Some Bad News

I hate to write about bad news but I knew you all would want to know. Two family member this year have found out that they have cancer! Boy this hits home for me!  As most of you know I lost my wife, Cathey, to cancer.

First my cousin Marsha found out about a month ago that she has several tumors.  So she has been undergoing chemo treatment for those.  I Just got a email update from her sister Pam that their are no new tumors showing up but no real reduction in the number of tumors she currently has. The large one in her lung is smaller, THAT’S GOOD NEWS!  Marsha will be going back into the hospital on August 27th for more chemo treatments. Please pray for Marsha and family and of course our hope is that they can stop any growth of the tumors and maybe even see some of these tumors go away.

I also got an email today from Mary Kitley, my sister-in-law, telling us about Kristin, her daughter. Kristin had a mole removed from her leg a couple of years ago but it came back this year.  She went in and had it removed but the biopsy report was not so good. She has melanoma cancer! The good new is that it wasn’t to big or deep (0.2 mm in depth).  I guess they refer to that as stage 1A from what Mary had in her email. So the next step is to have a plastic surgeon go in and remove more of the tissue surrounding the area to make sure they got all the cancer cells.  She is scheduled to have this done this coming Friday. Please pray for her as well.  If everything goes well she will not need any further treatment.

I copied part of Mary’s email as I think we all should take note and take care of things early when possible.

 

“This has been a good affirmation of the “ABC’s” of skin cancer (you can Google “melanoma” if you don’t know what they are) — her mole looked like a brown freckle, but it was asymmetrical — just a little larger than a pencil eraser. Not ugly or scary looking at all. She has never been to a tanning bed or cared about tanning, but she inherited my side of the family’s fair skin. Just a reminder to us all of the dangers of the sun!!! Put hats on those babies!!!’

 

My Puppy

Well after telling you all about my new puppy my Daughter-in-Law, Jessica, sent me some pictures of him to put on my blog.  So thanks to her we have pictures to show you all.  These pictures are a few months old but you can get the idea how big he is going to be.  I think he is about 3 months old in these pictures.  You all need to pray for Jessica and Kit as they are puppy sitting while I am in Virginia for a month.

In Virginia for a few weeks

Hi all, I just put a post out with a couple pictures of Katie (see the post below this one).  I think Shannon and Dar are trying to use those pictures to get me missing Katie more so I will come home sooner. I think it’s working!

It’s been a while since my last post so I thought I should tell you where I am at and what’s going on.

First I thought my job was going to India! In fact I was training the guy to take my work when the company realized that the contract said U.S. employees only.  So I guess I will have a job for a while longer.

I am trying to fix up my house and the yard some.  Dar has been doing most of the work and the house is ready to paint.  I hired a guy to do some of the landscape work but Dar or Kit will bring up the skid-loader and take out that front flower garden for me.  I plan on making most of that garden into yard again but a small portion of it I want to put a flag pole with lights so I can put the flag up at night if I want.

The big news is I got a dog!  I know I kept saying I did not want a dog and for sure no dog in the house! Well those thought are out the window! I didn’t get just any dog, I got a St. Bernard!  Well he is a mix but it seems he is mostly St. Bernard, yep he is going to be a big fella!  Well he is big, lovable and the worst part he is living in the house with me!  He eats about 40 pounds of dog food every couple of weeks and he thinks the only place to take an evening nap is in my lap. He’s going to be my watch dog – STOP LAUGHING! He can look scary..sometimes!

I have been down in Virginia for a week now and plan on staying for a couple more weeks visiting with Brance, Lauren and little Haddie.  She is just adorable but I tell you she never stops moving.  That little girl is already turning over and does not like to lay down much.  She loves sitting up and looking around.  We put her in the car seat and she tries to sit up in it.  Just not strong enough yet.  I will take some pictures and get them posted later this week for everyone to see.  Well you know I have to get them developed so it might be a bit longer.

Later

Katie is growing up and ready to go hunting with Dad!

Shannon and Dar just sent me these two pictures of Katie and I had to put them out here for everyone to see.  She is so CUTE! Click the picture to enlarge it.

 

Fall 2007 Hunting Trip

It sure was fun to get away for a while.  We guys had a great time driving up together as well as hunting together.  I enjoyed watching the boys trying to decide where to hunt then how to hunt the area. They take this stuff so seriously!

I just wanted to enjoy being outside as I normally spend most of my day inside in front of a computer. LIKE NOW!

Let’s see as far the family that went on the trip we had the Gillihan’s (Dar, Kit, and I) and from the Kitley’s (Chuck and Chucky).  We had two other guys on the trip, they were friends of the boys.  Here are some pictures from the trip.  Chuck and I were the old geezers, as we almost always got to stand somewhere and let the boys walk to us.

 

Late Late Very Late Christmas pictures 2007

Well their is a reason they call me granddad.  I am slow at getting pictures developed.  Here are some pictures I took at Dar and Shannon’s on Christmas morning.  This was on one of those cameras you buy at the store and send in the whole thing to get developed.  Mostly it’s Mom and Katie. No one else got in the pictures for some reason.

If you haven’t figured it out yet you can click on a picture and it will enlarge.  You will have the previous and next pictures right below the enlarged one. Click on the picture on the right an it enlarges that picture.

 

Cowgirl Katie

Dar sent this picture that he took with his phone so it’s not a real clear picture but awful cute.  I thought it was so cute I had to add it to my blog.  Katie is starting to climb now so were learning that the table is not a place to climb and walk around on.

New Family Memeber

Here are pictures of Aaron Robert Kitley!!!  Congratulations to the new Mom and Dad, Chuck and Dawn! He was born at 5:25 Pacific time.  7.12 pounds.  18 inches long!!!!!!!  ADORABLE!!!!!!!!!   Well that is what grandma says.  Don’t she know guys are good lookin, Hansom!  Well guess we will let it slide as he is a cute little fella.

Here is a bunch more pictures of Haddie

These were all taken right after Haddie was born and the first few days after she came home.  She’s so cute!  Oh, there are some pictures of other folks, like Mom and Dad.  But I know your all interested in little Haddie’s pictures.

BUSY BUSY

Wow, I cannot believe that it’s been almost a month from my last post.  I got home from Brance and Lauren’s and just have stayed busy or maybe a little lazy.  Well here are some picture from my old film camera. 

These are pictures of both my granddaughters, some I took of Haddie while down at Brance and Laurne’s a month ago and some I took of Katie after grandpa took her shopping at the Bass Pro store last fall. Remember all I got is the film camera so I wait until all the film is used before developing it.  Yes, I have been told I made Katie looks like a boy but hey what do you expect when she goes shopping with Dad and Grandpa.  Anyway she’s ready to go hunting with Dad!