Throwing Curve Balls!

12/2/2010

           "I keep throwing everyone curveballs!" Kim told her doctors, as they worked together to figure out how to clear the blood clots out of her legs and keep the cancer from reforming them elsewhere.  It was a tough day for Kimmy.  She had one of her rare down days, seeming to realize that no matter how positive she remained, her body was not cooperating.  She was worn down physically too from the procedures, the tumor in her lung restricting her air intake, worrying for her family and not sleeping well.  And Kim's Mom and Jim flew back to Pennsylvania. 
            Her big win of the day, was, being able to come off of oxygen!  The bambini came down to celebrate.  They had another surprise, as Andrea picked them up and took them to the Reid Park Zoo for their annual Zoolights.  They decorate the zoo and there are so many lights, carolers, bands, hot cocoa and cookies, etc.  We would take the kids every year...last year was the first we missed, but Andrea made sure that the bambini did not miss out and had a wonderful time.

Today, I had the kids start to decorate the house.  Brendon and Cody had put the tree up for us on Sunday, and I pulled out the boxes of ornaments for them to go through - here's one of our favorites:

                           Kim, Ami Bunch and Mary Montes.  Ami and Mary gave this beautiful ornament last year.  The photo was taken three years ago, when Kim worked in Mary's classroom as a parapro (we'd joke that she was Tonio's parapro!).

They had fun looking at all of the ornaments and talking about their memories..."Oh, I made this one in class" or "Mama got you this one Dad!  It's from Italy!".  Lots of "I remembers"... Last year, they had a lot of help decorating.  Our neighbor, Alex and Cody put up the tree and the Muszynski's and Deaver family's decorated the tree and the Castillo's put up Christmas decorations, like the star above the tree.

They did a great job!  We also replaced Bella's eyes with Christmas lights.  So they glow better.  Pretty, eh?

        

This is Bella, joining us for dinner (Sopa de Fideo), before we put in her lightbulbs.

This was a photo I took of our morning sky, from the outdoor stage at Cottonwood, while dropping off the bambini.  I'm afraid we may have run out of summer...the day dawned chilly and rainy.  But, the sky gave us spectacular views like this throughout the day, complete with rainbows.

                                 Today is the feast day of Saint Frances Xavier.  The Mission was decorated to celebrate this event and the priest talked about the challenges and hardships that San Xavier faced, when asked by the Lord, to travel around the southwest back in the 1500's, founding missions and converting those he found along the way to Christianity  It was a beautiful Mass.

                                While unpacking the Christmas decorations, I came across a stack of cards from last year...from all of you...they were amazing and heartfelt.  Today, a year ago, Kim was dubbed the Angel of St. Joseph's Hospital...these cards remind me of all of the angels around us.  I have two boxes of angels left by well-wishers hanging from our olive tree out front.  We will re-hang them over the next few days in a Christmas tribute to our Angel.

                                    Love,
                                         Dave