Wrapping Up the Year

Well, I didn't keep my promise to blog more last fall so I have made it a New Year's resolution to do so. And we all know how those go–so let's hope I am in the small minority who keep them! I guess it also means that I did not have much to report and I would say that is the case. My cancer remains in remission :) and the neuropathy in my calves and feet is about the same with nothing uncovered after all the tests for the neurologist. :( Please continue to pray that my cancer will remain in remission and that I will be in the small minority who eventually come close to making a full recovery from the neuropathy.

In late October I caught a very nasty cold which morphed into flu (despite a flu shot) and hung around for almost the entire month of November. (One of the downsides of a compromised immune system.) Other than that things went well as fall moved into winter. Our week with Anna in October was lots of fun and she really got to know Grandmor and Grandpa Bob.  We also had a chance to watch her in early December when we were in MN for the St. Olaf Christmas Festival. Making gingerbread cookies with Grandmor and buying a family Christmas tree were highlights of that time. Terri and I also spent many long weekends enjoying the fall up in MI. Our dog Wesley got to know Liz and Mike's dog Daisy and the two of them had fun wrestling around the house and running up and down the beach. 

All in all, Christmas was a joyful time. Terri and I had decorated the house to the hilt since the whole family would be here on the 24th and 25th. It was great to see it so colorful and bright after Christmas 2010 which was more subdued given my impending stay at the hospital for my stem cell transplant. And it was fun to see Anna enjoy all the decorations, pointing out the Advent calendar, the elf on the shelf, and Santa with a ho, ho, ho. (Actually the elf on the shelf was a tradition in our home long before it became so popular. Just wish we had the royalties from all of the merchandising.)  Anna was especially taken with the baby Jesus in our nativity and carried him around the house.  She also loved passing out the gifts on Christmas Eve. Of course, we all had received our greatest Christmas gift much earlier in the year–the gift of life.

Enjoy the pictures!