That's What its all About!

We needed a little Christmas, right the very moment, before the days and the feeling slipped away. Every day since Thanksgiving we would talk about taking the ornaments out. Every day would pass without a single ornament or decoration making their appearance.

Christmas in the Eyes of a a Child

I began to fear that we would never get it started. But we did and it makes me so happy!

Simply the Best

From the moment we stepped out of the car at the Grand California Hotel, it was like a dream come true. Just to be there after the year it's been seemed like a miracle. What am I saying? It was a miracle.

Christmas Tree at the Grand California Hotel

It was simply just about one of the best days of the whole year. Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!

Even a Day can make a Difference

Sometime in the month of August or September, I lost my ability to use my hands properly. It was hard to eat, write, type and pick up much of anything. I was looking at my journals from that period and was shocked at how bad my handwriting was and pleased at how much better it is today.

Even a day can make a difference.

Lost and Found

The Prodigal Charm Bracelet

It was lost, but now it's found...thanks to my favorite (and only) daughter. I cried like a baby when she called me to tell me she was holding my charm bracelet. After all, it had been over a year since I had last seen it.

The Way it is Sometimes

There are no snapshots today...at least not as of six o'clock Pacific time.

Sometimes that's the way it is.

She's Back

Mom's been gone since Monday. Went up to visit Eliz for a little R&R. It felt good to let her go as I know this hasn't been easy on her. While I believe I appreciate all that she does for me, this has made me appreciate her even more.

The way she prepares my breakfast every morning is one of the things she does that means so much.

Not Exactly the Breakfast of Champions

Not exactly the breakfast of champions, but pretty darn good to the taste anyway!

Aunt Sally filled in for mom as she enjoys her R & R up north. She did a stand up job spoiling me with a hearty, scrumptious breakfast, even after a few falls that Aunt Sally endured while watching over me. It was nice to have some space between mom and me and it made me appreciate everything she does for me even more.

A Little Fun Time

Watching these two together warmed my heart. I don't know who was cuter...my auntie or my little princess. I would say, it was pretty close to a tie!

The Spunky Princess

For a little princess, she's got spunk. I love that about her. She's going to need it in the world we live in.

Worth Every Lukewarm Drop

The first cup of coffee was deliciously steaming hot. I was looking forward to a second cup. Alas! The second cup was lukewarm, leaving much to be desired. At least the Men's choir, compliments of Azusa Pacific University, and the guest speaker's, Angie Smith, message were inspiring and worth every lukewarm drop.

I'm so thankful we were able to attended despite it all.

More Time in the Light

 

Nothing does wonders for me like being out in the sunshine. It always makes my day better. I wish I could have more time out there.

A Place to Lay Her Head

I bought Belle a little bed for my room so she has a quiet little place to lay her head. Her bed in the family room is often occupied by our little guy and/or little princess. Much to my delight, she's been sleeping in it for the last week. My little princess has been eying the bed for several days and today tricked Belle into getting up so she could sneak in.

Dripp Dripp Dropp

Finally made it to Dripp, my favorite little coffee shop east of Los Angeles. After having imbibed on a Mayan Mocha at the Gypsy Den, the mocha's at Dripp no longer do the trick, but the pastries and ambiance, oh my! The ambiance at the Gypsy Den could be described as Bohemian while Dripp would best be called as Hipster. I love them both for different reasons.

What the Doctor Ordered

We had a blast playing hide and seek, under the blankets with a flashlight to keep things merry and bright. I've said before and I'll say it again...it was just what the doctor ordered.

Don't Be Angry...Birds

In preparation for the Little Guy's birthday, my Sonny Boy built a catapult. A catapult! It was one of the big hits at the party. No pun intended :)

It was Beautiful

From what I was told, the party was a huge success. Combine a 4-year old's birthday party with Angry Birds, an honest-to-goodness catapult, light sabers made out of pool noodles and a Darth Vadar pinata and how could you expect anything else?

Due to a series of unfortunate events, I missed the whole event. I could have cried...well, actually, I did cry...almost the whole day. It was a bad of a day that one could have. The kind of day where you're afraid that the next day will be a horrible continuation from which there is no escape. The kind of day where God feels so far way, you can't gather up the wherewithal to call upon him when you need him the most.

I woke early this morning. No surprise there since I spent most of yesterday crying, moaning and/or sleeping, sometimes all three things at one time. I've got talents, I'll tell you. Once, again, I digress...so I woke up early, afraid to move, unsure whether the pain and delusions still resided within me, Thankfully, it was not the case. While I'm not 100%, I'm so much better than I was yesterday.

I celebrated with leftover birthday cupcakes. It was beautiful and delicious.

It didn't stop me from gobbling it up.

Not the End of the World

 

It was one of those moments, when the thought came too late and everything else moved too fast. It seems to happen a lot lately, but that's what happens sometimes. It turns out, it's not the end of the world.

What I Love...

There are photographs that speak to the heart. It's what I love about photography, there are so many options available. While street photography grabs for my attention, its a shot like the picture above that tug at my shirt strings. What you may not know is that this is my grandson engrossed in conversation with my dad. What you may be assuming is that they are sharing a funny moment. There are so many things I love, love, love about this picture, namely, the two males who are spanning generations. 

The only thing I don't like about this picture? I'm not the one that took it. My daughter-in-law was the one who got the shot, but at least she shared it with us :) Shots like this...I want the credit for. I hate when it wasn't me, 

Creative Emergence

I watched in admiration as he dipped his paintbrush into the plate of paint I poured for him just a few minutes earlier. There was no hesitation on his part. No worry about where the brush stroked the stark white paper. No second guessing about whether the yellow paint should touch the green and no doubt about the size of the green circle that dominated the page.

When he was finished with his masterpiece, a mere 10 minutes after he first started, he proudly held it up for me to admire. It was refrigerator worthy.

What I would give to be so self-assured about my art. When and how do we strip ourselves of our creativity?

All Over It

I found this handy-dandy app that enables users to quickly and easily add text to photos. I love that I can decide the font, pt size, placement, kerning and leading, as well as, add graphics.  It's been fun playing around with it. Not only that, it takes me out of my comfort zone.

Group Selfies

Day two of her birthday celebration...

 

They were missing Sierra so they had to get a group selfie in the books so they could snap chat it to their missing compadre. It had been too long since I heard their silly laughter as they reminisced about the days of the past. It was all the medicine I needed for the night

 

Got to get with the Program

After an inspired start, I've stalled out. No more excuses, I need to start pushing myself to walk more.

At the End of the Day

God had Other Plans

There was a time I doubted I would ever make it here again. God had other plans.

I'm so glad he did.

The Very Best Part

She smiled and nodded her head when I asked her if she wanted to climb under the blankets next to Grandma.

It was one of the very best part of my day.

Why We Look Happy

We were on our way to see our babies.

That's why we look so happy.

I Love My Bug, but...

I wouldn't not make a good testimonial for VW. I love my bug, but it would have been nice to know that owning one, means visiting an auto shop more than I would care to.

My Promise to God

I woke up early feeling as fragile as I had the night before. As I sat in quiet mediation I made a promise to God, that I would not hate every step I took towards the lab in preparation of my chemo but instead I would give thanks that he would be right beside me during the long walk down the hall.

I did as I promised and by the time I walked out of the infusion center, I was feeling stronger.

Mayan Mocha

I took advantage of a good day at work and light traffic and stopped at a little gem I recently uncovered, thanks to the my sweet daughter-in-law.

I really went for the Mayan Mocha, but I enjoyed the grilled chicken salad immensely, too.

All Good Stuff

The pie, the coffee, the conversation and the company. It was all good stuff.

The Opportunity for Love

Every day is an opportunity for Love.

The Beauty of the Morning

Missing my babies, but grateful for the beauty of the morning.

The Quiet Moments

It's the quiet moments before all the busyness and expectations begin that I treasure each morning.

With the Grace of God

The morning had just broken and already I was exhausted just thinking of the walk from my car to my office.

With the grace of God, I was able to make it through the day.

A World of Good

A new coffee shop with my besties. It was the best mayan mocha that I've ever had.

But more importantly just being out in the word did me such good.

Wasted Day

It felt like a wasted day.

That's because it was.

The Start to the Weekend

It was a ray of hope and once, again, I was reminded that there is heaven here on earth.

It was a good way to start the weekend.

Precisely What I Needed

It was one of those days. Blood test, oncologist appointment, chemo and then to the office for a presentation to our sales team.

God gave me precisely what I needed precisely when I needed it. He is so good.

Hanging On

Somehow I was convinced that today would be my day and in it I would find joy again.

Turns out I had to hang on with everything I had just to make it through the day. I'm so happy to be home now.

Another Victory

It was one of those days...my body hurt almost the whole time I was in the office.

It felt like such a relief to make it through the day without leaving early. And the fact that I'm still awake three hours after I got home is still another victory.

Soaking in the Goodness

It was a cool winter morning, So Cal style, complete with skies so blue, Tahiti waters would be jealous.

I soaked in the goodness, healing my soul from the weekend.

Apple Pie

It was a horrible Super Bowl game, from start to finish, but it was the call that came less than thirty minutes before the game was to start that put a damper on the day. When she asked if I wanted some apple pie, I didn't hesitate.

Yes.

The Moments I Live For

She's the daughter of my Bestest and I love that there is a connection between my baby girl and her's.

These are the moments that I live for.

A Bowlful of Medicine

Self-soothing with a little J-E-L-L-O

It's like a bowlful of medicine.

Snuggling

Another nap snuggling with her toy.

Towards the End of the Day

Towards the end of the day.

Working from Home

Working from home the whole week on a special project, which includes video streaming with the team in Minnesota who laughed at me when I said it was cold here.

Buddies

Lately, she's been hanging out with her pink fuzzy friend

Over the Shoulder

Breakfast at my favorite coffee shop with my baby girl. I lugged my big camera in hopes of some candids. Alas, they sat us in a booth, me facing the wrong way and she, not in the mood for a camera facing her way. I made do with an over the shoulder shot.

Working at It

After much hemming, hawing, and even a little room cleaning, I finally made it out of the house.

These days it seems I need to work at not being a hermit.

The Perfect End

It's rare to have her home at a night hour when I'm still awake on a Friday.

Spending the last hours of the day watching Captain Phillips together was the perfect end to a good day. The movie…two thumbs up!