March is here

(Delivered to my support group, read by Scott)

Hello Everyone,

I truly hope everyone is doing wonderfully.

I really did have a great time with my daughter and her family. I smiled for days.

However, back to the real world I came. Mom has had another series of seizures and I have been dealing with that. These things take such a toll on her physical well being and of course confuse the heck out of her and we all are back to step one.

Time for me to start gearing up for poking and prodding. Dr. Haung's office called and he says it's time for him to have a look see. I am sure Dr. Manning and Dr. Stratigoulras are not that far behind. We are coming up on the year out Pet Scan ordeal. This has historically been the scan that has disclosed further cancer activity. I ask for all of the prayers and good thoughts that you can send my way. Just once; I really would like this (one year) scan to be clear.

I have been working really hard on eating. After feasting on formula, chocolate candy, fruit smoothies and frequent stops at Dairy Queen; I know, a lot of you would trade for my problem, I am happy to tell everyone I now weigh 143.5 pounds. That is the most I have weighted since 2006.

I continue to be as active as I can be and I try each day to leave this world a bit better off than I have found it. Some days, it is just by a smile, but that's one more smile that wasn't on the earth yesterday. There are so many things that bother me, both here and around the world. I spend a great deal of time in prayer; I can only hope that it helps just a little.

It is so good to see everyone and I just hope you all the best. Life is very good for me even though it has many worries for me to deal with. I love you all as I continue to mark off each and every day till December 21st. I am not sure that any winter solstice has been so anticipated as this one. I do so intend to sit on my patio in my chair and just smile. Smile because on that day I will have smitten the Mayan demons and I shall be rewarded with yet one more morning to know each and every one of you wonderful people. Pole shift ha. I have stared the black maw of cancer in the face and because of my faith in God, I shall fear no evil.

Be good and kind to the world everyone, and be strong, because cancer sucks.

A wish for all mothers today.

 

I hope you are full of happiness and are blessed in every way.

 

A mother's job is not to create a bed of roses,
but to help them learn how to pick their way through the thorns.

Elaine Heffner

I have posted this picture before, but I never tire of looking at it:

My words are unworthy of conveying how I truly feel about you. Of expressing thanks for all the things you have given me over the years. I can never adequately express my admiration for you and could never give voice to the examples you conveyed by the way you lived your life. I can only say ‘I love you’ and pray to the Lord he will whisper in you ear my meaning. God blessed my dad so much by giving him your love. You are truly a wonderful woman. Thank you for all you have done.

Happy Mother’s Day, today and always.

the Hovel is this many, today!

It was three years ago that I started this blog. I had been posting to a web site for a while but was looking for a better, faster way to communicate. I decided to start this blog. It was originally just to be a way to get out some news as to how my cancer was progressing and just to amuse myself and spend a little time.

My very first blog post is here.

It quickly turned to being an open letter to my grandchildren. One big long this is who I am, this is what is on my mind, this is important to me; this is just of interest; here is what I told others about me and hello, I love you; all in one place for them to get a chance to know me. That’s why there really isn’t a single theme or linear approach to this blog. There isn’t one.

When one gets older; being know becomes an important thought with respect to one’s on grandchildren.

As I sit here and write this, my mother, your great grand mother fell a few weeks ago and hurt herself. She is being transferred from Villa Campana where she has been recovering and will shortly be placed into a permanent care home. I am unsettled in this; however, I just can no longer extend to her the care and attention she requires. These past several years have taken their toll own both her and me. I want to tell you that I am tired, but I continue, as best I can to honor my mother and father.

Seems like life never takes a break and keeps coming in all its fury. Oh well, with God’s grace, I will endure. Remember, if it does not kill you; it can only make you stronger.

As you (any visitor) go through any post here, know that you are most welcomed. I have meet some amazingly wonderful people via this blog and the internet. You are encouraged to drop me a note, leave a comment and what I most hope for; that you find encouragement to live each and every day to the best of your ability. Just remember, you are opening and envelope and taking out a letter from me to my grandchildren. It’s OK, you are welcome to read along and hopefully enjoy the journey. I pray each and every day they will. I never grow tired of telling them that I love them. I just hope they remember that I was here, that I tried really hard and I want nothing but their happiness.

God Bless you guys. I really enjoy talking to each one of you.

the Hovel is this many, today!

 

It was three years ago that I started this blog. I had been posting to a web site for a while but was looking for a better, faster way to communicate. I decided to start this blog. It was originally just to be a way to get out some news as to how my cancer was progressing and just to amuse myself and spend a little time.

My very first blog post is here.

It quickly turned to being an open letter to my grandchildren. One big long this is who I am, this is what is on my mind, this is important to me; this is just of interest; here is what I told others about me and hello, I love you; all in one place for them to get a chance to know me. That’s why there really isn’t a single theme or linear approach to this blog. There isn’t one.

When one gets holder; being know becomes an important thought with respect to one’s on grandchildren.

As I sit here and write this, my mother, your great grand mother fell a few weeks ago and hurt herself. She is being transferred from Villa Campana where she has been recovering and will shortly be placed into a permanent care home. I am unsettled in this; however, I just can no longer extend to her the care and attention she requires. These past several years have taken their toll own both her and me. I want to tell you that I am tired, but I continue, as best I can to honor my mother and father.

Seems like life never takes a break and keeps coming in all its fury. Oh well, with God’s grace, I will endure. Remember, if it does not kill you; it can only make you stronger.

As you (any visitor) go through any post here, know that you are most welcomed. I have meet some amazingly wonderful people via this blog and the internet. You are encouraged to drop me a note, leave a comment and what I most hope for; that you find encouragement to live each and every day to the best of your ability. Just remember, you are opening and envelope and taking out a letter from me to my grandchildren. It’s OK, you are welcome to read along and hopefully enjoy the journey. I pray each and every day they will. I never grow tired of telling them that I love them. I just hope they remember that I was here, that I tried really hard and I want nothing but their happiness.

God Bless you guys. I really enjoy talking to each one of you.

Birthday Party!

Yesterday was Hayden’s 3rd birthday.

There were great grand ma’s every where:

And, there were some grand ma’s as well:

(oh’ Lord! Help me.)

I was here also, this is me, I’m three.

It was exciting and I wore this cool hat.

We had pizza of course.

I likes birthday parties.

I played games and rode the horses with my dad.

I saw grand pa taking my picture.

It was a blast.

Then everyone sang ‘happy birthday’ and I got embarrassed.

and I wanted my mommy.

CAKE!

Being 3 is awesome!

Amazing what some rain does.

Today was sunny and nice for a change. Decided to venture into the back yard for lunch and a look around.

Grandma has a burger and some cool refreshment from the old #88!

Looking around, I’ll be darn if there isn’t some green.

Very rare in the ‘Old Pueblo’.

Mom enjoyed the sun and eat all of her lunch. A good day, such as it us.

A Black and White Day

I wanted to share some of the pictures I took last Monday. While i was doing this was when the “ *&^%& ” (read as pukes) broke into my house. Oh well, here are some memories. :

I seem to be taking a lot of shadow shots lately.

Some leaves.

See, it does snow here; just on the mountain.

For my friend who likes B/W pictures of trees.

Another one.

Ouch, that probably doesn’t feel all that good to her.

A beautiful and clear day in the ‘ Old Pueblo ‘.

To bad, it turned to crap right after I took this picture.

happy mother's day

i want you to know that i love each of you. for what makes you special? you are all strong and good; and each brings joy and happiness into the world. thank you.

sarah giving her dad a hug

from a trip to vegas and as we're headed out to do something, sarah gives me a hug with mom looking on.

my weekend world for several years

it got to the point where it ws almost year round. if i was not on the field somewhere, i was teaching a clinic somewhere. all soccer all the time. it did provide for a lot of travel, meeting really nice people and a few pleasant memories. all 4 of my kids have played and enjoyed the game.




this is mom and me somewhere on a soccer field.

college times with Sue

yet another old pictures of a 'women' in my life, so we will stay with that theme this morning and move ahead to when I was at the U of A. this is Sue who i spent some time with at school. she was a east coast girl out west for school. she always liked doing the cow-girl thing. i remember sneaking into her dorm on nights when her room mate was gone and good times doing non student stuff - you know how it is. she was the last "girlfriend" i had before getting married to my first wife.