Dad Update 2

I spoke with my Dad today on the phone.  He is still in the hospital, but has turned a corner, and is in much less pain today.  Praise the Lord!  My sister will be driving over Sunday to spend some time with him, and he is expected to be released from the hospital on Monday.

Thank you so much for your prayers. They are much needed and appreciated. I'm relieved to know that Dad is feeling better today.

Update on my Dad

Almost a month ago, my Dad flung open a door to let one of his dogs out, and he felt pain in his shoulder.  He didn't know what had happened, but the pain got so bad during the night that the next day, he went to the ER.  X-rays revealed a broken arm just below the elbow.  They put his arm in a splint and a sling and told him to go see a bone doctor.

A few days later (while Jilly and I were visiting), he had an appointment with the bone specialist. He took another x-ray which revealed that the cancer had gone to a portion of the bone in his lower right arm and depleted the bone of 50% of its density, leaving it brittle--thus the broken bone from just flinging open a door.

The prognosis was that Dad would need an elbow replacement surgery, which he had yesterday. My understanding is that because the cancer had gone to the bone, the break would never heal. So yesterday, the surgeon removed the elbow and the part of the bone that was cancerous, and replaced it with a stainless steel prosthetic elbow/bone.

Dad was in a lot of pain last night after the surgery, and they were trying to help him manage it. Today, he is supposed to begin physical therapy--amazing how quickly they start it!  He will likely be in the hospital for the next 3-6 days. Please continue to keep my Dad in your prayers. Please pray specifically that his body will accept the new elbow, that there won't be any infection, and for his healing and comfort.

Thank you, as always, for your prayers and support.

With love,

Starshine

Remembering Pete

I received sad news today that one of my former co-workers, Peter Robert Bunning, passed away earlier this month. He was only 30 years old.

Pete and I worked together for about a year. He was an electrical engineer and very good at his job. Although we only worked together for a short time, he definitely made an impression. I will remember Pete for his warmth, his smile and his wonderful sense of humor. He was passionate about salsa dancing, and I would sometimes catch him in the break room practicing his footwork, which was totally endearing. The man could dance! Because of him, several of us from work would go out dancing together, which made for a fun camaraderie among coworkers. 

Pete won me over immediately with his kindness. My nickname for him was "Sweet Pete".

I'll miss you, Pete. Your kindness, your smile, your sense of humor, and your love of life and dancing endeared you to me and to many. Your life touched me and made a difference in me for the better, and I am honored and glad that I knew you.

A Letter from Little Red Riding Hood to the Big Bad Wolf

Dear BBW,

Hi. A memo for your reference:

1.)  I just want you to know that yesterday when you tried to intimidate me on my way to my grandmother's house, that was totally uncool.  Dude, I'm just a little girl.  Get an IQ and stop bothering children.  You dig?

2.)  If you ever try that again, I will totally call 9-1-1 on my cell phone that my grandmother gave me for my birthday and tell the cops on you.  I'm not afraid to tattle.

3.)  My parents work till 5 pm, so I will continue to be walking through the woods to my grandmother's house after school every day for the rest of the school year.  The three little pigs told me that they are sick of your shenanigans, too, and they totally have my back. 

4.)  My grandmother told me that if you ever so much as talk to me again that I should kick you where the sun don't shine.  Hard.  Grandmother is wise.  Did I mention that I know karate?

5.)  Two words:  pepper spray.

  

Don't mess with me. Capiche?

Truly,

Little Red

cc:

Three Little Pigs

Grandmother

Mom and Dad

Fairy Godmother

The Law Firm of Wingem, Stingem, Punchem and Robem

Good Friday, Indeed.

Yesterday, I was channel surfing and came across an old movie about the life of Jesus. The particular scene that was on was of Jesus teaching in the temple. Some who listened believed. Others were sceptical.

I wondered if I were there that day if I would have believed or if I would have been among the skeptics. I am very aware on this Good Friday that I am so blessed with the gift of retrospect. Had I lived in Jerusalem during Christ's lifetime, I wonder if I would have been among those shouting "Crucify him! Crucify him!"

One of the most touching parts of the crucifiction is when Jesus is suffering on the cross--his heart full of compassion for those who were killing him--he said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

My heart is comforted knowing that if I were among those shouting "Crucify him!", Jesus (in his great mercy) would still have seen the depths of my sinful heart with compassion and cried out to the Father, "Forgive her, for she doesn't know what she is doing!"

And then I remember that he did.

Books: A Meme

My blog buddy J from Thinking About tagged me earlier this week for this meme.

What book are you reading right now?  I just finished reading a book called The Life You've Always Wanted: Spiritual Disciplines for Ordinary People by John Ortberg.  Hubs and I read and discussed it on a chapter-a-week basis with a group of friends.  I included a passage from the book in a post I wrote here.

What was the last book you read on a plane? Flying back from Texas last week, I read the play Amadeus by Peter Shaffer.  It is a wonderful play about Antonio Salieri's competitive friendship with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and on a deeper level about Salieri's anger at God for not giving him the same degree of fame and success that he gave Mozart.  You may remember the Academy Award winning movie by the same title from the '80s.  (J, did you enjoy my use of the apostrophe?)

What was the last book you read on a roadtrip? I, too, have a guilty pleasure called People Magazine! 

What is the most unusual place you found yourself reading? Three o'clock in the morning.  (That's a place, right?) A really good fiction novel keeps me reading long into the wee hours.

What books would you take to keep you occupied on a two week vacation to the beach? My sister gave me a book years ago that I really want to read called A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers.  It is the first in a trilogy called The Mark of the Lion.  It is historical fiction set during the time of the gladiators.  I have heard nothing but raves about the series.  Rivers also wrote one of my favorite fiction reads of all time called Redeeming Love.  If you haven't read it, go buy it now.  It is a retelling of Hosea's story, set in San Francisco during the gold rush. That book definitely kept me up 'til the wee hours because I simply could not tear myself away from it.  The book has nearly 500 reviews on Amazon and a 5 star rating.  It's really excellent!

I definitely have some readers in my life who I'd like to tag for this meme:

Hubs at The White Stone

Sharon at Grab the Fish

Jennifer at Jennifer Disney Photo Blog

"Boop" Keeps it Real

When it comes to being a grandmother, my sister's mother-in-law, "Boop", tells it like it is!

Things I Learned on my Camping Trip

1. We have found friends to travel with!

Meet our friends Jenn and Dave:

They are a really wonderful couple who we have enjoyed getting to know. Hubs and Dave became friends in seminary.  Big bonus that Jenn and I have hit it off, too, so the four of us have been hanging out more and more, and we always have a good time.  The other night at dinner, we were talking about how fun it would be for the four of us to vacation together, so we thought a weekend camping trip would be a fun and easy way to test the sometimes tumultuous waters of traveling companions.  Our weekend was a hit, and we all agreed that future trips are in order!  Yea!

2.  Camping in the "wilderness" of Orange County is my kind of camping!  Our campgrounds were fairly rustic, and it felt like we were in the middle of nowhere.  We cooked at our campsite and ate our meals at this table.  It was great to be "unplugged" and away from the noise of our electronic lives.  Still, it was nice to have 4 bars on my cell phone if I needed it, and it was very comforting to know that Starbucks was only 5 minutes away.  On Saturday night, the wind picked up and it was so cold, so we decided to thaw in Starby's for an hour before we hunkered down in our mummy bags for a cold night of camping.  :)

3.  I want to like wine, but I just don't. Dave did a little research before our weekend and discovered that there was a vineyard/winery not far from the campgrounds.  I've always wanted to go to a wine tasting, and that little dream came true!  As my hubby and two friends were oo-ing and ahh-ing over the different wines, I (much to my chagrin) didn't really like a single one I tried.  I wish I could blame it on my oh-so discerning palate, but at the end of the day, I'm just not a wine person.  It was cool to taste the differences between the varieties we tried, and to recognize that "indeed this glass does have notes of grapefruit and citrus!"  It's just that I'd rather be drinking grapefruit juice.  Still, I'm glad I had the experience of a wine tasting!

4.  The view from the campground was gorgeous:

5. There's no one I'd rather share an air mattress with than my Hubs.  See his post on the camping trip here.

It looked like fun in "The Parent Trap"

When Hubs and I were dating, we talked about all sorts of things.  Inevitably, I was asked the question that it seems all boys must know:  Do you like camping?

Having braved the murky waters of my twenties, I had learned that there is no point in trying to be the person you think your boyfriend wants you to be.  Now I was in my thirties, and it was time to take the advice my mom gave me in fifth grade when cliques were forming and I wasn't in them:  Be yourself.

So that fateful day, when Hubs was asking me the camping question, I responded with gusto: Yes, I like camping very much--especially if it's at the Hilton!

Needless to say, it wasn't a deal-breaker, and we've never gone camping.  Until this coming weekend, that is.  Our friends Jenn and Dave asked us if we'd like to go camping with them, so we are borrowing a tent, sleeping bags, etc. and we'll be "roughing it" for a couple of days.  

I promise to take pictures.  Wish this city slicker luck!

Happy Birthday, Jilly!

Yesterday was my sissy's birthday! Soon she's going to be a mommy--in less than 7 weeks! If her baby is going to look anything like she did as a baby, it is destined for 100% cuteness.

Of course, some things never change...so stinkin' cute!

Taking Time into its own Hands

Having travelled across two time zones and sprinkeled a change to daylight savings on top, my body had no idea what time it was.  So last night, at 9:00, it decided to go to sleep.  It then woke up twelve hours later, feeling very good about its newfound independence!

Back in California

I'm back in California, after a good week in Texas.  

My sister is just about the cutest pregnant lady ever!  Her baby has "dance parties", as Jilly likes to call them, all the time, so I got to feel my little neice/nephew (they want to be surprised on the sex of the baby) wiggling around, and even having hiccups!

Jilly and I spent three days with my Dad and his wife.  My Dad broke his arm a few days before we got there, just by overextending his elbow when he pushed a door open.  An x-ray showed that the cancer has gone to the bone in his arm and depleted 50% of the bone density at the elbow. Please pray for him, as a team of doctors are evaluating how best to treat him.  While in Texas, we were able to go to a couple of doctors appointments with Dad, and spent a lot of time just hanging out together, which was a real blessing.  

As you can imagine, the last week was full of joy and sadness and lots of love. I really didn't let myself get too emotional while I was in Texas because I was processing so much at once, so I think I'm due for a good cry now that I'm home. Hubs met me at the airport yesterday, and it is a sweet comfort to be back in his embrace.  

I'm in Texas, Y'all

My posting may be sparse this week because I'm in Texas. I got to attend a couple of super fun baby showers for my sister this past weekend. She is looking adorably pregnant, and her baby is moving around like crazy. It even got the hiccups today!

Now, my sister and I are spending some time with our Dad, who is bravely fighting awful cancer. His strength in the midst of this tremendous trial continues to amaze me. I love him so.

Hubs is manning the fort at home, and being very sweet about it, too, I might add. :)

Please be in prayer for my Dad--for his comfort, strength, and healing. The cancer is really aggressive and not relenting. Thank you for your prayers.