Good afternoon...it's a bright, sunny day - cool and clear. I was out running some errands and it was warm and cozy with the sun on my face and the heater on full-blast in the car! A little mocha-java-latte or whatever would have been the frosting on the cake.

We are making a quick trip to Madison tomorrow to see a pain oncologist. My regular oncologist in Madison just isn't sure what else to do with me, so we'll see the specialist and hope that he can offer some wise counsel. I've been keeping track a bit of the pain to try to narrow down the who-what-where-when-how of it all. It doesn't seem to be "chemo"-related...it does not go away when I've got a week or two off (as do other aches/pains). It doesn't seem to be tumor-related (at least according to the latest CT scan). There are some consistencies, though, and perhaps those will point us in the right direction.

I'm also scheduled for another CT on Dec. 22 to see how much progress with treatment we've made since last time. Last CT showed the tumors in my lungs were shrinking - and we are hoping that this upcoming CT will show even more "shrinkage". I wasn't expecting good news last time - I am excited about this next one and am looking for more good news.

Don & I are enjoying the sounds of the season - we have music playing a lot these days. Music has such a marvelous way of soothing, of comforting, of challenging, of reinforcing Biblical truth and can be just plain entertaining! (I was doing dishes the other morning singing away when I realized Don was just standing and listening to me. I do not have a "singing" voice at all, but we were having fun!!) And the harmonies of the songs we enjoy are just beautiful. We listen to a variety of styles with our Christmas music - jazz, gospel, quartet, "loud & bangy", instrumental - we even have a Beach Boys Christmas cd!!

One of the traditions that our family started years and years ago - and we continue to this day - is a "fondue" night when we put up our tree. This year was a bit different as we "fondued" a night or two after putting up the tree. We get small cans of sterno out and lots of things that go on a skewer or can be eaten with crackers or fingers...little Cheddar smokies, chunks of cheese, chunks of steak that has been cooked "rare" just prior to our meal, a couple of kinds of cheese balls, veggies & dip, smoked salmon & cream cheese, pickled herring - just fun stuff. We have eggnog first, then a time of thanks to God...thanking Him for a wonderful year and trusting Him for the year to come (more on that in a minute), then we "fondue" while watching White Christmas or some other favorite Christmas movie and our evening wraps up with chocolate fondue, fresh berries, pound cake, and the like. You probably have special times that you treasure with your family and we hope you enjoy the moments and memories of those times.

Yes, we've given God thanks for the past year. Just thinking - one year ago we were getting ready to celebrate my grandmother's 100th birthday (she'll be turning 101 in a couple of weeks and still going along!!) and also getting ready for our niece's wedding...and cancer wasn't a part of the picture at all. That we knew of anyway. We know differently now - but looking back over how our lives have changed since last Christmas - wow! Perhaps you've experienced change of grand proportions, too...a loved one has "gone on", perhaps you've received the news of a job change or loss, a diagnosis that just takes your breath away. Yes, I understand that. This I know...and can say with calm assurance from walking this road...God is still God and His plan for our salvation is the same. His Son came to earth as a tiny babe, grew to be a man that learned obedience - obedience that took Him to the cross. Fully man, fully God, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. For that we give God praise. You see, trusting God with my life - and my "forever" - brings such peace and calm. There is no fear in tomorrow - no fear. God has cared for me up to this point, He is faithful and true and will continue to care for me from this life into the next. I can hardly wait for "eternity" but for the loved ones I treasure so here on earth!!

Priceless memories these days are...may God bless your day today!
Love,
Deb