Thursday, November 29, 2012

Kyra's Birthday

Our youngest grandchild had her first birthday over the week end - sweet little Kyra!
 She wasn't sure what to do with it...
 so she poked at it...
 and after doing some coaxing, took a bite.
Finally relaxing enough to enjoy it -
and the ten other people watching her clapped and cheered!
Sweet little Kyra!

Friday, November 23, 2012

Our Thanksgiving


Our Thanksgiving was delightful!
 We celebrated a friend's birthday on Thanksgiving eve with a delightful meal and delightful company in their home. We spent a good part of the day with our family at our son's house and while we all contributed to the meal, DIL M did the cooking. Her table was lovely!
 Their table is large enough to seat all eighteen of us at once.
And the bittersweet is the real stuff...
just don't use it outside because the seeds will drop and start a very invasive plant - trust me, I know!

We treasure this moment - a moment of time among many other moments.
We hug them close to our heart because we have no guarantee we'll have tomorrow...
The loud, healthy noises of seven boys enjoying each other's company.
Little Kyra raising her arms to be held and snuggling.
Daddy giving two delighted girls a pony ride.
Three year old Ty sliding off the same pony and brushing himself off and saying, 'I'm okay.'
Playing table games and hearing the men talking man talk.
Eating a yummy dessert an hour after we ate the main course 'cause it was so delicous!
Yes, our Thanksgiving was wonderful!

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That was yesterday.
Today I'm doing this...
Christmas decorating while I'm listening to Christmas music!
Life is good.
But better yet...
GOD IS GOOD!

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Where We Are...

Our cancer journey has been one of shock and hope, high expectations and dashed dreams. There have been valleys and mountain tops with...'we're going to conquer this.' Then reality set in. The second time around, and with a knowledge of what genetic rectal colon cancer truly is, feels a whole lot different than the first diagnosis...very final and very much like a death sentence. It IS a death sentence, a 'manageable' death sentence.

Sounds harsh I know, but the reality of life is, we not born to live here forever. We're approaching  Christmas when we celebrate the real reason of this season...the birth of Jesus, taking on Himself the form of humanity to GIVE His life on a cross, the cruelest of all deaths and rising from that death victorious so the sting of death is taken away! (1Corinthians 15:54-57) THAT is our hope, a hope NO ONE can take away!

Mr D just finished six rounds of 'killer chemo' (the doctor's words) in the hopes the tumor will shrink enough to have surgery. We met with the doctor yesterday and the news was that it's still too big to remove. It was hard news to hear, though not totally unexpected. We were offered another, milder form of chemo, hoping this one would work differently...Mr D chose to say no.

He is choosing to stay under this doctor's care but will be using supplements, among a few other choices, with the doctors blessing. That feels good! It also feels scary for me because regardless of the two choices we are left with, the next step in this journey is the winter of cancer. How long this winter will be, I have no idea. I just know we're not walking it alone - we have family, friends, church, a community of believers...what more can we ask for?!
GOD IS GOOD - ALL THE TIME
We both truly believe He will bring glory to HIMSELF, whether it's through life or whether it's through death!

We enjoy our gifts to the fullest - Mr D sleeps well. He has a good appetite and his weight has stabilized. Though he tires easily, he looks well and is able to work everyday. He enjoys hunting, his favorite hobby and we're still able to travel. Yes, we treasure our gifts and thank God for them!

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I found the last of these roses yesterday so beautifully dried on the stem. Though they 'had their time,' there is beauty even in death. Death is the closing of one door and the opening of another into indescribable beauty that no one on earth has words to do it justice! Psalm 23 are not mere words - they are a PROMISE that no valley has to be feared for He is with us!

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

MY Christmas Ideas Collection

Is it ever too early to think of Christmas? I love Christmas but not in July! At the same time, I often buy Christmas stuff at yard sales or thrift shops through out the year because they are bargains and cost only pennies in comparison to store prices which makes this penny-pincher happy! So no, it is never too early to think of Christmas!

I'm posting a few of my favorite and easy-to-do Christmas crafts and ideas in one post in plenty of time for you to collect and use in your home - after all, Christmas is only weeks away!

(click on the links)
Simple, no work ideas.
Save old favorite Christmas cards and string them up somewhere.
Wrap sheet music around clear glass vases and tie with raffia - so cool-looking!
Fold sheet music into a fan and using two sheets per flower, tie string around center and a dot of glue where the two sheets come together.
Using hydrangeas as Christmas deco is lovely as well.
Top picture: hydrangeas are tucked in a wire frame that sits in a flower pot.
String it with lights first!
Bottom: these are the same but I used dried-on-the-shrub hydrangeas instead.
Last but not least is making your own banner!
They're simple, fun but time consuming to make and the possibilites are endless!

Monday, November 5, 2012

Pink Dogwood In Autumn

We've seen very little of the sun since Sandy hit the east coast; however, the forecast for the end of the week is temps in the sixties - yea! I wanted to post a few autumn pictures last week but honestly, I wasn't feeling very 'bloggery.'  The autumn decor will stick around until Thanksgiving.

Last spring I posted about our pink dogwood tree that is outside our bedroom window and it's just as lovely in its fall colors.
 I picked up this old coal shovel at a benefit auction with Indian corn but decided to hang the corn on the door and used rose hips from our rose bushes. It's hanging between the outside door and kitchen window.
I like simplicity!