Maria, Chris, and Makenna in Yuma after Christmas '07

Singing and Dancing Santas in Quincy (Eddie in the middle)

The Day After Makenna's Baptism at The Cheesecake Factory

Dressed for the Occasion!

Feb. 3, 2008 Makenna's Baptism

Grandma loves this baby!

Singing karioke at my birthday party

Cassie, Step, Bailey, Paige, and Kayla

Sam and me.....We look good!

Carson Bowman

I am spending the morning organizing the photo albums, as I realized we have had 4 major events in less than six weeks.....Christmas, travel to Yuma, several birthday parties, and Makenna's baptism. As I look at the calendar, I see nothing major til Easter about 40 days or so ahead. So I will rest....today. I do plan to write the story for Makenna and give her a little photo album with the highlights.

I have 20 chemo treatments down and 13 to go. My breast now looks very sunburned, and I expect that it will get worse before it gets better. As I understand these treatments are literally burning the cells of this part of me, I will have to be patient with the owies that are undoubtedly ahead. The cancer cells cannot withstand the major burn, that is what I am told, while healthy tissue can recover. So I look to the future and still consider myself cancer free until somebody tells me otherwise! I have to look at it that way to keep it all going.

Our church has the first No Fish Fish Fry tonight, then the Stations. I recorded my little jingle yesterday at the radio station to promote it, and another parishoner read the menu. We hope people will come and have a good meal along with some family discussion and Catholic trivia and then head upstairs for the Stations. We'll see if we can get anyone there with this approach. I wrote the family discussion topics yesterday, and I have to write the Catholic trivia questions this morning. We are giving away meals in a drawing for all those who fill out the trivia question sheet.

A story about Nolan.....

Since none of us but Carrie could understand about 90% of what Nolan was saying several weeks back, she got an evaluation for him from a speech pathologist, and he qualified. So the lady has been coming to the house weekly and working with him. The first week, he totally cooperated, and Carrie was very encouraged. The second week, all he would do was growl at her. Not one word, just growling. Things improved considerably after that as I understand it, and by last week, they were "feeding" the cows in his little farm set with beans she brought. They talked as they loaded his dump truck, and the activity was fun and interesting for Nolan.

Well, the next morning, when Nolan was having his rice krispies and milk for breakfast, what do you think he decided to do? He loaded up his dump truck with the soggy cereal to feed his cows. Now Tony was none too pleased with this, so he scolded Nolan and put the truck in a high place, or so he thought, and banished Nolan from the activity. Of course, that does not stop a headstrong Dede, so it didn't take long for Nolan to refill and again attempt to feed the cows. And the next morning, out he comes from the bathroom with his dumptruck loaded with water for the cows. Needless to say, Carrie and the speech pathologist will talk about future interactions involving "feeding" the cows!

Always a good story at the Dede household!

As I have reviewed all the pictures from my 57th birthday celebrations, I have realized how very fortunate I am to have these family and friends. I am so proud that Carrie and Tony and Chris and Maria (and Mario) pulled off the surprise party, and I am so thankful to them for thinking enough of me to do it. And then to everyone else who gave up their Saturday night plans to come....it just means everything to me and helps keep me going. Everyone who came created memories for me that I will treasure as long as I can remember!!!

Now my focus is on Lent and getting closer to God through the requisites we are given by our church: prayer, fasting, and good works. Gotta rest today, then get movin' on these.