Vicksburg

We really enjoyed our 5 1/2 hours at Vicksburg National Military Park in Mississippi last week. Elaborate Civil War site.

Merry Christmas All

A photo from our first Christmas together. Not yet married.

Peggy Has Minor Injuries After Accident

We're thanking and trusting the Lord.

It has not been that long since Peggy finished her several months of treatment for cancer. Yesterday she was rear-ended by an SUV while at a full stop. We don't care much about the damage to the car, but she is just starting to get back to her old self since the end of her treatments and now she is dealing with neck pain and headache from this.

I left work early and we spent about 4 hours at the emergency room at Cox South. Because of all the radiation she had just had they did not want to do X-rays, but they are sure Peggy has a whiplash. They don't feel it is severe but they expect her to have significant pain for a few days ... both head and neck pain

The pain meds they gave her made her sick last night.

Peggy is dealing with this in her usual overcoming way. She is absolutely a champion. (But I am really mad at the devil.)

Thanks for all the prayer support.

Treatment Done

Peggy got to ring the bell Thursday for a second time. The first one was when she finished her chemo and the second was Thursday, when she finished her radiation. She was diagnosed last December just before Christmas, had surgery in January and has had about 8 months of treatments.

Thanks so much for the many who have prayed. We have heard regularly from people on our blogs, facebook pages and more conventional ways. God is good. Now if I could ask all of you to pray a little longer until everything verifies she will need no further treatment. They haven't let her have her port removed yet in case more treatment is needed. But we are believing she will be pronounced cancer free.

Thanks so much to all of you for the wonderful support.

Photos of Peg I Recently Saw for the First Time

Peggy at Convoy Booth, General Council 2003

Prepping for General Council in Orlando this year. Here is a shot of Peggy in Washington DC at the 2003 GC. She's at the Convoy booth but did most of her booth work for the Evangel. She has helped every year. She will again this year, but will not be quite as energetic. They are giving her a week off radiation to attend GC.

Matching Outfits

Peggy, her dad, Alfred Paul, and brother, Don, sport spiffy matching outfits in this photo with Dad Paul's mother. Probably 1953.

Knotts Berry Farm, Fall 1952

Peggy and Don with their dad the year she was born. So it wasn't the first time she was there when we went on our honeymoon.

Hearing From Dick & Melba

Melba is always so thoughtful. Peggy's cousin has sent her goodies throughout Peggy's cancer trial. A box arrived Saturday. Since Dick & Melba are traveling, they also keep us in postcards indicating where they are. Here are the last 2 we received.

More About the Bell

Be sure to view the 22-second video of Peggy ringing the bell in the post below.

Peggy Rings the Bell!

After months of treatment, Peggy rings the bell in the Hulston Cancer Center three times, signifying she has just completed her last treatment. Yahoo!

Still some stuff to come, including a trip back to the cancer center tomorrow for a shot, but she's had the last of the poison. Now a month and a half to get it out, then 6 weeks of radiation.

Getting Close

6 Days to Go

Counting down to Peggy's last chemo treatment. She will get to ring this bell next Wednesday.

Peggy's Chemo Session #7

We are here right now. This has been the hardest of all it seems ... just to go to. The time is dragging by and the cumulative affects of the chemo have been hard on my girl. She doesn't complain much ... she is so up-beat with other people. The end is approaching. Peggy gets to ring the no-more-chemo bell in 2 weeks!

Cancer Relay for Life

Peggy and I walked the Cancer Relay for Life at Hillcrest High in Springfield on Friday night. Peggy has not been doing too well since this last round of chemo but the Lord helped her to be a part of this event. Both of us got to walk the Survivors lap. Lots of people ... and some rain. Peggy did great. Had a terrific team from Convoy of Hope headed by Judi Murphy, who did a lot of work to make this happen. Thanks Judi.

Here are a few photos from my set on Flickr. Here is the slideshow.


Survivors on our team (right to left): Leanne Bachman, Doug Corbett, Peggy & me.


Luminaries were lit after dark.


The team.

"Relay For Life® is the American Cancer Society's signature event that brings more than 3.5 million people from 4,900 communities across the country together each year to celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against a disease that takes too much."

Beautiful Weather, Close Park

Gorgeous weather tonight. After work I coaxed Peggy out for a walk at the nearby lake. Here's Melba at the Close Park sign.


Melba met Anne Drummond at Drummond Lake and read her book with her. She's been on the same page for quite some time.


After the walk, we drove around to the Nathanael Greene side and came upon a very cooperative scissor-tailed flycatcher, one of my favorite birds.



Also saw an eastern phoebe.


Earlier, on the back side of the lake, we had happened across this beautiful brown thrasher.


Peggy had a pretty good day today.

You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby

Happy birthday to my lovely wife. This is Peggy a couple of decades before we met.

Tornados and Strong Winds Hit the Ozarks

I was home today and we got to give Peggy's cousin Melba a typical Ozarks experience. Two tornados touched down nearby and strong winds did some damage, including knocking down large trees. The huge tree next to Peggy's mom's apartment at Maranatha split down the middle. A short walk from our house, a neighbor's shed was lifted out of their yard and dropped over the fence ... a pile of rubble. A local high school had its roof ripped off (only minor injuries to students). I stopped at WalMart and found the main entrance closed for repairs:


Peggy was feeling some better the second day after her 8-hour chemo treatment. Went to Red Lobster with Melba and her mom after the weather calmed down.

Peggy's Chemo Session #5

First of 4 treatments with higher-powered drugs. At this writing we are over 6 hours into an anticipated 8-hour session. Peggy's not feeling great but her attitude is super. Acting up, keeping nurses and other patients entertained, and that's a good thing. Peggy's cousin Melba from Arizona is with us.



Nurse Gurty was back after an absence of one treatment.

Last Day of Don & Rita's Visit

Don & I hung Mom's hutch today. Brought it from the house. Pretty obvious this is posed after the actual deed was done.


Peggy's mom with Don & Rita by newly-hung hutch.


Watching turkeys in the distance from Mom's balcony at Maranatha.


At our house, giving Peggy her birthday gift early. They are back on the road with their Fifth Wheel tomorrow.