What a Spring!

 Life is...

Sunrise in Fullerton (Ha ha!  We saw a sunrise!)

 ...generously beautiful.

Hi Friends!

Here we are!  And here's the "catch up" post we promised oh so long ago.  Lesson learned:  Computer photo files become hopelessly out of control if we go this long between posts!  

 

How are you?  Back on the road?  Smiling? We fervently hope that all is well with you and yours.

How could spring be such a whirlwind when we were still staying local?  We know not. Here is our spring update, with lots of illustrations found in the video.   

 

We love you.  We hope that you are able to face your struggles with strength and optimism.  We hope you'll send us pictures of your adventures.

 

Andi and Darrell

Spring 2021 Adventures

 (Here's the 5-minute video:  Spring Adventures. Photo credits:  Some photos by Moira, Tiana, Alex, and Christine.)

• Our health is great.  Darrell's feeling good and maintaining his Optune 98% usage rates.  No news is good news in the GBM world.  Next up is an August scan. My health is good too, and same goes for our family members like Gordon and LuAnn.

• Loved ones graduated in droves this spring. Thank goodness for Zoom; it allowed us to attend commencement ceremonies as far away as Kentucky.  Cheers for all the graduates!  They did something pretty special, not only finishing their studies, but doing so under conditions that required learning and flexibility far beyond what we all signed up for (a pandemic).  Talk about bragging rights!
  

• Tiana finished! And starts soon!  Tiana finished her medical residency as an Ob Gyn physician at Loma Linda University.  The only one in her graduating class to have two babies along the way, Tiana is taking what she calls her "victory lap" at Loma Linda to finish the things she missed during maternity leaves.  More great news! Tiana said "yes" to her dream job:  a per diem position with the Kaiser hospital of her choosing (namely, the one where her husband is also a physician).  Tiana says that she and Alex "couples matched" from start to finish:  from undergrad, to medical school, to residency, and now on to their careers.  It would be hard to be more dazzled by your efforts, Tiana, or to be happier for you and your family.  Congrats!

• The House Project did not kill us.  Yet.  Five years with brain cancer meant focusing on our highest priorities.  And then the house started whining about maintenance.  The floors are refinished.  The interior painting is done.  The interior doors are all replaced.  We flexed "house" muscles we didn't know we had anymore.  We did the design work ourselves.  We wallpapered.  We painted stripes. We learned how to "style" things. These were all Life 1.0 skills that we are certainly glad we had the chance to use again.  Maybe we'll quit our day jobs.  Let us know if you need your bookcase styled or anything covered in black chalk paint.  (Or maybe you'd like to wait until the final 10% of the project is finished.  Like when all the doors have door knobs.  You choose.)

• We hugged so many people.  We are still following health guidelines, but spring was the season to reconnect face-to-face with family (Amanda and Stuart! Brady and Linda!) in person and squeeze them hard.  Same goes with friends.

• We had a whole week with Nova, Ivy, and their entourage. The family stayed with us as Tiana prepared to take medical boards.  Their week included Father's Day, and Darrell instituted the new tradition of Fat Dad Days.  He's still working on taking off the weight.  Worth it.  Precious, precious days!

• The mountains continue to call.  Life in Fawnskin is splendid.  What's that?  Have we seen new birds?  We have!  Check out the video!

• We're training for a new adventure. We haven't been on a plane since Covid struck. Covid also prevented Meridyth, Nolan, and Eva from walking the 2021 Super Bowl Stroll in person with us.  Do over!  We are all going to meet in New England late July and hike some miles of the Appalachian Trail, the Berkshires in Massachusetts, specifically.  We'll do a civilized hike, staying at inns at night and getting dropped off at trailheads sans baggage each morning.  (I ask long-term readers to hearken the marriage promise I made to Darrell in 1984:  No camping.)  Our boots, legs, and spirits are ready to go! 

• We continue to be amazed by the world. Civilians in space!  We teared up at Virgin Galactic's flight.  Nova and Ivy, tell us how Earth looks from up there. 
  

• We continue to shake our heads in awe that, every morning, we are given another opportunity to appreciate the generous beauty of life. And the love of family and friends.
  

Today's Blooms

From Beth