Happy New Year and what a crazy year it has been for us.

Wow here it is 2008. Can you believe it. Didn't think I would live to see it but here I am typing on this stupid old blog. It has been one crazy year for us. Talk about UP's and DOWN's well that has been our lives for the year. As most of you know our youngest daughter got married in November 2006 to a wonderful guy, Jorge Santana. I was told that I had prostate cancer. That started our up's and down's. Mandy and Jorge flew out in February to Chile and got married again for his family and then went to work with YWAM as leaders for a year.

The word Cancer scares you at the best of times. Anyway I was told not to worry about it but they did a biopsy in February just to make sure I guess. Then it was a fun time for us to get on a plane and head off to Chile to be with Mandy and Jorge for their marriage (for the second time) for his family. We were so excited to be with them and meet all of Jorge's family. After 3 weeks of fun, food and family we were back in Edmonton . Another up and down eh? When we got home the messages on the phone said to call the doctor right away. Not a good sign eh? That will take the smile off your face for a few minutes and make your head spin. We were told that it definitely was cancer and we should go to the Cancer Clinic. Then we were told that almost every man has Prostrate cancer and many men live a normal life with it for years and it is usually a very slow acting, None aggressive thing, but they did more test and decided that I should have treatment of some kind. Because I have IBS disease they ruled out radiation and we decided to go for the operation. Then it was off to talk to a surgeon and the earliest we could an appointment was September 17, 2007. Things almost went back to normal except our daughter Kristy and her husband Bob in Blackfalds (near Red Deer) were talking about going into missions. Little did we realize that in a few short months they would sell their home (just built in 2006), quit their jobs and join up with YWAM (Youth with a Mission) and in September they flew off to South Africa. It was sad that they were leaving but we were also happy for them . We would miss them for sure but they are doing Gods will and what more could we want for them?
Then we started planing our summer with the yard, the trailer at the lake, working out when we would drive to Lethbridge to see Tanya, Tom and the grand kids. Oh I forgot to mention that early in the year Tanya and Tom had told us that they were expecting their 5th. in September.

Then on July 21st. we received a call from the Surgeon that they had an opening on July 23rd. and he thought that we should do the operation then. Okay so bye bye plans for the summer and off we go to the hospital and they do the operation on July 23rd. Right after the operation the doctor came in the room and said that they were glad that they did the operation now as it was a very aggressive cancer but they thought that they had gotten it all. Ya think God might have had a hand in this? That sort of changed our lives a bit, well I guess you could say a lot. For the next few months I was house bound and didn't do much but lay around in the sun which was good but not something that I was used to and not feeling good didn't help so that was another up and down thing.
While all this was happening Wendy was having a bit of pain in her right hip. The kids flew to South Africa, little Isabella was born and Wendy had her name on the list for a new hip. Things were going along quite well. Then we decided after much prayer that maybe it would be nice to live closer to our grandkids and Tanya and Tom. That 6 hour drive to Lethbridge is a long time and then 6 hours back sigh and we don't get there too often because of Wendy 's work. We also thought that if we sold our house we could maybe pay off our debts and buy another house in the Lethbridge area and be mortgage and debt free and maybe Wendy wouldn't have to work full time and we could still survive and be close to the grandkids. They grow up so fast and we are missing that part of their lives. Well and we ain't getting any younger you know?
Well it was house hunting and looking and we thought that we had an offer and we thought that we had found our dream home. More ups and downs.
Well Wendy has been experiencing some facial swelling for a few years now when she is overtired and is stressed out ( usually when working the night shifts) and the doctors have not been able to figure out any medicine that would help this or prevent it. Finally her doctor sent her to a specialist that prescribed a medicine that seemed to really help and for 3 weeks no swelling. Only to discover that the medicine that she is taking is known to cause cancer. Another up and down eh? Why the specialist didn't tell her about that? Who knows, so she has stopped taking it because who wants to take a medicine that is known to cause cancer? However 2 days after she stopped the swelling is back. sigh.
Well that is most of our story. I still am not feeling 100% and they say that sometimes it takes the better part of a year to recover. Still don't have all my energy back and don't have full control of the water works. sigh. Our house hasn't sold and the dream house in Picture Butte has since sold. Wendy applied for a job in Lethbridge and has the job. She is to start on Jan 21st. So she will be staying with Tanya and Tom and I will be up here until this house sells. More ups and downs eh?
Well lets see if we can find the good in all this. I am sure that our house will sell and that God has a place all picked out in the Lethbridge area for us.(He just hasn't shown us yet). We have a beautiful new little grand baby, Wendy has a job and her name on a list for a new Hip, Mandy and Jorge have received his Visa and they will be flying here on Feb. 8th. Oh I forgot to mention that Mandy and Jorge are expecting. In March we are flying to England for 4 day's and want to see Wendy's relatives and then we fly South Africa to be with Kristy and Bob for couple of weeks. Oh they are talking about being leaders for YWAM . They will fly home with us and stay for a few months . Hopefully we will be all moved by then OR NOT. I am feeling better everyday and we are still able to smile everyday and Wendy and I have enjoyed our time together and we still have lots of friends. (Don't we)? More ups and downs but that is life, right? It is all in Gods Hands. We love you all. Sorry this is so long. I wasn't complaining just telling it like is, right? Maybe I'll go back to not blogging to much eh? Through all the ups and downs God has bless us so much. He is still in control.
We love you all.