Home (Bitter) Sweet Home

Ashlee and I made it home for Christmas break as scheduled without any troubles. Fortunately, we beat the storms that crippled the midwest and had three trouble-free flights.

Unfortunately, this Christmas is not all sweet. As many of you know, my mother was diagnosed with colon cancer in September and started chemotherapy six weeks ago. She elected to leave Sheridan to seek expert cancer treatment in Tulsa, OK at one of the Cancer Treatment Centers of America. This place is amazing and every time I talk her she has nothing but wonderful stories and interesting tid bits to share about the center and people there.

Every other week she flies out of Sheridan Thursday afternoon and starts the drug infusion Friday afternoon. She returns on Monday. This past weekend was a chemo weekend for her, and it turns out that she was in the Denver airport the same time Ashlee and I were so we got to spend almost an hour with here before we had to go our seperate ways. Tonight she is coming home, and it will really be nice to see her again. She will continue this routine into April.

All things considered, my mom is doing great. She has been very aggressive in fighting the cancer, and they did catch it early. As soon as she found out about it she contacted CTCA and starting making arrangements. She has nothing but the highest of hopes and has incredible resolve to beat this. My mother has always been someone whom I admire and see as a rolemodel, but these last couple months have really proved inspirational. Thank you Mom. With all that being said, I encourage you to continue to pray with us during this long, hard process.

On a much lighter note, Dr. John Naugle dug out my four wisdom teeth this morning. I am still a bit numb as I type this message, and I can't wait for feeling to fully return. I think I would rather have pain than to be drooling and unable to taste anything. All in all, it hasn't been bad though. Again, it's great to be a bit closer to adulthood.

Ashlee and I wish all of you a Merry Christmas. Enjoy your time off from work or school and finish up your shopping, but also remember and celebrate the coming of Christ.

Last lectures of 2007 behind us

Today both Ashlee and I had our last classes of the semester.  It's always a great feeling to be done (with classes at least) and to know that we'll be home with friends and family soon.  The next week is still very busy though.  Ashlee has four papers to turn in and I have an exam, a group presentation and report, and a final photography critique.  Wednesday is when the last of it is due, and we fly home Thursday.

On a completely different note, Pittsburgh has finally taken the plunge and settled into legitimate winter weather.  We have a few inches of snow and the highs have been in the 30's.  Luckily we haven't had any bad wind with the cold yet, but I'm confident that Pittsburgh will show its teeth before all the students leave.

This break we are going to be home for 4 weeks to the day.  We fly back January 10th and start classes the 14th.  This break is a bit exciting for me because I feel like I'm going to progress a bit along the graduated road to adulthood.  I starting driving when I turned 16, I bought some cigars for my dad after I turned 18, I got married when I was 19, I ordered a beer for the first time when I turned 21, and finally, while I'm still 21, I am getting my wisdom teeth pulled.  In just a couple years I'll be able to rent a car.  I'm sure I still won't be a full adult even then, but that's okay.  I guess the age limit for the draft might serve as the final milestone on that long road.

Well, I guess that's about it.  Wish us luck for the last few chaotic days we have ahead of us.  We won't get to really relax until we claim the last of our luggage in the Sheridan airport.  Oh well, that's how it is every semester.

Take Care,

Todd