next winter.  [In case you couldn't tell, Dawn and I have become planners.]

Easter weekend is going to be very nice so a couple more bike rides are definitely in order!  Keep your eyes open 'cause there will be a ton of bikes out this weekend!  vroom! vroom!!!

Happily Ever After

Once upon a time there was a young princess who loved to explore the kingdom through countless portals in her castle that we know as books.  She was quite content to travel through time and places while relaxing comfortably, curled up under a blanket, twisting her hair and simply reading away.

Then, one day, she met this nutty young pauper with all kinds of crazy ideas.  The princess was intrigued by the way that he could simply ramble on about nothing at all and she would listen to him for hours while gazing dreamily into his bright blue eyes!

It wasn't long before the two fell deeply in love.  They married, had children, struck out on countless adventures, served the Lord their God, and were richly blessed by their time together!  They became fantastic companions while sharing in the joys of the journey's mountaintop experiences!  Truly, a more perfect couple could not be found in all the earth.

Then one day, a few adventures later, they found their hair graying, faces wrinkling, eyes blurring, children grown, and loved ones facing many difficult and perilous days.  But what they surprisingly discovered was that through the darker journeys they had taken, a miraculous transformation had taken place.  For they had been shaped, not only into the best of friends, but also into unwavering pillars of strength for each other so each one could help the other through dark and difficult passages along the journey. 

Through each life adventure, the two fell more deeply in love and became more spiritually interwoven to the point that no man could ever begin to seperate them! 

And they lived happily ever after.

Happy Anniversary, Sweetheart!!!!!  I love you more!!!!!

Happy Birthday, Dear Dawn... happy birthday to you!

Once upon a time a beautiful young princess was born in a land not so far away.  She grew to be a beautiful woman, wise and true. 

Filled with love for her family she continually demonstrates that she will gladly do whatever it takes to care for them.  Giving.  Loving.  Protecting.  They all come to mind when I think of her.

And there is this one thing that happens each year on this date - she catches up to me in age so she can no longer call me an old man! [grin]  So now, for another nine months, we can be young together again. 

Perhaps it is her youthfulness that makes her so easy to talk into doing crazy things.  Things like hiking across the snow-pack in Glacier Park, Montana, or getting into a snowball fight in Lassen Volcanic NP, California, or riding four hours out of our way to see the largest ball of twine in the world located in Cawker City, Kansas. 

And yet, she still loves to curl up on the couch with her book, twist her hair, and get lost in another place for a brief moment in time... She is so cute when she does that. 

Her favorite activity?  She absolutely loves taking a leisurely stroll through the woods, holding hands and chatting along the way.  Well, we happen to be in two different places today, but we are never totally apart from each other, so Dawn, I just wanted you to know that (at the risk of being too "corny") you are on my mind and in my heart today just as you always are!  I can't wait to take that stroll through the woods with you soon... like maybe tomorrow?!  What do you say?

Happy Birthday, Sweetheart!!!!  See you soon!

A Visit With Emily

We had the opportunity to see Emily again on Saturday and it was really nice to be able to see her smiling face!  That is really something considering this giant robot looking, light emitting, annoying beeping, hissing, incredible invention thing that measures out her medications in exacting amounts.  

She was awake for a couple hours while we were with her and chatted up a storm, although she wore out quickly.  She hasn't had anything to eat or drink for over a month, since her transplant.  She will take a sip of water now and again and while we were with her she ate one or two gushers (which is some of the first food items she has had) but that is about it!  The nurse said that some patients don't regain an appetite until they are ready to be released because of a combination of the medications and terrible mouth/throat sores that are extremely painful.

Emily is feeling a bit stronger now - not much, but a little.  She still pretty much sleeps all the time with not desire to watch tv or read.  She is a teenager though, as evidenced by her occasional texting!  Some things simply cannot be stopped no matter how bad she feels!

One great element of her recovery is that she told us she most definitely senses God's presence throughout this series of treatments continuing to surround her and most especially, in her recovery.  She has told us that there is a reason why she has to go through this, so it is going to be okay.  She is one tough young lady!

We love ya, Em, and will continue praying for you!

If you would like to follow her recovery more closely, you can go to her "Care Page" at www.carepages.com.  After creating an account, you can go to her page under Emily Mineweaser.

Don't Tell

This picture is from the internet, but this is what it looked like!

Today was another fantastic mid-March day.  It was warm and dry.  Most of the day, I was working on school work (a scheduled day off of school for us) but this afternoon I simply had to step away from the computer and get some "outside" time!  The driveway needed some attention from the freeze/thaw cycle and when I finished that, it was time to give the bike some attention. 

After cleaning the bike up and checking it over, it was close to 5pm... and... well, you can probably guess what I was thinking...   = )

I asked Jackie if she wanted to go for a little ride, but she was in the middle of cooking us a fantastic dinner from her "Pioneer Woman Cooks" cookbook.  [She is hooked on the Pioneer Woman's blog!]  Well, since Jackie couldn't go, she was quick to offer Bear but I couldn't see him liking it very much - and besides, he needs a bath and I just cleaned the bike!

Dawn came home shortly thereafter but she and Jackie were going to look at "Mom Wedding Dresses" right after dinner, so she was out of the running.

Jackie's dinner for us turned out very good. Mmmm... Thanks Jackie.

Well, surprise, surprise... guess what?  They had to run out as soon as we finished eating... soooo...    = )

"Greg, amidst all your other stuff you have planned for tonight, would you mind doing up the dishes for us while we are gone?" Dawn asked.  Now you have probably never seen our kitchen after Jackie cooks!  Let me tell you something!

"Of course I can do that."  Right after I sneak in a little ride that is!   [grin]

I must say, today was the first time I have ever riden my motorcycle past ice fishermen.  It was really cool!  [No pun intended]  Most of Pymatuning is still frozen over but ohhhh, was it ever a nice, refreshing ride - and not too cold either, I might add.  I went over the spillway and across the causeway, then back around the north side of the lake and was not cold at all.  In fact, I only had a sweatshirt and riding jacket on and, of course, my new cuffed-gloves Dawn got me for Christmas.

What can I say?  I had to try-out the gloves, didn't I?!  At least it seemed like the polite thing to do!

PS  I just finished the dishes before writing this.  One more paper to write and I am done for the night (and it is only 8pm).  Not bad.  Tomorrow morning, Bikers' Breakfast... wonder if I can ride my bike over?  [he-he]  Then down to Pittsburgh to see Emily - looking forward to that!

Just Couldn't Believe It

Nope, you're not seeing things.  Actually, my wife is a fanatic.  She waits all winter for the day that she can once again, hang the clothes out on the line!  I came home yesterday and this was my greeting.  Dawn was gone; Jackie was gone; Adam was leaving; which left me home alone (well, Bear was here and more than willing to accost me, but that doesn't count!).  It was supposed to be a night of completing homework before attending a school board meeting and just before I left for the meeting, I saw the clothes hanging out there on the line calling to me and reminding me that if Dawn came home and found them still on the line, there would most certainly be trouble - you know, they would have picked up "damp!"

I do love that girl - even with her obsession of hanging "clothes on the line."

Emily is finally feeling a bit better.  After nearly two months, she is able to eat a bit and her lips are finally healing.  She has developed some bed sores that are pretty bad and also has a rash spreading on her feet.  The hospital staff said that the rash on her feet can be a good sign that the marrow transplant is grafting but they don't want the rash to spread too far.  We keep praying for her.  On Saturday, Dawn and I are planning to go down and visit her again.  It has been too long since seeing her, so we are really looking forward to it (even if she is kind of grumpy =).

Last Friday my Jazz Band performed in a small jazz festival and they were simply ON FIRE!  Way to go guys!  I love taking them out to perform.  On another note, a representative from the Erie Otters (our semi-pro hockey team) invited my Pep Band to play at the Otters' first playoff match.  We are psyched!  I will let you know when/if we can schedule it in.  It looks like it will be somewhere around March 20th.

Bikes are starting to come out of the woodwork!  I'm not gonna lie - the weather has been so nice that I almost got the bike out tonight for a little ride.  If I had gotten home just an hour earlier...  well, maybe tomorrow.

The Springtime seems to be evidence of God's mercy, don't you think?

When All Is Said And Done

What really matters in the end?  Will it be how much you have accumulated?  Where you have been?  What you have seen?  Will it be how many movies you have watched or how many games you have played?  In the end, what will you count as most important?

When all is said and done, most people measure their quality of life in how much time they have spent with family and how much time they have spent giving to others, actually helping other people.  They find value in giving.  There is nothing quite like it, giving that is.  To look beyond oneself and reach out to another always ends in great blessing.

A good friend, Matt, told me tonight that every Wednesday, he is tired and weary, hardly ready to go to church and lead an Awana meeting.  But yet, every week after going in and working with the children - who are generally little balls of high energy - Matt goes home re-energized and really glad that he invested that time.  In reality, he is offering his time as an investment in the future and in some cases, helping to build an eternity - do you think it is worth the effort?  Matt does.

Where do you invest your time?  Will it have any eternal consequence whatsoever?

How Long 'Til We Hear From You?

How long has it been?  I can't believe it has been over two weeks since my last posting!  I am sorry for taking so long, but as you know, life is really happening in my world these days.

My grad classes through California University of Pa. are going great.  They have already inspired me to go above the norm, to strive for more than the status quo.  I'm not gonna lie though, they are pretty demanding and therefore, definitely absorb a great deal of time - but very well worth the effort.

How about the Olympics?  Dawn and I could hardly keep from watching them (while I was in class of course... the one great thing about online courses!).  The hockey match this afternoon was fantastic!  Of course, a win would have added some excellent icing on the cake, but we'll have to settle for the silver.  After all, Jackie let me know that I, "couldn't do anything about the outcome, so breathe, Dad, breathe."  But wow, 25 seconds left in the match and the USA team scores (while risking the empty goal!) to send it into overtime!  CRAZY!

We are still moving a lot of snow around here.  Friday was a day off from school due to snow.  It didn't seem like we got enough to call school off, but after going out to plow I found there was over a foot in many places.  It was the real wet, heavy snow that packed down and became real slick, real fast!  Probably a good call.  So I made the best of it, I finished up the majority of work that was due to be turned in by the end of this weekend for my classes.  You know how it is, use every minute time very  wisely!

Last Saturday we went out for breakfast at a benefit for Emily.  Elizabeth, one of Leah's friends, organized the benefit and did an outstanding job!  She lined up a ton of donations from all kinds of businesses in and around Erie, organized a hall in Wesleyville to hold it in, and lined up all kinds of help for the day.  Here is a picture of Candy working in the kitchen.  She is all cleaned up in this shot, but most of the day she was covered in pancake batter!  Her job happened to be mixing the batter and she was doing it with a power mixer.  She was able to stay ahead of the demand by the girls on the griddle!

Elizabeth, Leah and Jackie

Tori (caught'cha!)

Emily has been having a really tough time since the transplant.  She has yet to eat because her mouth and digestive tract are all filled with open sores.  The treatments have her feeling really miserable so she spends most of her time laying and sleeping.  When she is awake, she doesn't talk hardly at all because it is too painful.  Last night, because her lips are so swollen, she accidentally bit her lip and it bled for a very long time.  Since she has been through so many different kinds of treatments, her blood doesn't clot very well at all.  By this morning when they found the cut and blood she was a mess, so Candy cleaned her up.  They ended up giving her some extra platelets this morning.  This has been so hard on all of them.  

They are still waiting for the bone marrow to take hold and start producing; it is just a waiting period (and lots of praying!).  During times of great trial, the days, hours and minutes just drag on and on.  We only pray that after it is all over, Emily will be able to look back and praise God for his healing.  And so, we pray.

Jim is not feeling well either.  His treatments brought a little relief, but not as much as we would have hoped for, and of course, the distance between him and Candy are very difficult for both of them.  His cancer is pretty aggressive so the doctors are trying to get ahead of it so they can go through with his surgery.

I hate being a bearer of sad news all the time but I know that many family members check in to see how everybody is doing.  On the other hand, I am going to try to write a bit more often and not always focus on the sad stuff.  Not because it isn't on my mind, but rather because all the great things that are happening should be acknowledged too; you know, where the Lord has poured out blessing after blessing.

Until then, I pray that you, too, will see the many blessings that have come your way!

"Time keeps on slippin' slippin' slippin', into the future..."

The past couple weeks have simply been crazy.  Sorry that it has taken so long to update everybody on the current (and no so current) events but this will probably be par for the course over the next... well, who knows, my classes are absorbing a good deal of my spare time.  I am not complaining, simply explaining.

Emily had her bone marrow transplant Friday night at midnight.  The donor marrow was late getting to the hospital due to the weather.  Dawn spent a couple days with her and Candy in the hospital offering a little extra support and found Emily in good spirits.  The ordeal has definitely taken its toll on Emily and she sometimes gets a bit edgy, but overall, she is a very tough young lady who is trying her best to stay positive. 

The transplant went very smoothly and Emily was able to rest through the night with no immediate reactions.  That was a very good thing.  Now she has a one week window that she may have a reaction flare up.  We are praying that won't happen and the transplant will successfully "take".

Jim has finally started his treatments and is beginning to feel some relief, but it is a slow process.  Unfortunately, Candy has had to spend most all of her time with Emily so Jim has been without her support.  This has been a real challenge for them, Candy would love to be in two places at one time but we know how that goes.  This has really taken its toll on all of them.

My niece, Marissa (18 years old) has been having some serious digestive problems for the last 6 months.  She has seen doctors and specialists trying to figure out what was happening and they couldn't pinpoint the cause.  At the end of last week, they found that her gallbladder removed.  They found that she had gallstones and that the organ was very soft and "mushy" when it should have been very firm.  The surgery was a success and we are hoping that it will take care of her digestive problems, too.

Mary still has her up days and down days.  We visited her yesterday and she was having a good day.  Mel said that she has been losing weight and repeating more words and phrases (due to her PSP), but overall, she had a good day. 

This week, my mom will have another birthday so we had some ice cream Sunday's with her, my dad, Mary and Mel.  We had a really good time together.  My mom is a wonderful helper to the people around her and there is no doubt that the Lord has gifted her in that way.  She loves to take care of elderly people who are in need and serve them however she can helping to meet some of their basic needs.  Mom will often times stop in and "do up" Mary's hair or sit with her as Mel runs some errands.  Thanks Mom, for all you do!

Will is now back in Pa.  He has taken another job offer that is one step closer to achieving his dream of owning a dealership.  He will be managing a new dealership in Summerset, PA.  The New Holland dealership will be owned by a very well established dealer who will use the new store as an investment and will mentor Will as they build the new location into a viable business.

Jackie is, of course really happy with the move and so is Will.  This puts them much closer to family and the area they love. 

The wedding plans are moving along and we all know the time will fly by and soon that date will upon us!  No big hurry though, there is still a great deal that needs to be done between now and then - CRAZY!

As for me, I just finished two straight weeks of district music festivals with some of my kids which equates to about 56 hours of additional time spent after school hours and Saturday's.  This week we have three evenings slated with my pep band and will have to fit my grad studies in there somewhere.  In the end, it all works out and comes together - I have simply learned that I cannot procrastinate.  If there is some extra time, use it very wisely and work ahead as much as possible!

Well, I pray many blessings on all of you!  Take care, and I will post another update as soon as I can.

Another update...

Yes indeed, you are reading that thermometer correctly!  The last couple days have been frigid!  It has been so cold, in fact, that we had to turn our furnace on this morning - if you know us, you know that is REALLY COLD!  Brrrrr...  Ironic that the "sun" is only 3 degrees!  And that doesn't take into account the wind chill.

Sorry it has been so long since my last posting, but it seems this might be par for the course.  The new classes have started off very well and I am enjoying them, but they absorb a great deal of time.  Like I have an overabundance of that.  Right?  But the classes have been energizing so far and Cal U certainly does a very good job with their online program.  So, due to the new schedule, my goal is to write an entry at least once a week.  We'll see.

Emily is going back to Pittsburgh for the beginning of the bone marrow transplant process and all that goes along with that.  Her spirits are very high and she is approaching this challenge with a very positive attitude.  Later this week she will undergo both chemo and radiation treatments daily as they kill off all of her bone marrow and abnormal blood cells.  That leaves her immune system very vulnerable, so she has to remain quarantined as she goes through this process.  Once that has been accomplished she will receive the donor marrow through an IV.  As the new marrow cells make their way into her bones, if all goes well they will repopulate and restore her marrow with renewed healthy blood cell production.

All she knows about the donor is that the marrow is coming from a boy.  She struggled with that a little and said with a smile, "I didn't want a boy in me."  We all had a good laugh over that!  In the end though, this is the best match for her so she will make due.  [grin]

The biggest concern the doctor has with this whole process is for Emily's liver.  Because it was already acting erratically with the ammonia levels in her blood, he is worried that the combination of chemo and radiation might damage her liver to the point that she would need a liver transplant.  We, of course are praying that her liver will make it through the treatments just fine!

Their family had another big scare last week when Jim had to be taken to the emergency room when his tumor began unexpected bleeding!  They admitted him to the hospital and had to give him blood and fluids.  He has been very uncomfortable and dealing with a great deal of cramping due to the tumor.  They decided to begin some of his radiation treatments.  This week he will be taking chemo pills daily and two radiation treatments each day in hopes of shrinking the tumor to a size that can more easily be surgically removed.  He was released yesterday from the hospital and was in pretty good spirits, but was tired and still very uncomfortable.  He will be out of work for 6-10 weeks as he goes through the treatments and recovery.

Candy has been at her wits end wondering how much she can really take.  She is confident that the Lord will not give her more than she can handle, but that must mean that He feels that she is one tough lady!  She too, is very upbeat about all that is going on, "What else can I do?  I just have to take it one day at a time."  A very real concern for her is financial.  The transplant process for Emily will take about three months (6 weeks in the hospital and 6 weeks in the Ronald McDonald House) and Candy will be out of work for most of that time.  They will hold her job, but she has already used her sick time up with all of Emily's treatments through last fall and winter so her time off will be without pay.  She is confident that they will all get through this ordeal somehow and shows a great deal of faith that somehow the Lord will take care of them.

Leah and Tori continue to support their sister, step-dad and most certainly, their mother in every way they can - a couple of classy young ladies!

They are a special family who could really use your prayers.  Thank you for joining with us as we go through this challenging time together.

Call Me Crazy

If only we could shed the extra winter weight so easily.  Three weeks ago we were hammered with more than 24" of snow over a three day period.  Dawn's snowman was jolly and plump back then.  But in just three weeks, much of the snow has melted away which has trimmed the snowman down to nothing but skin and bones [if they had such things...  come on, work with me here].  He has lost most of his hair, his eyes aren't working any more, the well defined body now sags and perhaps most saddening is the fact that he no longer has that big ol' smile.

Actually, it is kind of like looking in a mirror these days.  Strange how time can take its toll on us and we hardly even notice it is happening.  I still believe that is because our eyes gradually go bad so we don't really see the aging effect until, of course, one day we get glasses and the vision becomes clear once again - that is when I saw my dad looking back at me in my mirror!  (But, honestly, that is fine with me because my dad is a great guy)  

But what about that smile?  Unlike the snowman, it doesn't matter how much time passes, the hardships and challenges of this life will not overcome the joy in my spirit.  My smile and laughter will remain.  Admittedly, they are not as prevalent as they once were - you know, back when I wore my thick rose colored glasses - but there is still much to be grateful and joyful for and I choose to focus on those elements in life.

Enough with the philosophizing.  I have begun my masters work at Cal U toward Principal Administrative Certification.  Many people think I'm crazy for wanting to move into an arena that is so demanding and thankless, one which is constantly changing and where you deal with so many problems, one which carries a great deal of pressure.  Sometimes I think they are right - I must be crazy.

But I know better than that.  It has always been part of my nature to help people.  As a student in high school, I would often stand up for those who couldn't stand up for themselves, I would stand in the gap for those who were being bullied, and I tried to enforce a sense of fairness in my little circle of influence.  Perfect?  No way!  But I tried.

Kind of like the job of a principal.  Bring as much fairness and equality into the educational environment, build a sense of family into the facility so everyone can feel safe to enjoy their stay, and stand in the gap for the staff, students and community.  Pie in the sky?  Absolutely.  But that is how I have lived my life so why change now?  The Lord has called me to serve and so, I serve.

Thanks to all of my friends and colleagues who have been an encouragement to me - and I must say, there have been many.  Crazy?  Probably.  But one part crazy is one of the ingredients that makes me, me.

Another Week

I am in the living room writing this entry and catching up on all that has gone on this week when from the kitchen Dawn cries out, "Oh no!  This is really bad!"  Now tell me, honestly, what would go through your mind?  I immediately began to think that she had cut herself and needed me to call an ambulance, or maybe a water pipe had burst and was spraying all over the kitchen, or even worse yet, something on the stove had spontaneously burst into flames and we needed to get out of the house fast and call the fire department! 

No.  None of the above.  She tried to pick up an open box of spaghetti and a bunch of it fell out into the cupboard.  As she was squeeling about that, her pitch became even more frenzied as the bottom unexpectedly opened and the rest of the spaghetti from the box fell out onto the floor!  When I entered the scene, it looked much more like she was bored and wanted to play a game of pick up sticks!  It was rather funny!  [Not the part about her being frustrated, but the way she reacted to it - even Jackie agreed!]

You can always tell when our lives get crazy; my entries get further apart.  This past week, my pep band played at two basketball games, I had two other rehearsals for the musical I'm playing in this weekend (The Music of Mamma Mia), and have four performances through this weekend (Friday, Saturday and two on Sunday).  And that is the way my schedule continues to look throughout the coming weeks.  After all, it is pep band and jazz band season, the next couple weeks will usher in our PMEA Festival season, and on top of all of that, starting Tuesday, I begin my work toward a Masters of Education, Administration degree for principal certification.  That will put a serious bind on my calendar for the next couple years.  But in the interim, I will continue to update you as much as I can on all that is going on in our lives as we continue to move through this journey we call "life".

Emily was feeling pretty good this week so they released her.  She is still weak and wonders why she should go home - after all, she can't do anything regardless of where she is.  Her bone marrow transplant has been tentatively set for mid-February and she will more than likely have one more chemo treatment before that.  Her next appointment is Tuesday morning.  It is so tough going from day to day not knowing how she'll be feeling at any given time, most of us have a really hard time just being sick for a couple days, so it is hard to try to imagine what it would be like to work through something as long term as Emily is facing.

Jim had his consultation last week and was marked for the radiation treatments (they have to mark the spots where they focus the radiation).  He will begin his treatments over the next couple weeks and we are hopeful that they will bring some relief to him.  With colon cancer there is a great deal of discomfort regardless of the position you try to sit in and he said that it is even painful and uncomfortable to lay down.

Mary is continuing to press ahead and meets each new day with fire.  She has her ups and downs but will always be quick to say, "I'm fine."  Regardless of how she really feels, that is her answer and she is sticking to it!  She never wanted to be a burden to anybody and has expressed often how she doesn't want to put Mel through this, but of course he is quick to tell her that he considers it a joy to help her regardless of what she needs.

Tonight brings our second performance - if you stop by, you will find me playing the tenor sax in the band.  The show starts at 7:30 in the Academy Theater, Meadville.  Tomorrows show begins at 2:00pm  (tomorrow evenings show is a private show, sorry).  You know, just in case you are looking for something to do...   =)

Play Catch-Up

Can you tell that we are back in school?  It seems that there is no time to keep everyone updated.  It has been a while that is for sure, so it is time to take care of that!

The weather?  Frigid!  Lots of snow, snow and more snow.  It is funny when we hear from friends in places like Nashville that tell us they had a dusting of snow and they closed everything for two days!  Now that is really funny!

Enjoyed a great school break with Jackie.  She just left to go back for classes which will start tomorrow.   Bear gets really sad and mopey when he sees us loading all of her luggage in the car and this time was no different.  It is still surreal trying to wrap my brain around the fact that in just 6 months, she and Will will be married.  Crazy.

We visited Dawn's mom, Mary,  yesterday.  When we got there she was doing really well - talking nice and clear, holding a bit of a conversation and breathing very relaxed.  Within ten minutes, she was exhausted then her PSP kicked in and she started repeating words over and over and over, kind of like a record that is skipping.  She is progressively worsening and it is sad to see her struggling so much.

Emily started running a fever a couple days ago and had to go back down to Children's hospital.  At first, they thought she would have to stay again for an extended period but after a couple days, she is looking much better.  They now feel that she will be able to spend some more time at home before returning for the bone marrow transplant.  She is actually doing well and her spirits are pretty high.

Jim was very frustrated on Thursday when he found out that, after taking a sick day to go to the cancer center for his first chemo treatment, his appointment was cancelled because the doctor didn't come in.  Unbelievable.  He has yet to have a treatment and they diagnosed his colon cancer five weeks ago!  Crazy!

I found out today that my nephew, Michael, made it home.  He has been serving in Iraq and we so much appreciate his service.  Welcome home Michael!  We will look forward to seeing you sometime soon!  Many prayers have been answered through your safe return!  Continue praying for all of our young men and women serving overseas in those troubled areas.

We were really blessed this morning in church.  The music, Sunday School, the sermon and the fellowship were sweet!  There is a continual reminder that God is good and He is looking out for us, only wanting the best for our lives.  He holds a precious gift in His hand for us to take, it is free and without strings and exceeds all the worldly wealth we could imagine.  We simply need to be willing to receive it.  Thank you Lord!

Winter Wonderland

After the holidays, have you ever felt a bit bloated from all the fantastic food?  Kind of like Dawn's snowman, after all that food our body shape changes a bit then we spend most of the new year trying to shed that unwanted side effect of the Christmas season!  By the way, that is the same snowman that I posted the last two days and you can see how much snow we have been pounded with - although it looks much shorter, I can assure you that it is just an optical illusion with the 28"+ of snow piled around it!

In fact, here is the same Nativity that I shared with you last week.  On Saturday, I pulled it all up out of the snow thinking that maybe Jesus was getting a bit chilly from the three inch blanket of snow he had covering him up.  Now they must be igloo dwellers because all they look like is a little bump in the snow!  Even the really tall wooden (plastic) soldiers in the background are up to their chests in the chilly white stuff!

Remember the 25" piece of cornerbead I put in the snow on this table?  All covered up by this morning when I took this picture, after which it continued to snow all day!  The mushroom top on the table is now smooth showing no sign of the cornerbead at all and the sides of the snow are now almost touching the snow piled up on the deck!

And here is Bear's mansion.  Of course, the doorway is under the left dormer totally covered in snow!  Guess he won't be using that any time soon!  I could dig it out, but truth be told, he is a baby and spends all of his time inside leaving hair all over the house and sucking up heat from the fireplace whenever he can.

This is the first time I can remember having to plow six times in three days since we moved here in 1992.  True, last year we had a ton of snow throughout the winter months, but we couldn't remember as much snow falling in such a short time as we have received from this storm.  CRAZY!  Hopefully they will let us go back to school tomorrow (they called off today)!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

It has been one of those weekends in Northwestern Pennsylvania when the crystalized H2O swirls and twirls, blows and accumulates in piles and drifts across the beautiful white blanketed landscape.  In other words, it has been snowing like crazy!  Nearly two feet in 48 hours and it is still falling like crazy!

In the next picture, you will notice our lawn table under 21" of that wonderful white stuff!  The drywall cornerbead is 25" long and you can see the leftover 4" sticking out of the snow.  When it all started, the table had just a couple inches on it - I know, crazy!!!!  But that is one reason why we have chosen to live in this area - there is a true sense of adventure when we have to try surviving the tundra!

Not only have we had piles of snow, but that means moving the snow from the driveways!  Four times I have plowed in two days.  Today a bit of my dad's luck hit - the winch cable broke in the middle of my neighbor's driveway so I had to run the repair in the middle of the snow bank.  Yes, there really is a driveway just beyond my 4-wheeler.  Crazy snow, eh?

It just happened that Dawn was nervous as all get out over the Steelers' game as they were once again trying to give it away in the 4th quarter.  When she gets nervous, she cannot stay in the room and watch so instead paces the house, plugs her ears, hums like there is no tomorrow and only checks in with the game when I cheer and tell her to come see the replay of a great play!

This time, since I was not there to let her know it was okay to watch, Dawn came out to see what was going on and her timing couldn't have been better.  She helped me fix the cable and kept me company while chattering on about how a 3rd string quarterback was going to turn another sure win  for the Steelers into a huge disappointment!

It didn't take long to fix the wheeler up and I was off and running again.  After finishing the job, we watched a movie.  Then at 7pm I went to plow again.  Another 4"-6" had accumulated in that brief time. I'm tellin' ya, CRAZY!  (But I'm not gonna lie, it is FUN!!!)