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Yesterday we returned home after six wonderful days in Regina with Tim, Kim, their precious four, and Barbie.

Nothing beats spending time with our kids and grandkids. What a busy household, but so full of love. Such fun to wake up to four sets of eyes staring at us in our cozy dark basement bedroom before jumping into bed with us for lots of snuggles and shennanigans!! So much for sleeping in!!

We were there to help Gracyn celebrate her 7th birthday last Sunday. She's such a little tomboy princess, all dressed up in her Christmas dress, but putting in a special request for a "Dirt" cake with worms!!!

"Auntie" was SO amazing and full of energy, helping Papa and Grammy take care of the kids on Saturday and Sunday while Tim and Kim went to Moose Jaw for a horse clinic.

Kim's feeling just about back to normal after her chemo--a very active Mom and homemaker. She's resumed helping Tim with chores and caring for the horses, with special attention to the newest member of the family, Smartie, their three week old fillie.

Tim and Kim managed to escape the ever-present camera except for a couple of appearances with little Mykenna!!

We are so proud of them and the courage and faith with which they have faced Kim's cancer. Although her prognosis is very good, there's that "niggling" fear that it may return, so prayers for a release from those anxieties are much needed.

It's so sweet to hear the children pray at bedtime for Mommy, Papa, and Uncle Jim to get better. One of the kids asked Papa "What kind of breast cancer do you have?" Bob had two hemo-dialysis treatments at the Regina General Hospital and it all went very well. The pain in his lower back continues and is moderately increasing. He will have his first chemo on Friday, beginning another round of treatments two times every three weeks.

The wall hanging that Tim made Kim for Christmas hangs on their bedroom wall as a constant reminder of our faith, hope, and love that find their source in Jesus Christ, our ever-present Helper and Healer.

A week of celebrations!!

We’ve had a very full week that will be reported with mostly pictures!!

Easter weekend began with a wonderful Good Friday service at our church where Bob played the keyboard as we gathered together to remember Jesus’ sacrifice and death for us.

Then that very evening in Regina, Tim and Kim’s mare gave birth to a beautiful little “filly”, bringing an early celebration of new life!!

Resurrection Sunday was a wonderful celebration of the fact that Jesus Is Alive . . . and because He lives, we will live also!! That promise means more to us today than ever before!!

And last evening, the District Office had a Retirement Party for Bob, even though he hasn’t been working much for over a year. The delightful time began as we all gathered at a ceramic painting studio to exercise our creative juices and enjoy a relaxed time together.

Here are Dave and Agnes Hearn, our beloved District Superintendent and his wonderful wife!

This was followed by a delicious dinner at a quaint restaurant in Fort Langley and the presentation of some wonderful gifts—both silly and serious. We have LOVED being a part of the Pacific District Family and feel SO incredibly blessed!!

Our plans are to fly to Regina on Wednesday to spend six days with our children Barbie, Tim, and Kim and of course our wonderful grandchildren Colby, Gracyn, Carson, and Mykenna. Kim is almost feeling back to her normal self since her chemo and we anticipate having a great time together. Bob will have two dialysis treatments at the Regina General Hospital.

We really appreciate your prayers for this trip. The pain in Bob’s lower back is increasing and he won’t be able to begin chemo until after we return. The oncologist told us that some of the cancer cells may be resistant to the chemo this time around, but we are hopeful that he will have a good response as he did last time. God knows and our ultimate confidence is in Him!!

Our theme song this week has been -- “I’ll say yes, Lord, yes to Your will and to Your way . . . “ There is such freedom in saying “Yes” to the Lord!!

More chemo coming!!

Bob had his appointment with the oncologist this afternoon. Unfortunately he didn't have the results of the ultrasound, but he did have the labwork which revealed that his tumour markers have gone up again--and that, plus the increase in pain in his lower back, would indicate that there's more cancer activity going on again. Bob will resume chemo towards the end of the month--on April 27. The earliest he could get chemo would be the week earlier when we plan to be in Regina. At this point we still plan to go to Regina and then he will have his first chemo when we return.

We were kind of expecting to hear this, but of course were hoping and praying that we wouldn't. It's interesting that the first news of Bob's cancer came during Easter week last year, and at the very same time this year we're dealing with a bit of a setback. Thankfully Bob is feeling well overall--no weight loss or extreme tiredness that characterized him a year ago, but a recurrence of more cancer activity and some accompanying pain. Thankfully Tylenol taken every three hours is fairly effective at this point.

Being Passion Week, Bob and I have been doing a lot of reading and meditating on the sufferings of Jesus and have been touched more powerfully than ever at His deep love for us and His willingness to suffer. We've been reading a number of the Easter "Moments with the Savior" from one of our very favorite devotional books. They have been particularly poignant for us right now.

The author of "Moments with the Savior", Ken Gire, includes a prayer at the end of each meditation, and the reading about Jesus in Gethsemane was followed with a beautiful prayer that includes the following, as it addresses the difficult times in our lives:

"Lord, I know that sometime, somewhere, some type of Gethsemane awaits me. Just as it did you . . .

. . . Prepare me for that dark night, Lord. Prepare me now by helping me realize that although Gethsemane is the most terrifying of places, it is also the most tranquil.

The terror comes in realizing I am not in control of my life or the lives of those I love. The tranquility comes in realizing that You are!!”

Wow--That prayer struck me so profoundly when we read and prayed it two days ago, and we very consciously once again put our hands in the Lord's hand and entrusted Him with our lives.

There's NO safer place to be!!

SO . . . Let not your hearts be troubled--ours aren't--just a little tender!!

Thanks so much for your continued prayers.

Home Again!!

After a wonderful nine days with Mom and Dad in CA, I flew home last Wednesday--so happy to be together with Bob once again!! I even decided to go to dialysis on Thursday and Saturday nights for the full five hours so I could be with him as much as possible. Although it's a long time, we always find things to do--like play "Scrabble", have a picnic lunch, and read together. Here we are reading Harry Potter, so that we can enter into some of our grandchildren's worlds at a distance!!

Our daughter-in-law Ann had her master's piano recital on Friday evening in western NY, at the university where David teaches--SUNY Fredonia. Unfortunately we weren't able to attend but received a few pictures and the promise of a recording soon, as well as rave reviews!!

Here she is at the piano ready to embark on a demanding recital of Bach, Prokofiev, Liszt, and some of her beautiful improvisations.

And here are Billy and Manny awaiting their chance to present their mom with a bouquet of roses!!

Ann's parents, aunt and uncle, and sister (all from Toronto) were able to be there for this wonderful event. Here are all the Park ladies!!

Sorry there aren't any photos of David who was likely taking the pictures. He got a nice shot of Ann with her piano professor, Father Sean Duggan, a wonderful musician, teacher, friend, and Benedictine priest!!

We will post another update by Thurday regarding the results of Bob's appointment with his oncologist on Wednesday. As we wonder about the growing pain in Bob's lower back we continue to be comforted by the presence and peace of Christ.