With membership to Bok Tower Gardens comes priviledges

Bok Tower Gardens seems to have become a routine destination for us especially because it is a lovely place to take friends and family when they visit.  This year we looked into membership and decided to join.  One of the perks is a visit to the Founders Room, the grand entrance into Bok Tower.  The tower from the outside is a work of exquisite art and the Founders Room was no less spectacular.  From the ceiling to the beautiful arches,the balcony leading to the upper levels and the magnificent floor, exterior window on to the fireplace (through which all of the bells were brought into the tower and then hoisted skyward) it is an incredible sight.

LANCE

Lazy Days may still think that I am Sally Franz, an alias that I chose to find a salesman that would help us find the specific camper that we were looking for, but it was John and I that were thrilled to buy a travel trailer with thoughts of taking off and doing some traveling. It seemed like a good time to go camping again......so we bought a 23' Lance travel trailer, just the right size to take the grandchildren on an adventure or head out on an adventure of our own.

To test the waters we went to Lake Kissimmee State Park, a lovely area with hiking trails and wildlife.  We discovered that we need to get back into the camping mindset again not to mention that it rained like crazy the first night we were there.  Anyway we have begun and are ready to plan the next great chapter of our lives.

Friends, Family and Bok Tower

It was a busy two weeks with Matt and Rachel's visit on a very windy, cold weekend in January followed by Billy and Christina the next weekend.  We had such a marvelous time with each of  them going to almost Disney (Matt's definition) followed by Bok Tower gardens with M & R.  And happily back to Bok Tower gardens, the Columbia Restaurant, Old Town Car show and Star Wars @ the IMAX theatre and Orlando outlet malls with B & C. (to be clear Billy and Christina's stay gave us more time to gad about)

We are so very blessed!!  Blessed that Matt and Rachel honored us with a wonderful visit and grateful that Billy and Christina enjoy our company enough to time out of their busy schedules to come see us. Some people just make you feel loved!!

 

Thanksgiving, Birthdays and a little Christmas

The holidays are wonderful, filled with lots of family fun  This year we jammed in more festivities than usual.   Thanksgiving was at our house which started with a family gathering on Wednesday night and a little bit of Christmas. The next morning Celia and Lily transformed my kitchen into "Nana's Place" and served breakfast to a lucky crowd. Thursday was a beautiful day which was perfect for the kids to play outside.  We had our traditional family meal and my favorite tradition of sharing what we are all grateful for.  I love having the opportunity to hear what is in everyone's hearts.  On Friday we included Brooke and Andy in our birthday celebration for Celia who is now double digits.  Lots of celebrating for a family with a lot to be thankful for!!!

Christmas 2015

John and I had a lovely Christmas day with longtime friends Don and JoAnn and daughters, Liz and Caitlyn.  It is hard to simulate a special holiday like Christmas when you are away from family but we loved being with friends.  Only 3 weeks in their new home and they are willing to open their celebration to us, now that is a good friend.  They made us feel special and loved!!  I will always be grateful for their generous hospitality on this Christmas day!!

Summer with the Livingston boys

Time with the boys comes in bits and pieces.  We are fortunate that we get  to see them often but I sometimes wonder what we have exactly done with them.  Unlike time with the girls, our time with the boys is less scheduled, less planned out, more as we can fit it in.  But when I look back at my photos, we had a great time together this summer.  We started out our adventures just after our return from Florida with a search for the Mice On Main in downtown Greenville followed by a walk in the waterfalls downtown.  The water was still sooooo cold.

Then the guys joined me for VBS at our church, St Giles Presbyterian. 

Next we enjoyed a picnic lunch and trip to the Children's museum of Greenville.  Sam loved the wind tunnel and the race cars and Jack just loved driving the race car simulation.  I had to include the "threatening" text that we got from mommy reminding them that they needed to "be good".

We took the to see Minions and got to watch the movie with 3D glasses. Next was Gravitopia,which at this point in their lives seems to be the all time favorite.  We spent the entire afternoon at the pool.  I think I am looking forward to the time when Sam can swim on his own because he spent alot of time touring around the pool hanging onto my shoulders.  But when he no longer needs to hold onto me I will really miss spending up close and personal time with my sweet boy.

 

We have fun doing sleepovers, baking cookies, playing hide and go seek and making flubber. And I am so glad that I get to go the Grandparents Day at school, watch Jack play softball, and enjoy my Ninjas as they run through the neighborhood Trick or Treating.  I do hope they will remember these times as the good times with Nana and Papa.  Love you guys!!

The summer of 2015

Cancer is never a welcome, expected visitor.  And when it arrives, the news leaves you sitting there feeling like a deer in the headlights.  There are more questions than answers, more fears than feelings of certainty and definitely more focus on what you really value and cherish.  So the quest begins, as we put this threat into our new reality and gather as much information as possible so that the next steps would become clear. Your priorities shift a bit and what seemed vitally important yesterday is not necessarily the focus right now.  I am grateful for the fact that John and I process information and make decisions in basically the same manner.  And also very grateful for the fact that a lot of the information we heard during doctor visits, second opinions and additional test results were good news.  They caught it early and the treatment options available would give him a very good chance of a good outcome.

So on September 17 he began the journey of 9 weeks of radiation.  Five days a week for 9 weeks he, and ultimately we, would allow radiologists to treat him with small doses of radiation that would very slowly deaden the cancer cells.  It had taken several months for us to reconcile ourselves to the fact that we were willing to go through this process but in the end active surveillance was not an option.

The prognosis is very good!!  Now after 11 treatments, he is doing well with 32 treatments left.   We walk this unwelcome path together and trust that we will figure this out together no matter what the future holds.

A very sweet friend sent John the following message: "I'm sorry you'll have to organize your life around these radiation treatments for a while, but if that care keeps you well for all of us who love you, you're giving us a gift each time you make the trek."  This says it all!

On November 19th he completed the 9 demanding weeks of radiation. This is the email that I sent to family and friends. "As I promised I am updating you on John's progress.  He completed his 9 weeks of radiation last Thursday and is doing wonderfully.  The process of treatments 5 days a week for 9 weeks seems like a daunting task and there were times that it indeed was really draining. But he actually handled it remarkably well, had limited side effects and is elated that it is complete.  We have learned that the radiation stays in his system for 2 years and will continue to work the whole time. Tests to access the success of his treatments will not take place until we return from Florida in the spring. 

But in the mean time thank you all so much for your support and prayers.  We appreciated your words of encouragement so very much. We are looking forward to Thanksgiving with the family followed by the trip south for the winter.  Many blessings to you all and wishes for a thankful and fun filled holiday season."

We are so very blessed to have family and friends that will pray for us and  walk with us no matter where this journey takes us!!!!