DECEMBER 2011

Bill, Valerie, Tracie & Dianne at the
Queen Mary Sunday Brunch

So, I've let 3 weeks go by this time.... where to begin.

My mom and dad were here from 11/19 - 12/17.  Some of the projects they helped us with (read "that they did on their own for us") were: putting the finishing touches on our main bathroom - painting and hanging the doors in front of the washer & dryer, painting the bathroom a new color since our paint didn't match after the tile guy tiled our shower (sorry Vanessa!) / patching holes in the garage walls, allowing us to organize and move everything to a point of ALMOST parking in there!! / making tie backs for our curtains / putting a coat of polyurethane on our pullout drawers in the kitchen (they were raw wood and had never been painted or protected) / painting the kitchen (the last room to need paint!!) / cleaning all the windows inside and out / and for Christmas, they bought and hung blinds for our kitchen and 2 bedroom windows (no more paper window shades!).  We are THAT MUCH closer to having an actual HOME!!  Thanks Mom and Dad!!

Dianne and Bill - Happy Birthday Mom!

I should note that while different people have pitched in and done different things, it's all been such a team effort.  For example, when my dad painted and then hung the doors in front of the washer & dryer, he made a point of saying how impressed he was with Jon (Valerie's brother) for getting the doors to hang correctly.  Did I mention that nothing in our place is square or level?  Another project that has been ongoing for the past year that most everyone that has come to visit has participated in is our garage.  From July 2010 to July 2011, it was PACKED from front to back / floor to ceiling with boxes.  The plan had been to slowly unpack as we finished remodeling each room.  Well when the remodel had to come to a screeching halt, so did the unpacking and the dream that we may ever be able to park a car in the garage.  We live in a VERY parking impacted area and it can be quite challenging to find a parking place at certain times, so having even ONE parking space guaranteed will be SO nice.

Apparently adjusting the cords in blinds can be quite
perplexing - LOVE the looks on their faces. 

While my mom and dad were here, my mom celebrated a birthday and we took her to the Sunday Brunch on the Queen Mary.  The food is fantastic and there were holiday carolers who caroled AND sang Happy Birthday.

Another thing that has taken up quite a lot of our time over the past month has been our Home Owner's

Our ALMOST empty garage!!

Association.  We joined our HOA Board last December and had done a lot of work getting things on track for our HOA.

When Valerie was diagnosed and got really sick, we stopped participating on Board matters.  Well, since Valerie has been on such a great upswing, we entered back into that arena with full force.  Now we are realizing that wasn't the most intelligent thing to do.  One of things Valerie's doctors have impressed upon her is that to get well, to heal, she HAS to decrease her stress level.  We figured that life brings enough stress that we shouldn't go out volunteering to take on more.  So we have officially resigned from our HOA board.

Colette returned the day after my mom and
dad left - already in the Christmas spirit! 

All medical appointments have been going well.  Each time Valerie's blood is drawn they measure a "tumor marker" and it has consistently gone down since she started treatment.  She has been under a great deal of stress in the past week or so and literally can tell that the tumor grows and gets worse during those times.  So, along with resigning from our HOA Board, we are doing everything possible to decrease her stress and increase her health.  Right now, that means continuing to focus on making our home a comfortable, healing place.  With the work that our family has done towards that, we feel even more motivated to continue and complete what's been started!!  Thank you all for what you've done!!

Proud mama, Johanna, with her new twin boys,
Evan and Brayden.

And a continued thank you to all those that ask about Valerie, that give us hugs, that have sent and continue to send money for our trips to Mexico.  All of your love, support, and encouragement means a WHOLE lot to both of us.  The most recent gift was from a friend that I mentioned awhile back who asked her friends to donate money, in lieu of birthday gifts for her, towards Valerie's treatment.  Thank you Shelan!

And last, but certainly not least... CONGRATULATIONS to Johanna and James on the birth of their twin boys, Evan and Brayden.  We are both so happy for you and can't wait to meet them!!