Hello Again!

Well, Hello again! I know, I know, I've been a bad blogger. No updates in 6 weeks! Several of you folks have gently reminded me that I need to be a bit more regular in the updates; thank you for your graciousness, and for reminding me that a lot of folks care very much for us.

One of these friends (thank you Jill!) made the comment that hopefully "No news is good news?" In a real way that is true. I'm not sure what it says about my own character that I write like crazy when everything is difficult or scary, and not too much when it is smooth and comfortable, but that's the way I seem to function. Basically, we are learning a new life-pattern, a new calendar cycle.

Every six months or so, we will go to Mayo for about 4 days. Between trips, not too much will happen. Right now, we are in the calm in the cycle. We return to the storm in late May. What I expect is that we will coast along pretty well for about 4 - 4 1/2 months, half-forgetting all the great lessons we learned the last time we were in the storm. Lessons like dependency and weakness before God; humility; the willingness to receive aid and comfort from the body of Christ at work; our complete need of the Holy Spirit to guide and direct; things like that. Then, about 6 weeks before the next trip, we'll start to be re-broken before Him.

That is when the emotional aspect will kick back into the game. I suspect that Dee Dee is already beginning to think about the cancer more, to anticipate the tests and procedures, etc. As we get even closer, as we coordinate child care, time off from work, the details of the trip, I will not be surprised to see us have some emotional "bottoming out." My prayer is that it will not be accompanied by spiritual bottoming. Then, we'll go to Mayo, and the physical aspect smacks us around again. Last time, many of the tests made her quite ill, so we are already praying that she will get through them this time without such nausea and discomfort.

One of the reasons that I have not written sooner is that 4 weeks ago I had surgery on my right shoulder. I had big bone spurs, which were cutting the bursa and rotator cuff. The orthopedic surgeon (who said that I was simply getting old and wearing out!) sawed off ~ 3/4 of an inch of two bones, stripped the bursa, and repaired the rotator cuff. I go to PT (physical therapy, or pain and torture, depending on your perspective) twice a week, and they tell me the full recovery is 6-8 months. Getting old is not for the faint of heart!

We are quite busy right now, as I am sure you all are as well. Caleb made the Wake County Home School all-star varsity high school baseball team. He is a freshman, and he and his best friend Whit, also a freshman, are on this team of juniors and seniors. They play all over the place, all the time, so the Clark Suburban has been rolling up the miles! Their first tourney was in Atlanta, and they have games all over central and eastern NC, as well as another tourney in Marietta, GA and in Pensacola, FL. This has been a terrific experience for him, and we have appreciated the godly men who are coaching the team. This team finished 6th and 3rd in the last two home school World Series, so we'll see what happens this year.

My friend Reid, whose wife died suddenly, seems to be doing well. I think that he is somewhat consumed with the simple details of life, with working, parenting during a time like this, visiting with all the out-of-town family that comes to visit, etc. I appreciate your continued prayers for him and his kids.

I will try to write at least once a month for now, and obviously more as we get into the Mayo deal again in May. Thank you all for your faithful prayers, for the emails and cards, for the surprise visits. One church, which we do not attend, has faithfully sent her at least one card a week since the first diagnosis (Yay Salem!). Thank you all for this tangible expression of love. If there are ways we could pray for you, please let us know. We pray in general for you when we see the notes/etc., but would love to pray more specifically.

Blessings!

Tony