Grandma Update

Like I said in my previous post...Grandma could change her mind and has now decided to proceed with all recommended treatments. This means she will be going to transitional care in Baldwin and then either back home or into a long term care facility. She has the option of stopping whenever she wants but is going to do it for now. Everything sounds like it can be done in Baldwin which is what she wants.

So today has been another bad day...they have given my grandma a diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma. That is basically a form of cancer in her bone marrow. There are some options for treatments however my sweet, loving grandma has decided not to have them. Of course, she may change her mind, but as of tonight she told the doctor she was giving it to God and what happens will be His will. Talk about opening a flood gate of emotions. This brought Karla and I back to 2001 and making the choices we were making with our parents. We both support grandma and her choice. She was told that she may only live one to three months now and she questioned the doctor! She wanted to know how he would know that because she thinks she can live longer and she is a fighter. She is 95 and was still living by herself until recently. They believe that she has had this for some time which may have been some of her issues before.
Please pray for her: she needs to be relieved of the pain in her back, that her vertabraes will quit fracturing, for strength for her daughters to respect her wishes, for strength for the family to get through each day and to spend quality time with her and that she is able to go to Baldwin and be home.

Merry Christmas everyone! I know that this a little late but we hope that everyone had a great day. We were very thankful for the gifts we received and the fun we had being with our families. We started something new with the girls this year. Instead of letting them open up all of their presents at once, they were only allowed to open one up, then take a break: to eat, get dressed, etc. and then we would open another one. We wanted to have them enjoy their presents instead of opening them all at once and not even looking at them. We were so impressed with their understanding and patience. They didn't whine, they didn't ask and they really did seem to appreciate it. That will be something we will continue to do in the future.

We spent Christmas Eve going to church first. It is always fun to hear Pastor Van's sermons. It was great seeing all of the Bredeson girls together! Then we were off to my sisters. It was a wonderful dinner and we had great fun. The girls really love their cousins.

The girls wrote letters to Santa before bed, put out the cookies and milk and treats for the reindeer. Then we read "Twas the Night Before Christmas" and The Christmas story out of the bible. That has been another tradition we have done for the last couple of years. We also talked about the real reason we celebrate Christmas and that it is Jesus' birth.

Christmas morning we ate, opened presents, etc. Then we went to Shannon's parents house and celebrated with his mom, dad, sister and brother-in-law. The girls were spoiled with love and presents. We are grateful for everything they have recieved. We got home after supper and the girls couldn't wait to open everything and try it all out.

Not all of the holiday season was joyous. On Saturday morning we received a call that my Uncle Emmet Rose passed away Friday night. He had congestive heart failure. He was the oldest sibling on my mom's side. I am very sad at his loss. I told Shannon that heaven was going to be sounding more beautiful with all of the musical talent from the Rose family in heaven. My mom, Uncle Emmet, Uncle Kenny, Uncle Gary and Uncle Don were all very musical and I know they are sitting together singing some Alan Jackson or some great gospel song.

I then got a call on Sunday that Grandma is back in the hospital. She had fallen again and was going in to have a procedure done to cement something....sorry I can't think of the terminology...and her hemoglobin level was down. She has some bleeding someplace and as of now they haven't figured out why. She will have to go back to transitional care when she gets out and she wants to go back to Baldwin. At 95, she is still very alert and doing well. She knows that she has lived a full and wonderful like and that it is all in God's hands as to when she will be called home.

I don't want to end this on a sad note....I went to a baby shower yesterday for my dear friend Melissa who is expecting her first baby in March. It was so much fun seeing her and her other pregnant friends (there are three of them that are all due around the same time). Shannon and I are so excited for Melissa and Scott. They are going to be great parents. So I am ending this on a good note with great joy and happiness for them. A baby is always such joy! Blessings to Scott and Melissa.

Ken and Tina...we hope that you are doing well in Haiti. Shannon and I laughed and talked about your towing days....that was funny.

Blessings to all.....

All ready for our concert!

Misc....

Abbey can now whistle! She does it a lot and is pretty good at it. She wanted to learn how to do it and just practiced until she got it. She is so excited.
Ashley is Ashley. We have been struggling with her temper lately (yes she does have a temper). I am not sure if this is a "stage" thing what but we talk and talk to her about it and most of the time it is good but the few times it is isn't-it is bad. I have to brag though-at school they had to color Christmas stockings and Ashley's is the only one that is completely colored-everything. It is very neat and not scribbled on or hurried up. I am so proud of her coloring ability.

Shannon, Abbey and Ashley all have colds..knock on wood for me! I hope that this bug leaves our house soon.

We have Christmas programs coming up this weekend and next week at school. They have speaking parts in the play at school and have been practicing thier parts. The cool thing is that they understand and get why we celebrate Christmas. They want to know why we don't give Jesus gifts on Christmas so we have told them by loving Him, by praising and believing in Him is the only present that is needed.

I am debating sending out Christmas cards/letters....I have not decided yet to do it. I also have not had much holiday spirit this year. Our tree fell over the other day and the base broke. I just can't seem to get into it this year. Normally our tree would have been up for at least two weeks by now.

Visiting Santa

The girls visited Santa at Tartan Park. Mrs. Clause, Rudolph, Frosty, Elves and a Moose were all there as well. The girls did such a great job!

Hollydazzle Parade

We went to our first Hollydazzle parade and to Macy's. It was very cool. The girls loved seeing Santa and they were able to write him a letter. One of the highlights had to be riding in the church's Big Blue Bus! They love riding in the bus.

Snow Fall

Here the girls are playing outside in the first snowfall! They love being outside. Abbey found a new friend: a snowball. We have kept him in a special place so no one can hurt him.