Family and Friends Day

On Friday I met Dick at work around 3, and we left from there for Lancaster County.  Our goal was to get to Manheim Christian Day School for their delicious barbecued chicken event before they would sell out (which has happened in the past).  

Before long we were driving in miserable rain, and as we neared Harrisburg, the traffic was just horrible.  Of course, it was rush hour on a Friday, but added to that was an old car show or sale or something or other in Carlisle, which made it even worse.  

I didn't even know, when I took this picture, that I apparently got one of those old cars in my photo!  I posted it on Facebook just to show what the driving conditions were like, but the comment section turned instead into a discussion about this Chevy Nova, haha!

We did get there on time and had the greatest time talking with many, many good friends.  We ate with the Peters's and Peacheys, all of whom lived right near us on Hossler Road and whose children I had as students.  There is something so wonderfully satisfying about old friendships.

I was delighted to meet Kara Eberly who is finishing up her first year of teaching music at the school.  She graciously allowed me to look through those old, familiar filing cabinets for some music to borrow for my church choir.  So many choices!!  Oh, how I love that classroom and all the memories that go with it.

We went to Sam and Jenn's for the night.  Sammy came running out to the carport in his stocking feet as soon as we drove in.  I know I said it before, but I just love how much he loves me.

Sam gave him a haircut this week, so the curls are gone for the summer.  I tried to get a picture of us, but he's getting just like Austin and hates the camera.

Saturday morning we were all up bright and early to go to the country breakfast at the school auction.  As we drove by Grandma Mary's community, she was there waiting to pull out onto the highway, and we ended up getting to the school at the same time.  It was great to eat breakfast with her.  Ray also came for the breakfast.   Thyda, we missed having you there with us!  Next year!!

As we ate, we also admired the amazingly beautiful quilts that were on display. (Here are just two of them.)

We spent some time at the playground, Sammy rode around on the "train," and then came the best event of all - candy dropped from a helicopter.  

By the time that was finished, Frank had arrived with Destiny and Jada.  So we hung out at the playground some more.  Jada is one crazy little girl!  She had not one ounce of fear about anything, not the least intimidated by bigger kids.  She would go to the top of a slide and fling herself down head first!!  I'd be having a heart attack if I were in charge of her for very long, haha!

Sam and Jenn left to take Sammy home for his nap.  We ate lunch with Frank and the girls.  People are always glad to see Destiny.  She was such a big part of our lives when I taught there; she attended pre-K and kindergarten at the school.  Of course, no one can believe that she's now taller than me. 

Unlike her boy cousins, this little girl loves the camera!

After lunch we all went to Sam and Jenn's.  Dick could hardly wait to start up the big mower that came with Sam's shed.  He gave Sam "operating" lessons, haha!

Destiny gave Jada wagon rides.

Jada loved Sammy's playhouse, especially peeking out all the windows and the door.

Then they came inside to play.  Sammy was STILL sleeping!

When he finally woke up, he saw me lying on the sofa and crawled right on top of me for a while.  He's such a cuddle bunny.

Outside Sam had started up their new bubble machine, and Jada was having a blast with it.  Frank and the girls needed to leave then.  

We spent a little more time sitting on the deck before we left.   Sammy put on a show for us. 

Singing with a song on Sam's phone.

From there we went to Dick's parents.  His dad has been unable to get his rototiller started this spring.  YES, he still gardens and needs that rototiller!  Dick worked on it quite a while and did find the problem and got it fixed.   Look at those clean, beautiful woods.  That does not happen by accident.  

Dear Arlene had prepared a delicious meal for us, and we had the sweetest time sitting down to eat with them.   We are so blessed to still have them and Grandma Mary living in their own homes, still driving and active, well into their 80's.  I pray that that will be our experience twenty-some years from now. 

We left their place around 7 pm and were home before 9:30.  Very tired, but deeply happy.

No shame in my game: I'm proud of my boy!

This is a HUGE day for someone in State College.  In the past few years Anthony has built a very successful blues guitar teaching business at www.steviesnacks.com.  He felt satisfaction in everything about his business, except its name, which he came up with in a mere whim before he knew this would become more than a hobby.  For the past five months he has been building a new website, www.texasbluesalley.com.  And today it goes live!  Everything from Stevie Snacks will link seamlessly to the new website.  

I am so proud of him!  For months, as I have cooked in their kitchen, he has been sitting just a few feet away working on this huge project on his laptop.  I simply cannot imagine how he knows how to do all that he does, to say nothing of his incredible skill on the guitar, his tremendous gift of teaching, and his humble, transparent manner in doing so.  He has thousands of fans and followers and customers from all over the globe.  And yet most people he rubs shoulders with have no clue.  

I asked him the other day which he feels more about today - excitement or anxiety?  He said he doesn't feel anxiety, but after it's finally "done", he has no idea how to celebrate it.  It's not like he's working in an office where co-workers can make a big deal about an accomplishment.  He won't win an award or a big trip or an extra commission or any such perk, as many successful business people do.  

So I'm going to celebrate for him right here and now!   Because I'm his mom and I'm proud of him and I think he's a genius and I know that he has put months of work into this project.  Is that ok?  

Here's the cool header on his new website.

And here's a video he made a few weeks ago to let his people know about the coming changes and why.  I love it, and I hope you can take a few minutes to watch it. 



Did I say I'm really proud of him?

This afternoon Dick and I will be heading to Lancaster County.  This is the big annual auction weekend at Manheim Christian Day School where I used to teach.  We'll see friends that we never see any other time.  And some of our kids will be with us too.  It doesn't get much better than that!

Here's the flyer that shows all the events and times.
http://www.manheimchristian.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/2014-Auction-Flyer-21.pdf

Easter Weekend

My week leading up to Easter was a very busy one, thus no blogging took place. Or even much of any picture taking.  Then my Easter weekend has been even busier, so no blogging either, but at least I was taking pictures.  

Dick has been doing great energy-wise.  He has had one typical side effect from the chemo - a fungal infection in his mouth and throat.  They immediately prescribed lozenges, and they have been helpful. 

Saturday was his 64th birthday.  It occurred to me that his age is now the reverse numbers of what it was when he first learned that the substance that was suspicious looking and very painful in his hip joint was in fact cancer.  We wondered at first if he would celebrate another birthday.  But here we are, eighteen years later, praise God!!

He decided he was in the mood for a bloomin' onion for his birthday, so we went to Outback Steakhouse Saturday evening with Anthony, Lori, and Austin.  Here are some pics we took outside afterward. 

This morning started very early.  I led the music at the 6:30 sunrise service at Houserville.  There were so many people there and so much enthusiasm.  We had time to stay for some very yummy breakfast that was smelling so amazing throughout the entire service.  

Then we went to the 8:15 service at Fillmore and had another very enthusiastic service.  The choir did so great again.  

And then it was back to Houserville again for the 10:30 service.  I think we were all feeling a little sleepy by that time!  During the offering I sang Nicole C. Mullin's Redeemer, one of my favorite Easter songs.  A funny story about that song - when I first started doing it back in 2001, one of my students, Amanda Nissley, said that at the place near the end of the song where I sang, "I spoke with Him this morning" it sounded like I said, "I smoked with Him this morning."  Oh dear.  I cannot ever sing it now without thinking of that!!!

Austin came here this afternoon and we all napped.  He liked his Easter shirt and tie so much that he wanted to put them back on again after his nap!

We went to Anthony and Lori's for the rest of the day.  We painted some Easter eggs, then hid eggs for Austin to hunt, then did burgers and smores over a fire. 

This is what Anthony rigged up for doing burgers.  The barbell was holding the burgers in place while they cooked. 

I'm so sleepy now.  I feel like I just finished a marathon after this week of many preparations for many church services.  

Now this week my goal will be to get everything at all my jobs and here at home finished in time to leave for Lancaster County Friday afternoon.  The big annual auction will be held at Manheim Christian Day School, and we do not want to miss the chance to see many, many friends and family there. 

Goodnight!

First treatment RESULTS; handsome grandsons; flowers!

I have lots of pictures to share at the end of this week!

This was Dick's first chemo treatment week - a long day on Tuesday and half a day on Wednesday.  As always, he continued life as usual.  Went to work Wednesday afternoon, Lenten service at Fillmore followed by praise team practice at Houserville Wednesday evening, basketball before work on Thursday morning, a mechanic's class at Penn State after work on Thursday evening.  His only side effects were a slight bit of nausea, some bloating, and dry mouth.  And a DEFINITE difference in the swelling on his forehead.  Take a look at this!

Friday evening we stayed home and watched The Book Thief.  I had seen it in the theater at Thanksgiving with Jeremy, Thyda, and Jenn, and have since purchased the movie with a Barnes and Noble gift card I received for Christmas.  It is that good.  Very, very sad, but incredibly inspiring, set in World War II Germany.   I hope that sometime I can watch it with Destiny, since the girl in the movie is about her age.  It puts anyone's problems, trials, and losses into perspective.

On Tuesday Anthony went to Austin's preschool and gave the kids a lesson about the Blues.  He sang Sweet Home Chicago for them, complete with Austin's ukelele and giggles!  Austin recently fell in love with a ukelele and now knows how to do a C chord!  These pictures that Lori took are about the cutest thing ever!

Our grandson Bjorn turned 18 yesterday!  I was so delighted to find this wonderful picture of Bjorn and Katrina on Facebook, posted by their dad.  How I would love to spend time with these two beautiful grandchildren!  

This week SPRING arrived!  On Wednesday when I left the house I took a picture of our very first bloom.  I was quite sure that if I were to have the time to sit and watch, I would be able to see it open.

About five hours later, when I returned home, it was waving "hi" to me with its one open petal.

And by the next day it was wide open.  Now there are many of them open, but it was raining yesterday, so I didn't get a picture of them.  I LOVE daffodils!

Two weeks ago, on March 30, we would have celebrated Dick's mom's 86th birthday.  Unfortunately, she died from ovarian cancer at the age of 53.  I posted a picture of her on Facebook, and a number of people commented on how much Dick and his brothers resemble her.   I always knew that, but a lot of people never had the opportunity to know her.  So I made this collage of "Ruth and her boys".   Of course, all of her boys are older than she lived to be.

I have so many other "Throwback Thursday" photos to share, but I'll put them in a separate post. 

Have a great weekend!  Ours promises to be sunny and seventies!  Almost too good to be true!

Wedding in Sweden; Sammy and Destiny time; anointing service;

While I was cooking at Anthony and Lori's on Friday, I got a phone call from Miki in Sweden.  She said, "I thought I should let you know before you read it on Facebook, that we got married today!"  She and Ingomar were planning to get married on May 31, but the person officiating had to cancel out.  In their search to find someone else that could do it on that date, they found a friend with the proper credentials that could marry them either before he left town next week, or when he returns in July!  WELL!!  Since they are coming over here for their honeymoon in June, they decided they should probably be married first, haha!  So they hustled, got some friends and Katrina and Bjorn together, and had a quick, informal wedding ceremony at 5 pm (their time) on Friday.  She posted a little video of the ceremony, humor and all.  I just loved it, but I can't seem to figure out how to share it here.  So here's a picture I took from it. 

I'm so eager for them to be here in June.  It's been five-and-a-half years since she, Katrina, and Bjorn came over for a few weeks in October 2008.  


On Friday afternoon, after I was finished working at Anthony and Lori's, I packed up a few things and headed to Sam and Jenn's.  It was after 8:30 till I got there, and I was so afraid Sammy would be asleep.   I had told Sam that if he's asleep, I would waken him.  Sam said, "And then you can have him!"  Haha!  But no worries.  He was wide awake and still full of fun.  He helped me to eat the sub and chips that Sam had gotten for me, and then snuggled with me for a while before going to bed.

After he went to bed, Sam, Jenn, and I watched The Butler.  It was okay.  But I think I had expected it to be as good as The Help, which it certainly was not.  

In the morning I was awakened by Sammy's loud talking back in Sam and Jenn's bedroom.  And then he was singing phrases from one of his favorite songs, Sing, Sweet Nightingale from Cinderella - in tune and even with vibrato.  I was giggling to myself as I listened.  After a while he came out to me.

He even serenaded me.  I don't know where his dramatic flair comes from, but he is just a trip. 

I hung around all morning.  Sammy was so sure he would be going with me in my car, but not this time.  

From there I went to visit Dick's parents.  We had not seen them since the first weekend in January.  However, Dad Stauffer wasn't home - he was at Dick's brother Fred's place helping to take down a big tree.  Dad is just amazing!!  He is 88 years old and works so hard.  Arlene says she thinks he works too hard, and he's so tired when he goes to bed, but he likes it that way.  When he gets up in the morning he feels refreshed and ready to go again - chopping wood, volunteering at a thrift shop, soon planting a garden, etc.  And to think that three years ago at this time we were afraid he would never come home again after his surgery and resulting stroke!!  God is so good!  I had a wonderful time catching up with Arlene. 

I was hoping to stop in with Grandma Mary too while I was in the area, but I ran out of time.  At least I had seen her more recently.

I drove to Reading then for some time with Destiny.   We went to the mall, got some food at the food court, and looked at all the amazing shoes at Foot Locker.  Oh my, is she ever like her dad in that department.  I remember when he came to our family at the age of 15, I had quite a wake-up call as to the importance of having just the right shoes, the LATEST greatest shoes.  We're talking Nike's.  Destiny knows them all, wants them all.  We seriously stood in that store for half an hour as she explained all the features of this shoe and that shoe and the other shoe.  Of course, like a good grandma, I was properly amazed at each one.  I mean, really, can you imagine how cool it would be to have a pair of these Foamposite shoes?  And just a heads up - they're soon coming out with a pair of these that look like Batman.

Of course, you know I'm joking.  Shoes like this are of no interest to me whatsoever, but I love Destiny and time spent with her, even if it's in Foot Locker!

Then I took her home (forgot to take any pictures) and headed for home.  It's so nice that it stays light longer now.  I was home before 9 pm.  

This morning at Fillmore, I had the choir do The Wonderful Cross, which includes When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.  We decided at practice the other week that we miss the traditional harmonies in this version of it, so last week I arranged a new version that included some of each.  They did a fantastic job this morning.  

After our service at Houserville we had a very beautiful anointing service.  We have three people facing major medical things this week.  Dick starts chemo on Tuesday and Wednesday.  Our friend Ralph will have kidney surgery on Tuesday.  And our friend Heather, who is battling breast cancer, will be starting radiation on Wednesday.  

Austin is here with us this afternoon.  And this time he DID bring his rain boots.  Soon after our naps were over, he and Grandpa headed to the park nearby for some good splashing.

And some good stomping.  The louder the better for this boy.

One of these times I'm going to have a picture of my flowers.  LOTS of daffodils and tulips coming up, and Dick is faithfully spraying them with the stinky anti-rabbit stuff.  Can't wait for some color.  Spring is SOOOO welcome!

And while we are rejoicing in our Spring weather, look what they were doing in Florida today!

Have a great week, everyone!

Here's the Scoop

Dick posted on Facebook earlier this week that he'll be starting another round of treatments next Tuesday.  Some have asked about that.  So here's the scoop.

As I'm sure most of you know, Dick was diagnosed with Lymphoma in 1996, and has had chemo treatments numerous times over the years since then.  It's actually been four years since he finished up a series of maintenance treatments.  Since then he's had several PET scans and biopsies and one minor surgery to remove a lump on his scalp that was malignant.  

Puzzling to us over the past nine months has been his increasingly protruding forehead.  A biopsy in the fall was negative for Lymphoma.  A PET scan around that time showed a few areas of concern in his neck and lower abdomen (not necessarily Lymphoma, however) but we chose to take the route of waiting a few months and seeing what another PET scan would show.   A PET scan in February showed that one of those areas had grown a bit.  There was also another biopsy, a deeper one, scheduled for his forehead.  This time it came back positive for Lymphoma.   We were given the possibility of radiation on just his forehead while keeping a watch on those other areas, or going ahead with a "systemic" treatment, chemo.  After talking with Lisa and Anthony, we decided to go ahead with chemo.  

We're disappointed, but we're not devastated.  We're disappointed that he'll need to use up practically all of his paid vacation days for treatments in a year that we have some major family events coming up. We're disappointed that his body will have more of those drugs put into it.   We're disappointed that he will likely experience some unpleasant side effects.   

But on the bright side, we know that he has always handled treatments amazingly well.  And we have health insurance that will take care of the outrageous cost of the treatments.  We are surrounded by so many friends and family that we know will pray and care.  And we also know this:

Those lyrics from Desert Song by Hillsongs caught my attention this morning as I assembled bulletins at the office - a time when my mind tends to wander and worry if I don't purposely rein it in.  

Dick will start his first treatment on Tuesday and Wednesday this coming week.  Plans are for three more treatments to follow, at four-week intervals.  

So it goes without saying - we are again, as the old Spiritual says,  "Standing' in the need of prayer."