Dad's birthday (June 18th), Scandinavian Festival in Astoria

We have a lot to celebrate in June, The following week-end was Dad's  85th birthday!!!  We celebrated by going to the Scandinavian festival in Astoria.  Mom, Dad , Sherry and Jared were supposed to meet us the day before at Worldmark in LongBeach.  Well........they did, but they didn't make it up until around 9:30 PM because they went to the festival and had a blast (good for them).  Well........we had a birthday cake waiting for dad, and yes, you wouldn't believe it (or maybe you would) but we decided it was time for cake so we took a picture of the cake before they got there, and went ahead with cake.  Hey.......I was way ready for bed.  It was really fun..  Dad just shook his head and laughed when they got there, and they had theirs.

Here's the picture:



You're just going to have to wonder about what it says.  It is a private joke............laugh on.



The next day was a delight at the festival.  Nancy and her four children, along with Katie Martin (their other grandma) were staying in Seaside and came up for the day with us!!  Here are some great pictures of the day!!



Dale started the day by meeting Miss Scandinavia (who happens to be from Denmark!)




Presentation of the Finnish flag (by Miss Finland)




Danish and Finnish Flags (Petersen and Williams heritage)




Presentation of Danish Flag (Miss Scandinavia from Denmark standing by with her crown)



Scandinavian Princesses getting ready for raising of Maypole



Raising the Maypole (Dale is in the front with the blue cap, I am in the orange cap)

Emily and Blake join us, Katie Martin made the hat, I love it!



Grandma and Natalie right after the raising of the Maypole







The Danish Band has arrived from Copenhagen!




Oldemore and Oldefar (the birthday boy) watch the dancing with Hailey





The dancing begins: Sherry, Natalie and Blake hit the floor running! They kept dancing and dancing.  I didn't think they would stop!

Emily has her scandinavian flowers in place



A real shoemaker shows Natalie and Emily "how to"

Natalie gets kissed by this troll about 30 seconds later

Natalie and Emily "Sisters..........the new generation"

Kirsten and Sherry  "Sisters!!" Oldies but goodies

The hardest part of the day was when a Polka Dance came up, which Sherry and I have always danced to.  We jumped up and took off..............I lasted about 2 minutes and felt like I was going to pass out.  That is when I realized, once again, Oh....... I really am a cancer patient, and I just can't do it.  I had to stop.  When I get myself back into the proper perspective it is O.K. I just have to frequently stop and rest, and be grateful to be able to have the experiences I am having. 

The Viking sword fighters was Blakes favorite, he was so excited to watch them, and he and Natalie were amazed that they were "real" Viking sword fighters, with REAL swords.



Viking swordfighter



Ouch someone has to lose

getting ready for the fight!!



Blake and Grandpa Dale.........Viking Warriors!

Emily gets a real German doll!





Jared, dad and Mom at the end of the day..........and what a marvelous day indeed.
There is so much to be said for our heritages, how wonderful it is to be able to go and experience a scandinavian day........especially with such perfect scandinavian parents!  Thanks mom and dad!

Sherry's birthday, Williams Dinner, Goodbye Elders Randall and Thompson

Sherry had another birthday Saturday June 11th, we had a little get together for a ham dinner, and of course mom made the tradition Danish birthday Layer Cake for dessert..........it never gets old! Here are a couple pictures from that event:

The birthday girl (isn't my sister cute!)

Dinner is ready to go!



Make it a good wish Sherry!

 We had a really good time, we always do, funny thing about families. While we were visiting Elders Randall and Thompson came by to say goodbye!!!  It is always hard to say goodbye , and yet it is exciting to know they are moving forward.  In this case Elder Randall is going to Pasco near where our daughter Nancy is..........small world.  Here is our goodbye picture.  I'd already taken my hat off and Elder Randall wanted a picture of the "baldy" anyway, so here it is:




Elder Randall, Me and Elder Thompson


The Elders are like family, so they stayed and visited for a while.  I really miss going out with them  since this whole cancer thing, and I don't get to know the new ones now like I will again.

As so often happens with families, the Williams happen to have a family dinner and get together this same week-end!  So we were doubly blessed to be able to get together with them.  Dale's sister Sheryl and her family were down from Utah, which is always a special treat. Here's some pictures from that get together too:

Catt and Sheryl

Shannon (Dale and Sheryl in back)

The dinner table, mom Williams at the head (Kimi to mom's right)

O.K. another view of the dinner table

Mom Williams relaxing in her chair, Annette nearby

The three "children" Dale, Sheryl and Annette


We went home tired, but grateful to have such wonderful families.  It is after all................what it is all about!!

Chemo # 6

Well, I made it through my 6th round of chemo, making me 1/2 of the way through with my "Taxol" treatments and then I have 6 weeks of Adriamycin and Cytoxan......totally 12 more weeks, making me..........1/3rd of the way through. Yup.......I gotta just check each one off!!

Chemo is not "Chemo" without a visit from my favorite RN  Deirdre. Here she is
giving me the "scoop" and just being "real"  Rachel is off to the left

Check out the toes!

Here's my favorite massage therapist.  She takes care of me every week!!

Rachel and I have started a tradition every week after chemo.  Since I'm all hyped up on steroids and feeling good, and she drives me to chemo,  I treat her to a good lunch , and then we go to Good Health Naturally and have our CVR session (Creative Visualization and relaxation).  It makes Fridays a good day!  Here we are enjoying the Jerusalem Cafe:

                                           I like the waiters here, they're always so friendly!

Another Successful Chemo Day!

The Beach with Katie

So.........we decided to brave the beach with our granddaughter Katie.  I say "brave" because, as you know........I never know how I am going to feel.  But Dale is so wonderful to take over and help out, and we warned Katie that grandma would have times I'd just have to go to bed .  She turned out to be a complete sweetheart, and a lot of fun too (not surprisingly)

Well,  the first day I went down to the beach with Katie while Dale was doing "something" at the room.......to be along "shortly".  I sensed I wasn't feeling so well when we got down there, but I thought "well, Dale will be here soon".  Katie decided to go run along the waterline while I watched her from my towel.

It didn't take long for me to realize I was in trouble.  My stomach was in a very "non-compliant" mode and I was trying to figure out how I was going to make a bee-line for a bathroom...........but I couldn't leave Katie alone, and I couldn't see Dale.  Finally, I saw Dale like a mile away.  I got up and went into a dead run (I probably looked like a slug, but for me, it was a run) and went screaming past Dale yelling "I'm headed for the bathroom, go find Katie and our stuff!".  That was it for me for the day.  By the grace of God I made it to the room, and spent the rest of the day in bed!!!!  God bless Dale.  Anyone watching must have thought we were crazy!!

All, these sort of experiences have made our little Katie very sensitive to her grandma. So I have to tell a little story on her.  She talked me into letting her sleep with me one night, which is one of grandma's #1 rules with the grandchildren........No sleeping with grandma!!!  They all squiggle, and kick, and move and I never get any sleep. "Oh, but grandma, I don't do that anymore."  I can't believe I fell for it.

So at 3:30 in the morning I am quietly getting up to move into her room  (where grandpa Dale is sleeping in one of two twins) because she is moving all over in her sleep,  She wakes up with a start and asks me what I'm doing.  I tell her I'm going into her room so I can sleep.  Here's the point of the story:  she jumps out of bed (now mind you she is 10 years old) and runs over and says "no grandma, you get back in bed here, it is bigger, more comfortable, and you are closer to the bathroom".  Then she tucked ME in and quietly walked herself back to the other bedroom!!!  I am so impressed with her sweet spirit. Did I mention I love her?

Here are some fun pictures of our trip to the beach: The rest of the time I felt pretty good and had a lot of fun:



I think Katie is having fun here!



                                                         Trying to stay out of the sun

Classic Katie

                                                                    Bombs away...........

Katie and Grandpa Dale

                                                                     Katie and Grandma

So you see...........it was worth it!!!!

Moving Forward.........

Well it has been ten days since my last blog!! My how times flies when you are having "fun".  I'll start by sharing a couple special "gifts" I received:



My friend Colleen Tolva gave me a copy of this painting she did for the "life of Christ" during Easter
I love waking up and seeing it



Debbie Humphrey and I go Way back from Ridgefield Ward, we've seen a lot of "the good, the bad and the ugly" together. It was so fun that she brought this beautiful plant for me.





These are some bears my brother Adam added to my collection for me (knowing I love bears)

Here I am wearing a wig and showing off some of my precious gifts from my grand children

So you can see I am still well taken care of!!!  You have probably guessed I have had a few rough days.....hence the lag in my blog.  We all know that is just part of the program, it comes with the opportunity to get better.  I do believe we have got a better "program" now and I am in better control.  Nausea continues to plague me intermittently (but it is much better than the "other")  I am actually having some really good days.  I guess the hardest part for me is I just poop out.  I am so used to running and going and doing..........and my body just won't let me, I'm good for a couple hours and then my body says "you're done" and I have to lay down.  It's a whole new experience, but I'm working hard at trying to do it right.  I know I need to prioritize myself right now (another hard thing to do) , because I plan on living a whole lot longer!!

Another Good News/Bad News Day

Well the good news far outweighs the bad news,  I was told Friday I am going to have my Chemo sessions reduced by 6 weeks!!! Yeah!!!!!! They were going to give me my Adriamycin for 6 weeks and then my Cytoxin for 6 weeks, but they are going to combine them and give them together!!!!  I am very happy about that.

My sad news is I think I lost my camera!!! My only hope is that I left it at Roger Barnick's office and they won't be in until Monday to find out........so no pictures until then, and maybe?????

I did have a great day Friday with Rachel going in for chemo.  We really do enjoy our visits and I always feel good on Fridays.  Actually I have one picture I took with my cell phone.  This guy is great.  He works in the pharmacy at CHH, he is always super friendly , and a person of great interest.  He always has interesting questions to ask while you are waiting for your RX if no one else is waiting .  The last two were:
1-What is the first country south of Detroit Michigan?  Now think about it..........I have to admit I didn't know (Dale did)  if you look at a map you go "Oh yeah!!" 
Answer---Canada
2-What was John Wayne's real name?   Marion Morrison (I see why he changed it, not a "tough guy" name)

So I think I am going to close with just two sayings I have picked up lately, one from Jeff and one from Dad.  Here they are:

"Never fear Shadows.  They simply mean there's a light shining somewhere nearby"  Ruth Renkel (from Jeff)

"It is the Lord, not us, to decide the terms of the race of life, including when the race should be over.  As long as He lends us breath in mortality, we are to run, even if that means shuffling breathlessly along."  (sent from my dad........now doesn't that sound like him?)

Life is good!!