Prayers for Peggy

Some of you know my dear friend, Lisa.  Lisa's mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer back in April.  

Here is the post from Caring Bridge from earlier tonight.  (Erin is Lisa's sister)

Results February 5, 2015

By Erin Donnelly — 8 minutes ago

Well.  If I had updated this journal earlier today (or earlier this week), I would have had much different words for you to read.  We thought the appointment Monday was almost "good enough" news.  Not quite "good" news but we thought the results given weren't discouraging.  The mentality of *no news is good news* maybe?  We never heard "bad" or "unsettling" news from the doctor at the appointment, but we all left with an uncertain feeling...  After Monday, we learned that there is a definite cause for Mom's loss of blood somewhere in the GI tract.  She has appointments next week for upper and lower GIs. We were going to wait and see what comes from those tests...until this evening.  

Now, we know more. 

Mom got a call from her oncologist. (not the nurse but the actual-real-deal doctor!)  He shared completely unexpected news with her.  Monday's lab work came back.  The tumor marker test shows a significant increase and the doctor told Mom he was very worried.  He told her she still needs to get the GI tests done and in the meantime he is going to consult with the surgeon we first met back in April right after Mom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  The doctor who started the major Whipple surgery and made the decision to stop the surgery once he found her liver so full of disease that he was afraid of Mom's ability to recover from such a major surgery.  Oncologist and surgeon deciding whether or not Mom's body would be able to fight on trying this major surgery once more.   

Mom learned that reconsidering the Whipple surgery is her only option since chemotherapy and radiation therapy were both unsuccessful.  Very shocking. Very shocking!  We will wait and let you know when we know.  

If ever a time we ask for prayers, thoughts, messages, positive words for my sweet, kind, and loving Momma, now is that time.  One more sudden, sharp curve down this nasty journey called cancer.   

~Erin and all~ 

Please keep Peggy, her husband Bob in your prayers.

xo

February 1, 2015

It's Super Bowl Sunday.  And I'm home watching a movie with Annie and enjoying it!

I spent a long weekend in St. Louis with Aunt Sue.  I left early (I mean eeeeearly) Friday morning and left my car at Sue's.  We stopped in Columbia for breakfast and made it to our hotel around 10 ready to craft, scrapbook and in my case, organize pictures.  I started with a scrapbook from our trip to North Carolina last summer.  I would have finished it but I didn't have enough pictures.  I completed a scrapbook from Jack and I's trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico in 2003.  And started a little one for pictures of Suzy.  Jack confessed he wasn't ready for a book of Suzy pictures, so I'm glad I didn't get that one going.  I organized years of pictures by child and by year.  I didn't get them put into chronological order, but years of pictures are just a few steps away from organized.  Our weekend was filled with late night and sleeping in... until 8.  We ventured out yesterday afternoon for lunch and stops at Walmart and Michael's for supplies.  We didn't go to the pool.  It was SO fun!  Relaxing and productive!  We even signed up to go again next January!

Sue and I surrounded by creativity!

My projects...

(I'm not sure why I can't get it straight!?)

All packed up and ready to head home.

These are just my supplies.

We left at 1:00 today, hoping to make it home for the Super Bowl.  We made two stops and encountered some slick roads East of Odessa, Missouri but made it home safe and sound.  

The kids and Jack had a good weekend, too.  Jake worked a few shifts.  Annie hung out with friends. And Jack smoked a 16 pound brisket and made dinner - fulfilling a BBQ dinner for 16 he sold last year during the youth group silent auction benefiting their mission trip - for a Super Bowl party. What do you think my chances are that he's going to bring me home some burnt ends?  I'm thinking little to no chance.  That's ok.

--- 

There have been some big changes in my world.  I changed jobs.  I am now teaching Pre-K at Parkwood Day School.  I am a creature of habit and this change has not been easy.  I have found that my body needs a daily amount of music and movement, which is not included in our schedule.  And I miss Katie terribly.  Going from a Special Ed classroom to a peer based class has also been tough.  I always felt overwhelming support from Katie and our therapists.  I am working to build a relationship with my team but our Special Ed teacher and therapists are only in the building twice a week.  The best way to explain how I feel is prepared but oddly ill-equipped.  This too shall pass.  I can do this.    

---

Now turn on your volume and watch the following...

Wimpy Goat (remember Dad, just double click on it)

I hope that made you smile.  I just love it.

xo  

Beautiful Music

I felt the need to share some beautiful music on this gray morning.

It All Started with One... Bravo!

Unsuspecting Shoppers

xo

5 Bits of Goodness

It's time to write about something good.  Something positive.  Good things have been happening to Annie and I don't want all the other stuff to negate all the goodness that is surrounding her.

#1  Annie join NAHS (National Art Honor Society).  It's exciting to have her join an extra curricular activity.

#2  We received the following email from Annie's photography teacher and it's too good not to share;

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Diemer, 

I wanted to take a minute and just let you know that Annie is doing a fabulous job in photography right now.  She really understands composition, lighting, and how it all works together.  Already after only 10 weeks she is one of my top photo students and her work really stands out.  She is very creative but also possesses the knowledge, patience, maturity and ability to follow through on those ideas to create very solid work.  I am not sure of Annie's plans for the future, I know she is still young and probably excels in many areas, but I do hope that art is a part of her plans.  Based on the work I have seen her do last year and this year, I feel I would not be doing my job well if I didn't relay to you that Annie has a special gift and talent in art.  She effortlessly comes up with ideas, solves problems as they arise and seems to find such joy in the process of creating the art she makes.  She is a natural and is very successful in her ideas and output.  I believe every student who loves or enjoys art should continue to keep it in their life, but there are only a few students who I honestly believe could go on to successfully make art their career.  Annie is one of those students that if she chose an art career I could see her being very successful based on the skills she has shown already.  I'm not sure if that is even a consideration or interest in her mind, but as her teacher I just thought I'd put forth my observations.  I believe Annie is very talented and has the necessary skills, mind set, and creative ability to do very well in the art world if she would ever choose. She is a pleasure to work with and you have done a great job raising a wonderful and well rounded young lady. You should be very proud of her. 

Aimee Price

We are indeed proud of our girl and it will be exciting to see how art influences her future.  

#3 Annie is taking art classes on Tuesday afternoon with a couple friends.  They go to a woman's home for an hour and a half and create.  Their options are truly limitless.  It is an extraordinary opportunity and Annie is loving it.

Their first class they took a walk,

sat in the grass and Annie drew this.

#4  Annie was selected for EKL (East Kansas League) art competition in Gardner in the spring.  This year each teacher selected two students rather than the Art Department selecting students.  Annie was chosen by her photography teacher.  It's a big honor and Annie is excited. 

#5  And finally, you may or may not have heard... Annie has a boyfriend.  His name is Jordan.  I've been lucky enough to get to know him over the last six months or more of driving them to youth group in Olathe and many, many concerts.  He's a good kid and I like him.  

Hoping to report more goodness soon...

xo

Saying goodbye is never easy

It's eerily quiet around our house today... 

Rest Peacefully Sweet Suzy Q

2001-2014

Yesterday, we said goodbye to the best furkid we could ever have asked for.  Suzy Q had been sick and slipping away the last month.  We took her to St. Louis with us for Jake's band competition in mid-September.  At the time she had allergies but still enjoyed walks around the Gateway Arch.  We found out about two weeks ago that she had a heart murmur and had probably had a cardiac event at some point.  We took her to the vet and made several phone calls.  We changed her diet.  We tried to keep her comfortable.  The last few days she spent most of her time sitting up, as it was the best way to breath.  She frequently passed out or fainted and would fall over.  It was hard to watch.

Jack had the kids say their goodbyes the night before last.  He just didn't think she'd survive another night.  She did.  Yesterday morning I found it terribly hard to leave her, but it would have been miserable to stay home and sit with her.  Jack called the vet and made an appointment.  They were so lovely to Jack and I... it was quick and peaceful.  It was definitely the right thing to do.  We never wanted her to suffer.

I don't know if the kids remember life before her but I know they remember the day she joined our family.  The situation was not ideal, I had promised the family I would not get a dog without them.  But it was love at first sight for me and there was no way I could leave her.  She was a pitiful little thing in heat and had mange.  It didn't take long at all for her to fit right in.  

It's been therapeutic to go through old pictures today.  I had a very hard time choosing so I hope these bring a smile to your face.

We got a DOG!

2003

I'm home.

 

 

She was a great watch dog and lover of sunshine.

 

Post surgery

2008

 

On another adventure...

always ready to go for a walk...

family pictures

2010

St Louis

2013

In her happy place on Jack's blanket

sleeping with her back feet in the air.

on our way home from the dog park

ears flapping

relaxing in the front yard

always hungry...

sometimes naughty...

smile and relax

sharing a special moment with Addy Bea

happiest when we were together

with family and friends...

 good ole dog

Father's Day gift 

2013

Painted by my friend Jewelee Lukowski.

  

always ready to go...

anywhere but the vet

Yesterday morning she was miserable.

You all know she was more than just a pet.  She was one of the kids.  It will be difficult when we take our next adventure and not see her sitting in the backseat between the kids.  

She was one in a million, our little dachs-ador-gle.  

xo

St. Louis Super Regionals

Here are some pictures from the band performance in St. Louis.  The show was hard and it seemed like it was always changing from one week to the next.  Just because the judges didn't see all the hard work and progress doesn't mean it wasn't amazing.  I am constantly amazed at how excited Jake is about marching band - even when he's exhausted.  He gives it 100% - every day.  We are so proud of him.

Edward Jones Dome is a bit intimidating...

Evan, Patrick and Jake

Mom, is this reminiscent of me wearing a visor when I played softball?

I laughed when I saw it.

TUBA POWER!

(Jake is on the far right)

Our fearless Drum Majors

Nick, Billy and Abi

What a fun weekend!  I am looking forward to seeing the show again in San Antonio!!

xo

213,164

You may be wondering - what's the significance of 213,164... as of yesterday, it's the number of steps I have taken since October 1st.  I am participating in Walktober at school.  All the schools in our district had staff sign up, passed out pedometers and logging their steps each day.   My goal was to walk over 10,000 steps each day.  I have had three days that fell short of that.  But yesterday, in St. Louis, I walked 19,659 steps!  Isn't that crazy!?  We parked our car on Friday and it didn't leave it's spot until this morning.  I walked 8.93 miles in one day around the downtown St. Louis area.  It felt great but boy did my feet hurt when I crawled into bed.  

Here are a few pictures from our weekend in St. Louis.  I have many more band pictures to add.

We found a new car for Jake on Friday.

It's a 1997 Infiniti i30.

We picked it up today and I think we made a grown man cry 

when we took his car.

He had had it for 14 years and loved it dearly.

Jack said he took a picture of it as they drove away.

  

Our hotel was near the Arch.

And Suzy loves the park between the Arch and the Old Courthouse.

We ventured over near the Arch a few times.

There is lots of construction going on.

I will be excited to see the expansion next year.

It's just so beautiful!

With lots of green space to walk Suzy.

And enjoy the changing colors of Autumn.

Oh and we enjoyed watching Jake and the 

BVW Red and Silver Brigade perform

at the Bands of America Super Regional Competition.

Isn't this view amazing?

They didn't make finals.

But we are so proud of all their hard work.

The band headed home but we stayed the night.

And enjoyed dinner with friends.

And Jake had a little fun on the way back to our hotel...

it was harder than it looked but he had fun.

I have said this many times and I apologize for my blog neglect.  I have lots of pictures and adventures to share.  Stay tuned.

xo