My Mother and My Auntie Jo

This is a picture of my mother and her best friend, my Auntie Jo.

Mom had her first radiation treatment today for breast cancer, after a lumpectomy last month. She's had many back surgeries (not that she will stop or sit still...still) and the position they had her in for surgery sped up the deterioriation of the next disk. So, today she also went in for and MRI to prepare her for another possible surgery.

In the meantime, two and a half hours away, my Auntie Jo is dying of liver cancer. Last week we all thought we would lose her, this week she's fighting a tought fight. There is much to be done, paperwork and doctors visits, possible procedures, closing a business, ridding her life of forty years of stock built up in her floral business. But, Mom can't be with her best friend to help. So, I'm happily the substitute. I get the benefit of seeing Jo still (she was another one who wouldn't stop or sit still). I'd rather she was well and still running everything around her, but it's a blessing just to help her and show a little of the love she always showed to those around her. And, it's also a blessing to have her still enough to hear the stories that never had time to spill from her lips - family history, lost loves, first big jobs, college and stories of days spent with my mom. What wonderful women, wouldn't life be wonderful if we could keep them around forever.

Still, I can only imagine the trouble the two most beautiful women in the world got into when unsupervised by us children! A good thing they have a bunch of us around to keep them in line.

One Potter Sees Light at the End of the Tunnel

The lack of business has given my husband, and me, time to reflect on the important things. No, his building business hasn't picked up. Not much work since last November. And not many people are spending money on extras, like pottery. God promised to provide for our needs...not our wants. We are just squeaking by financially, His provision. But, there has been time to take long walks, catch up on maintenance items, train little girls in the community to play soccer and just be together; things we obviously needed much more than a financial cushion. And, now, after one very long winter, spring has arrived. Finally, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Ah, the warmth of the Son, or sun (depending on how you look at things).
Picture above is my husband, Alan, and our dog, Gabe, during one long walk.

"From darkness into light"