This time last year

     We're in a better place this week.  Mark is feeling a bit better, he is working a bit, and spending quality time with all of us.  Each of us is feeling comfort and are better able to focus on positive parts of life.  At least for one more week, anyway.

      My mom was here this morning.  She took Amari to dance class and let me get some work done.  We were talking about this time last year.  It was so exciting to be a part of my sister's wedding.  Those memories are priceless!  It was interesting timing because Mark had just returned from a CT evaluation, and we discovered just how fast his tumors were growing.  We had just met our chemo team for the first time, and set out a course of action for the next few months.  Dr. Gouw has told me since, that after our first meeting he did not think Mark would live to see the next summer.  We didn't want to spread this bad news at the time of Jason & Renee's wedding, but many family and friends knew.  They hugged us tighter, tears in thier eyes, and then danced the night away to the contagiously upbeat music of the "Clumsy Lovers".  (I've been thinking about you alot Renee, especially after Kay & Eric's wedding)

     After their wedding day, a small group of us traveled to Jason's hometown of Hope, BC, Canada for a week stay and for a reception there.  We rafted the mighty Fraser River, toured Hells Gate, picked huge, wild blackberries,  visited Othello tunnels, saw the fish swimming upstream, enjoyed fresh salmon, shopped for maple leaf earrings, ate peroghies at the "Elvis rocks the canyon" cafe, toured the woodcarvings and Rambo movie sets in Hope, ate nanaimo bars (so delicious!), and were surrounded each day with the music of Jason's banjo, Helmut's guitar and many of and thier friends.  We had a good time being out-and-aboat, eh?