Updates and some pictures

I had some very good news last week. I went up to the VA hospital for my semiannual check up. They scheduled a MRI and it came out clean. That is good news. When I was first diagnosed they said the average life expectancy is 18 months to 2 years. In June I will reach 2 years since my first surgery. With a clean MRI I expect I will have longer to live.
I have overcome my case of shingles. The only casualty was my granddaughter who got chicken pox and a few week of extreme fatigue for me.
It's spring and we are glad of it. Thanks to my family I have got a lot done in the yard. We took the pond out, transplanted a bunch of plants, and generally cleaned up the yard. Thank you kids.
We have the best family and friends in the world. Thank you and may the Lord bless you.

Ethan

3 generations

Amy and Riley 

Shae and Aaron 

Pyper and Cooper

Lydia

Noah and Brooke

Randalls

Proud Grandpa (there are 16 more of them)

Shelly and Lydia

Nate and Owen

Easter Egg hunt at BYU

Updates

I haven't blogged in a long time so here's an update on my status. After my last checkup I became weak, had headaches and was generally dizzy. I was concerned enough to go to the doctor. He said I should probably have a MRI. So I did. The MRi showed no growth in the main tumor site and a slight decrease in size the second tumor. That was very good news. The doctor surmised that I had been on chemo long enough that my body is just getting tired of it. I can't go off the chemo but he let me wait one week extra between sessions. That seemed to work. I have tolerated the current round much better than the last. It seems that the Good Lord has blessed me again. I have had relatively good health throughout this trial and been able to do many wonderful things. Thank you all for your prayers and support.

Update and some pictures.

Isaac, Matt, Emily and Jane, Eleanor, and Miles

Dallin, Jodi, Heidi, Molly, Dave, and Abe

Lydia, Nate, Shelly, and Owen

Cooper, Kristine, Tyson, Tommy, and Noah

Shae, Pyper, Amy. Riley, Aaron, Brooke, and Ethan

We have had a wonderful Christmas season. Our family and ward has taken very good care of us. We had a wonderful family party in Hurricane, UT for four days and then we spent Christmas at Amy and Aaron's house. We spent a quiet New Years eve with Nate and Shelly. We so much appreciate all your cards and letters. We love hearing from all of you.
Early in January I had an uncle pass away. We traveled with my brother to Wyoming for the funeral. It was a sad time but I enjoyed spending some time my cousins and aunts and uncles. I have great extended family.
I was tired after the trip and another round of chemo but it was worth it. I had a Dr. appointment the day I came home and I had a good checkup.
We appreciate all your thoughts and prayers, God bless you all.

Tender Mercies

Our Family, without our kid's spouses,  I wish we had a picture of  them also.

Paul and Roma in love.

In the Book of Mormon in 1 Ne 1:20 it talks about the "tender mercies" of the Lord. Among LDS people it  has become kind of a catch phrase for blessings received. In our case and in our situation it applies. Even before I was diagnosed with cancer I believe I was being prepared to undergo this trial. When I learned that I had a tumor Roma and were blessed with a peace beyond compare. We didn't know what would happen or how long it would take but we have always had a feeling we would be okay no matter what.
Proof of that is when our family, friends, and neighbors banded around us giving us support in any way we needed. Our kids and their spouses did a role reversal. They fretted over our comfort, took turns in the hospital during all night vigils, and made sure Roma was never without a shoulder to lean on. Our neighbors took it upon themselves to inundate our home with food and goodies. My co-workers took up a collection to help me with my expenses and my sister in law organized a quilt auction at her quilt store to earn money to help with our growing medical bills. Every day someone touched our hearts with their concern, generosity, and compassion.
The feeling that everything will be alright continues to this day.  We still don't know how long we have but have a firm testimony that the Lords in charge. In many ways this has been an excellent experience for us.  We know more of the Saviors love and the goodness of the people around us. Truly, the Lord's words where he said that service to your fellow men is service to Jesus Christ have been exemplified by all of you. There are many guardian angels around us and most of them are our family, neighbors and friends.
At this season of the year between Thanksgiving and Christmas we want to thank you for your prayers and your kindnesses.  May the blessings of the Lord be upon you.

A blast from the past

This week was special.  Tuesday I received a email from my roommate at the Air Force Academy.  He had been talking to my class mates and was wondering if I was involved with the class ring selection. His name is Tom Callen I am ashamed to say I lost contact with all my friends twenty years ago, or more.  The fact that he contacted me was a great blessing in my life.  I replied with the info that he as seeking and told him about my brain cancer and asked how he and his wife were doing.  He immediately sent a reply and told me that he wanted to call me the next day and that he would forward my email and blog address to the rest of my old Air Force friends.  He called me Wednesday and he shared info on our families and lives and old times.  I had a very select group of friends that I will always cherish my relationship with.  We came  from diverse backgrounds but hit it off very well and experienced life altering changes together for the 2 years that we were together in the same squadron at the USAFA.  

The next day one of my other friends Sonny Childress called and we had a similar conversation and promised to keep in contact.  I had had a bad couple of weeks with seizures and other things and I was troubled by things happening in our own neighborhood with a baby dying and one of my best friends illness.  Those 2 phone calls made all the difference.

We also had a good time yesterday.  My cousin Edith Jo and her husband Richard invited us to lunch.  We hadn't seen them for several years and we had a delightful time with them.  Jo and her siblings grew up in the same town as I was born in and were very close.  Thank you Jo.  

One good thing about a serious illness is that it does bring you back in contact with wonderful long lost friends.

I did receive some good news concerning myself.  I had an MRI Tuesday that showed that the tumor hadn't grown and possibly had even shrunk.  So I am pleased at the progress I am making.  Thank you for  your prayers in my behalf.

Roma and I at the Graduation parade 1971

Graduation Ball

Commissioning (Tom Callen front right)

Snake, Rod, and Pete (me) I wish I had a picture of all of us.

NEBO LOOP AND TOMMY'S FAMILY

ON TOP OF THE LOOP

TOMMY AND TYSON

PRETTY DARN NICE FAMILY

TOMMY AND KRISTINE

ONE FAT DUDE SPOILS THE PICTURE

Two weeks ago Tommy and Kris came over and grabbed me to go on a ride.  Roma was at work so they figured I needed a change of scenery.  They decided to go up to  Nebo Loop. They had heard it had good fall colors. We headed up the loop and it was just as advertised. The leaves were beautiful.  We got out and took several pictures and had a good time.  By the way, Jodi, fall in Utah is the best time of year  with gardens and colors and pleasant weather.  When we got back home Tommy and Kris picked up some pizza and we met Roma at home for a nice dinner and they stayed and entertained us for a couple of hours.  We so appreciate it.
Thursday night I was having a tough night, I had had several seizures during the past week, and I was feeling lousy.  As a result Roma and I were feeling sorry for ourselves, then about that time I had another small seizure.  The doorbell rang and Kris and the boys were on the door step coming to pick up a charger that Tommy had left here. They came in and the whole attitude turned from somber into light.  It was as if the Lord new what we needed just at that moment in time. He sent her and the boys to cheer us up, I can't get over theTender Mercies of the Lord.  He grants us peace and joy through many means and through many people.  I love my family.  We love our family and appreciate all that they do for us.  I appreciate our friends who do a lot for us also.  We live in a great time with great people.

Baby Blessing in Lacey and some thoughts

 Thanks to our kids, brothers and sisters. and our friends we have had a wonderful year. We have prayed that I would have a season of health and the Lord has granted to us exactly that. I have had bouts of fatigue caused by chemotherapy but I have generally felt good. I won't win many races but I can still walk if there is somewhere to sit once in awhile. We have received so many spiritual blessings. Whenever we feel discouraged the Lord provides us feeling and experiences that re-energize us. I recently have been reading about the spirit and have been impressed by a passage in Romans chapter 8

16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

It gives me great comfort to read this passage. If we will endure to the end believe in and trust in Jesus Christ we have great blessings in store for us.

We had a great time in Lacey with Dave's family. We always feel so comfortable there and we have a lot of fun with the kids. Amy was able to fly out so it made it more fun. Thank you Dave, Jodi, Amy, and all the kids for showing such love for us.

Amy and Jodi at Pikes place in Seattle

Pretty Molly 

The star of the show, Heidi Denise Peterson

Football Day 

School Daze

Grandma loves her Grandkids 

Army Pete