Today is the day my oldest brother has the last of the tests. If I understand it right, he has to drink a bunch of dye so they can pinpoint where to shoot the radiation when he starts treatments... something called a radioactive body scan. He doesn't get the bone marrow biopsy results until Friday afternoon. My middle brother and his wife are supposed to be there now. Hopefully they'll soon get good news to celebrate together. The difference in how they treat stages 1-3 are so different from the gloom and doom of a stage 4 prognosis.

Today is my weigh and measure day and I 'm happy to say there is less of me to love than there has been in quite awhile. I'm hoping the next 20 pounds comes off a bit quicker and easier than the first 19 has.... So far I'm down 2 sizes since mid-February with 2 more to go. I have visions of a picture of me in my fat pants once I reach my goal... only reason I'm saving a pair. I feel this is quite an accomplishment seeing as how we had 6 family celebrations and 2 church activities that center around food in the last 30 days.

Hubby has begun working on the garage conversion again. Maybe we'll get finished and get the house painted before school starts!

I'm on standby to keep my great-nephew when his mom goes into labor with his baby sister. That way both grandmothers can be present for the arrival of our newest member of the family. You should hear him try to say my name! Aunt Susan is not the easiest thing for a little mouth to say. Last night at my SiL's birthday he was trying to get my attention hollering something in toddler-ese with "oo" in it while he patted my leg.

I finally got around to uploading some pictures from my niece's wedding. Click here to see them.

My oldest brother, Ken saw the oncologist Monday and the doctor confirmed that he is in either stage 3 or 4 of Hodgkin's Lymphoma, depending on if it is in the bone yet.  Right now it is in a majority of his lymph nodes and his spleen. He has a bone marrow biopsy today and is scheduled for several other big tests this week.... just waiting for the insurance to approve them first.  On top of everything else he needs a couple of stints. Hopefully he'll wind up testing this week so he can start chemo next week; they are talking three rounds. I am told Ken is in good spirits and does not look sick. Mostly right now he is just very tired and having trouble sleeping. I'd appreciate it if you'd add him and his family to your prayer list. Visit my SiL's blog to leave him words of encouragement.

Had a much too short, but wonderful weekend with my daughter and her boyfriend. They arrived Friday night and had to leave Monday morning, but we managed to squeeze in 3 family suppers, celebrated the 4th and my inlaw's 54th wedding anniversary, got pedicures, and went to see The Proposal. (I haven't laughed so much since My Big Fat Greek Wedding.) Sunday morning she insisted on making hubby and me breakfast. It was fun to watch her and her sweetie together. He seems perfect for her.... has that same servant's heart we all admire in my hubby.  Funny how most all of us chatty women choose strong quiet men.... My granddog took up with me.... on the last day of course! Hopefully her next visit will be longer; goodbyes are never easy when 700 miles separate you. I don't know if she cried, but I did.

Today is Aunt Betty's last day here. We're winding down her visit with a girlie lunch at my house then a family birthday party for hubby's middle brother tonight. It's been a festive family-filled five days. Tomorrow we'll all be going through withdrawal.... or maybe napping!

My oldest brother got his biopsy results back and it confirmed that he has Hodgkin's Lymphoma. I think we are all in shock. At least his oldest is home from overseas; it would be even harder to deal with that kind of news so far from home. I'm told the next step is a visit to the oncologist and probably radiation.

Please put him on your prayer list and visit my SiL's blog for more detailed updates.

It all started when I decided to make a hairbow to match the Little Sprouts outfit I bought for my first great-niece using the ribbon that came tied at the top of the hanger. It was so much fun I decided to make more! Once I was done, I had made 14 hairbows, none of which measured more than 1 3/4" across. (I used the tiniest clips Hobby Lobby sells.) This is the first time I've made bows since Em was a little girl. So fun! Then I decided she needed something cute to put them in, so I decorated this little box with her nursery colors of mint green and pink.

I think she liked them! Just hope the doctor is right about this baby having lots of hair!

Praying for my oldest brother. He is having another face surgery today. They will take the big knot off his jaw and do a biopsy on one full lymph node.  Then he will follow up with an oncologist and probably radiation. This is the same brother who had to have most of his nose removed then reconstructed (skin cancer) before Moma died. EDIT: He came through the surgery fine, but is in a lot of pain. They won't get biopsy results until Tuesday.

Hubby finally finished up his parent's bathroom remodel last night. It looks great! He's been working on it evenings and weekends off and on since Memorial Day weekend. We've been over there so much they may go through withdrawal!

This week I've been working on a craft project for my niece's baby shower tomorrow. It was fun to get the old creative juices flowing again. Of course making something girly is always fun!. I'll post pictures after the shower. She's due on my son's 28th birthday. I kept her 20 month old son yesterday while she and her mom went to the obstetrician. Being a great-aunt living in the same town is the highlight of my life right now as all my grandbabies are either canine or feline at this point and live far, far away. I get to keep him when she goes into labor so both the grandmothers are free to be present for the birth.

I'm really looking forward to this time next week as that is when my Em and her boyfriend are coming in for the weekend. It has been far too long since we've had any time together. It will also be my first chance to meet my granddog.

We didn't get any of those traditional April showers; we are getting June thunderstorms instead. Everything is greening up and after months of blowing dust, I've been able to leave my windows open each morning.  And the house is finally clean! Its raining again now.

Last night we kept our great nephew and had the inlaws over for supper. He's at such a fun age. Goes at everything at a run! I'd be skinny again if I had to keep up with him every day.

Today hubby is putting the finishing touches on his parent's bathroom. Grouting the backsplash and touching up the paint. I don't know who is more pleased with the end result, his mom or dad....

Sunday evening we'll gang up with all the local relatives for Father's Day Supper. Then in less than two weeks my baby girl and her boyfriend will be here for a few days. They aren't getting to stay as long as they wanted, cuz his work wouldn't approve that many days off, but at least we'll get to see them.

If you haven't visited my SiL's blog in awhile, please put them on your prayer list. Looks like big brother is facing more surgery. Read her blog for details.

(drumroll) After 17 weeks of hard work I have finally moved down in to a different category on the BMI chart. I'm fighting this battle one day at a time and its happening excruciatingly slow, but at least it is happening. Hubby says when I reach my target weight he'll go with me to the beach. He's not a water person, so that's a pretty big deal. I'm hoping to pull that off by my 50th birthday. My exercise DVD is calling....