Happy New Year!

Hard to believe it's been two years since we were looking down the barrel of a long battle with cancer starting mid-January of 2010. Then again, it seems like a long, long time ago.

Obviously the updates on Talitha are getting fewer and farther between. That's not because the challenges of life have somehow lost our address. Nor is it because we don't feel deep gratitude for our many, many blessings. Indeed, the support of friends, family, and our loving Father in Heaven are more constant that we could have hoped.

We are no longer in the heat of battle and daily struggle for the life of the little angel for whom this special blog was created to document her valient jouney through some early burning fires of her mortal sojourn. One day she will keep her own record of her on-going journey through what we hope will be a long, full, joyous life on Earth.

Until that time, we will continue to visit here as occasion permits and as the desire remains to provide a record that Talitha is not able to write personally but that hopefully she will someday draw strength from as she reads of the miracles, learning, and strength God gave to us through her life.

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

I love Christmas! I love everything about Christmas!

Finally a party to celebrate what matters most. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

I love the Christmas story because it tells of the coming of THE central figure in the great plan of salvation. Christmas is a celebration of THE life of the world.

There can never be too many Christmas lights; never too many Christmas songs; never too many Christmas parties and get-togethers; never too much good will; never too much peace on earth; never too much praise and celebration for our great savior and redeemer Jesus Christ!

To everyone, everywhere: MERRY CHRISTMAS!

To our families, friends, and neighbors....Thank you for another wonderful year of support, prayers, and friendship. MERRY CHRISTMAS and may God continue to bless us every one!

Just bee-cause

Talitha's latest rounds of tests--MRIs, spinal tap, labs, IQ, etc--are encouraging. She's healthy, alert, capable, and progressing. Still a few areas playing catch-up--e.g. mobility up and down stairs--but overall a very positive outlook and indications of even being a little ahead for her age. I recently reviewed some pictures from the days following her brain surgery and know it's a miracle that she's even still with us. Those were some frightening days and weeks hoping and praying that she would "come back".

Tali's zest for life seems only to increase with time. She's getting a little more sure footed as the months pass and gets so excited anywhere she goes that she tries to run, even skip a little. She's polite when she wants to be; and gets her way consistently. She can be bold and demanding but always very tenderhearted especially when someone around her is crying or hurt. She seems to relate to those going through pain of any kind and tries very hard to get a smile back onto their face.

She loved dressing up yesterday as a little bee and even joined in with her brother and sisters in carving pumpkins. But she insisted on having her mom carve a sad pumpkin. So that's what she got. (I guess that's better than a scary or mean pumpkin.)

Interesting to note that after all the trouble Audrey went to in getting costumes put together, Talitha ended up spending a great deal of time walking around the house with a box on her head bumping into things. She loved this original box costume of her own making so much that she insisted on getting her picture taken just like she did with her bee costume.

She keeps us giggling and laughing for sure!

Smile and Laugh!

Talitha loves to smile and laugh.

Sometimes her laughter is genuine and deep. Sometimes it's fake. Either way it's infectious. Laughter and smiles breed more laughter and more smiles.

Just yesterday, Audrey was telling me about a documentary she watched about the making of the Star Wars movies. Fascinating, the ingenuity used in the first Star Wars movie when they didn't have unlimited funds (and things like light sabers didn't already exist). But perhaps the most interesting story is about R2D2, the endearing little robot that rolls around and never seems to get too shook up about anything in the crazy shoot-up-the-far-away-galaxy drama.

Well, this little robot character actually had a real, live actor inside controlling the movements and blinking, and rotating, etc... Of all the acting instructions you could give to someone who will never be "seen", what could you possible say other than "have fun" and "remember to push the right buttons at the right time"?

As it turns out, the director instructed this actor to smile. That's right...smile! And I guess his reaction was similar to mine when I heard that. After all, what difference could smiling have if no one will ever see your face?

But actors don't get paid to argue with the director so this guy just shook his head and did what he was told. Later on, he reported that the funniest thing started happening as he smiled and smiled inside this little robot can. The smile started showing up in the actions and blinking and movements of R2D2. Not only did the actor start having more fun with the part, people on the set remarked about the noticeable difference. And of course, who doesn't just love R2D2.

Smiling matters. Laughing matters. It changes us and it changes others around us.

When my younger brother called the other day and asked me how my business was doing, I started in telling him all the reasons why things were going great. Well, he knows something of the struggles and challenges of the economy and the recession and what we've been going through with life's trials. So I suddenly stopped and told him the obvious. "Hugh, it's my job to be positive."

Are things getting better? Yes.
Either things really are better, OR... just being positive for so long has talked my brain into believing things really are better. And if the mind can't tell the difference, why not just make the decision to be happy.

Why not decide to smile a little more. And laugh a little more. EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO FAKE IT A LITTLE to begin with.

Except for when she's really tired, Tali is one pretty happy little girl. She doesn't wait for life to cheer her up. She decides to be happy and cheers up life!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(Come on over sometime...maybe she'll even do one of her fake laughs for you. It works. I promise you'll smile...and feel better too!)

HAPPY B-DAY #3!!!

What a day of celebration!

Tali was SO excited to turn three. She's been talking about it for months. And finally...it was here! She made the most of her day and just beamed.

I've never been more grateful for a birthday. Each day is a miracle in its own way. And a reminder...

Talitha is at the stage where depending on the moment she can look more like a young lady than a baby. I think I'll always see her as "my little girl".

For several days, she has been insistent that she have a birthday hat. And when the Birthday Princess hat appeared, it did not part from her head the whole day--except when the wind blew it off!

This morning when she woke up, she asked her mom, "have you made my cake?"  Even better, she got to help make her cake!

She loved opening her presents! Wish you could have seen some of her facial expressions. We're talking eye-popping, face-stretching delight! Her sisters and mom know exactly what floats her boat--everything Princess!



She loves playing at the park so her birthday party was...at the park.  Too much wind to get the candles lit on her cupcakes. But she pretended to blow them out any way.

The day was everything she imagined and more!

Welcome to another year, Tali.  We love you!!!

A different kind of summer

What a difference one year makes!

Last summer, Tali really couldn't be outside very much due to problems with sun exposure after chemotherapy.

This year, she'd live outside if we'd let her!

Last summer she was bald.

This summer...well let's just say she would've been right at home in the 80's with her mom and the "big hair" craze.  :-)

She's enjoying life and living to the fullest, almost like she's making up for lost time.

In between work, re-roofing our home, and the craziness of trying to keep up with 6 children ranging in age from 2 to 20, we are enjoying snatches of time together whenever we can find them. 

Gratitude--that's a word I just can't get enough of.  So grateful for the blessings of life, learning, and love. Amazed and grateful Talitha is still with us. How much she has taught me! 

Yes, it's a different kind of summer.

And different is good!

Worry less

Talitha had another full round of tests. The MRI results show things are still clear. The hearing test shows no hearing loss. The spinal tap results are still showing some irregular cells but the unusual cells are not cancerous so they will just keep monitoring according to the normal post-treatment schedule.

Tali now moves from being tested every 3 months to just once every 4 months for the next year. We'll take it.

As I was pondering life this last week, an interesting thought came to my mind: "Repent more; worry less." I like that. Worry is such a complete waste of time as it is incapable of changing anything. On the other hand, repentance is a God-given gift that allows us to change, improve, grow, and become.

Talitha continues her journey of life and teaching us. I'm grateful for the blessings of having her in my family. Her next big step now: potty training.  :-)