We had SUMMER!!!

Yes, dear readers, western Washington had a taste of summer yesterday. We celebrated Father's Day by going outside and playing a couple of rounds of croquet - Mel won each and every time. Jordon came in second, Gabriel lost interest and I never got past the third wicket.

This morning, we have our pellet stove going in the family room - the furnance on in the main area of the house and my ankles are cold! Geesh...

Today is the last day of school for Gabriel's best friend from kindergarten. Their kindergarten teacher, Mrs. "Dee" encouraged Gabriel and Shane's friendship and God Bless her in her foresight. Mrs. "Dee" was a wonderful woman - she passed away shortly after Gabe and Shane completed kindergarten, although we did not tell Gabriel for many years.

Mrs. "Dee" was my hero for her valiant fight against cancer, contracted by working with industrial chemicals without proper protection. She told me that she wanted always to "bring the light of Christ" to those who were also undergoing chemotherapy. When she found out that I had in all probability, thyroid cancer, and was going to have surgery to remove my thyroid, she had confidence that I, too, would be able to bring Christ's love and light to those who were caring for me.

As I awoke from my thyroidectomy, I was CRANKY! Within a second or two, though, I remembered Mrs. "Dee's" words - and I changed my attitude to one of gratitude and tried my anesthesized brain best to smile and be Christ to those around me.

One of my care giving nurses kept telling me that it was "okay to cry" and I kept telling her I did not "need" to cry, I was grateful that God was and is in control and I had no doubt that He would see me through this surgery and recovery.

Indeed, even though I had thyroid cancer and my thyroid was removed, I never did cry over it.

I pray that the care giving nurse, who shared with me that she was a cancer survivor, knows that God is indeed in control and that He will carry us through all of our trials and and tribulations.

Praying for the repose of Mrs. "Dee's" soul and thanking her for being such an inspiration not only to me, but to Gabriel and Shane...who is coming over today to hang out.

Mr. Finn - day number five. I pray you had a good Father's Day, too, on our day of summer!

The photo is of Gabe, Jordon, Jesse, Roxanne (Mel's daughter in law) and Mel...taken on Roxanne's birthday which we had the honor of spending with her as she was in Washington on company business.