Ringing in the New Year

2010--- HERE WE COME!!! This next year is going to be {epic}.  Here's what we are looking forward to (with hopeful hearts)...

• Dave is going to South Africa.
• We are having a baby.
• We are selling our house and moving once or twice.
• Dave is finishing his residency.
• We are moving to Philadelphia.
• Dave is starting a trauma/critical care fellowship at U Penn.
• And biggest of all--- My dad is beginning 18 months of chemotherapy.  He was just recently diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, which is a cancer of the plasma cells. 
• He will begin the year with a stem cell rescue/transplant which includes a very very high dose of chemo in a very very short amount of time.  He will then be given a short reprieve before going through the entire stem cell rescue process yet again!
• The above mentioned process will be about 5 months.
• He will then continue receiving chemotherapy on a less-intensive level for one year.
• The prognosis is promising.
• He is young, healthy, and the cancer was caught very early.
• I admire my dad to no end.  Not only for who he is and all he stands for but also for choosing this "scorched earth" road that lays ahead.  I know he's doing it for his grandchildren who love him like nothing else.  To them, he is larger than life. 
• No, wait... to just about everybody he is larger than life!!
• You will most certainly be hearing more about this road and my amazing dad as the year begins...  Stay tuned.
• For now--- some pics of one of the greatest of men:

With his newest granddaughter/reason for living, Elise.

For Christmas, he got gear for the year ahead.
Trying on his chemo garb.

This picture just makes me laugh.  Hard.
Good luck trying to get my dad to be serious!

And just for the record... Christmas was AMAZING this year!  We had a perfect vacation with my family.  Thank you, Grams and Pa, for spoiling us rotten and loving us to pieces.  It could not have been more special or memorable.  We are so grateful we were there with all of you.