Anticipating and Enjoying

Brain cancer is...

 Alternate Video Link

...enjoying every moment of the season.

Today we enjoyed decorating our home.  There were so many happy memories in each object we set out.  Happy memories of seasons past joined those of seasons future as we sat down by the fire tonight.

Have a contented evening.

Power Smile

Brain cancer is...

...power smiling.

Today after breakfast, Darrell came back into the kitchen and said, "Look what I can do!"  When I turned around, this is what I saw:

He smiled that widely and evenly just by using his newly powerful facial muscles.  If his eyes look a little startled, it's because we were laughing by the time I got the pic.  Wow, Darrell! Power smile!  The "look right" maneuver just might be endangered.

Zach made me smile by presenting me with this rose from our garden.

Life is good.  We're power smiling in your general direction.

Darrell's Diligence Pays Off

Brain cancer is...

...backing off a bit from speech therapy.

Today Speech Therapist Kristen (above) gave Darrell his progress report.  In her judgment, he is doing so well that he can come in less frequently.  He'll go next week and then take a break until the new year.  When he resumes therapy, he'll go just twice monthly.  Hurrah!

We are so grateful for the active role that Kristen has played in Darrell's great progress with speech.  And she laughs at all of Darrell's jokes.  She's pretty awesome.

Christmas Preparation Updates

Operation Guillaume Christmas Tree has begun.  We love the smell of a fresh Christmas trees in the house.  Today Summer and Zach picked it out.  Here it is in the van:

Annual Christmas tree selfie at the lot

 Darrell tolerates my obsession with Christmas tree lights:

We will add the ornaments a different day, after we are sure that (a) Mousse leaves the tree alone and (b) Andi doesn't burn it down with her million lights.

Here's hoping that your diligence in life is paying off too!

Getting By with a Little Help from our Friends

Brain cancer is...

...getting by with [a lot of] help from our friends.

Today while Darrell was doing super hero stuff at home like this...

...I was at a school in Fountain Valley with (above) Kristine and Cynthia.  Today we completed providing a year of SmartBoard training with the staff in an all-day workshop. 

We started this professional development last year, long before Darrell's diagnosis. It's tough professional development because the skills are very specialized and there are so many ways to use the boards.  That situation is made tougher when one trainer (Andi) is using her "work around" work brain. 

Sometimes the work felt more like this:

But we persevered, and, we think, everyone succeeded.  I could never have completed this commitment without a lot of help from my friends.  Yet again.

Thanks you, Team D, for everything you do that allows us to carry on.

PS:  Darrell:  I think we need just three or four more stands.

Holiday Partying with the Peeps

Brain cancer is...

...celebrated the holidays with EDEL friends.

Tonight Hallie and Bert (center) hosted the CSUF Department of Elementary and Bilingual Education holiday party.  So much holiday happiness!

We six (with Ruth and Tom, right) have been friends for 25 years, with annual holiday cookie bakes and vacations like Maui and house boating on Lake Mead.  Life is so good! 

Multiply the number of happy faces, above, by six, and you'll know how many friends, old and newer, gathered tonight.  If only I had taken more pics.  If I had, you'd see the people who dropped off dinner for months, who covered my office door with drops, who follow the blog, who send sunshine, who have offered their houses for vacations, and who have sent 306 days of prayers and good wishes.  We again felt so wonderful to be part of such a loving, supportive team.

Additionally

Santa, how could we not....

 ...when you dropped off...

???

We think we met you and your minions tonight.  We're on your trail!  We are sorry if we are taking you away from kids who need you but not sorry enough to say we'll surrender our treats!

Happy Holidays, Everyone!

Fantastic Beasts

Brain cancer is...

...searching for fantastic beasts.

Clearly we found them.  Ha!  We enjoyed our dine-in movie theater with Summer and Zachary today to see Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.  We liked it.  And we liked the snacks.

As if those beasts weren't enough, Summer caught our flock of parrots back in town.  

Alternate Video Link

And finally:  Alex and Tiana are back in town for one night.  All eight fantastic beasts (six humans, two canines) will be under one roof tonight.  A & T leave for points north (Washington) and eastish (Nevada, Colorado, Texas) in the morning.

Thank YOU for being such fantastic beasts as well, Team D!

Well...

Brain cancer is...

...well...

...chasing intergenerational sayings.  Darrell starts conversations that involve negotiations with, "Well..."  Today at breakfast we heard his dad, Gordon, start several conversations with "Well..."  In high school Alex used to start conversations with the Spanish equivalent:  "Pues..."  Now we know where it comes from!  Breakfast went well. 

Lunch was great too:

It was so good to be with Mom (LuAnn) after her Midwestern adventures.  Back at her home, Darrell tried to charge battery-operated devices using his arrays:

Although it looked great, it did not go so well.  Weather station batteries did not come to life.  Nonetheless, we so enjoyed another week day with our parents, which included conversations with topics ranging from Farm and Fleet to God. 

We ended our adventures with our typical Dingle Bell walk.  It's hard to catch them on camera.  Look closely for the balls, if you're interested.

Won't it be great when these "days enjoying meals, conversations, and laughter with our parents" posts become so common that they feel mundane? 

Here's to that day!