Merry Christmas!

I just wanted to take some time to wish you all a Merry Christmas as I sit here in my living room relaxing with Clint, Buddy and Preston while listening to Christmas music... specifically "Santa Baby" the Miss Piggy version!  I just hope I can make it without having to hear the songs, "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" or "Dominick the Italian Christmas Donkey" again.  Note to XM/Sirius Holly station: Please for the LOVE OF GOD, take those two songs out of your rotation.  They are really annoying!!!


It's been a very different Christmas this year.  I think it all started when me and Clint were both out of town the first weekend of December.  I've felt a little "behind" ever since.  We missed our High Altitude Bible class party, we missed seeing "Celebration" at Houston's First Baptist even though we had good tickets.  I even went home early from the Deep Trend Christmas party this year due to being extremely tired and run down from the Vegas Half Marathon.  I missed a couple of gatherings and parties that friends had - I even missed out on my bunko friends' Christmas party.  I think what was really strange is that my sister and her family stayed in North Carolina for Christmas this year.  I'm really happy that they got to spend some much needed down time at home, but I missed them very much.  


Even though it was a really "different" Christmas, it was still REALLY good.  Sometimes quiet and relaxed isn't so bad.  We still got to spend time with Clint's family on Friday evening...

This was the 12th Christmas without Clint's sister, Sheila.  We still miss her very much, but we know that she is celebrating Christmas in Heaven with Christ himself.  

We had Christmas lunch today with my mom and dad.  We had a great time and it was nice not having to worry about doing the dishes!

Like I said...my sister Rebecca and her family stayed in North Carolina, but I woke up this morning to a text picture from my nephew Chilton wishing me a Merry Christmas!

This is my 3rd Christmas in CancerLand.  I still remember my very first one where I wondered how many more Christmas's I would get to enjoy.  I was still in so much shock and everything was so new.  I was just beginning my FAC combo of chemo after 12 weeks of Taxol.  I still vividly remember New Year's Eve day when MD Anderson called to tell me my appointments with the stem cell transplant people were all canceled as the clinical trial was closed.  I was so devastated. Here I am two Christmas's later and things are so much different...so much brighter and filled with so much hope.  I'm looking forward to the next part of this CancerLand journey.  Where will it take me next?  It's all in God's hands which gives me plenty of reason to sleep at peace at night and have confidence that no matter what, he is taking care of me just like he takes care of each and everyone of you.  

Merry Christmas!  I hope you and your family had a blessed day!