HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

Joe is "attending" a New Year party in the first photo I posted. :) Everybody is chatting with him over the phone! Joe's blood draw results on Friday showed that his counts are still low, especially his neutrophils. So we're playing it safe this year and celebrating at home. We have some sparkling grape juice ready and waiting for the Pittsburgh New Year ball to be RAISED for 2007!!!!

I haven't posted in a few days. Unfortunately, we didn't get to see much of Albert before he flew back to Boston. He got some kind of bug after Christmas, so he was banned from our house for a few days! We got to hang out with Albert and Mamma on Thursday for a bit though, and that was nice.

On Saturday, we had lunch with my parents and Victor at our house. Then Joe's family came to visit with Joe's cousins. In the evening, we had dinner at Joe's parents house. It was a wonderful meal, and the company was great too. We were laughing all evening!

This is the week! It is just crazy to think that Joe will be admitted to the hospital on Wednsday. He looks great and he feels great. It would be all to easy too ignore what is going on inside his body. That is not an option though. We just keep reminding ourselves that God is in control, and we're placing our trust in Him.

Thank you to the Pittsburgh Taiwanese Bible Class for gathering together to pray for Joe last night.

Thank you as well to my relatives in Taiwan who are all praying for Joe over the new year, headed by my 5th Great Uncle. We appreciate all the prayers we can get!

Thank you to the Liangs for the thoughtful gift. We are so appreciative. Thank you to Sha and Louis for the exotic chocolates! The directions for tasting are priceless!

This week was a week of celebration for a lot of people!!!!!!
Happy HAPPY anniversary to Jimmy & Suann and John and Carole!!!!!! We hope you beautiful couples had a memorable anniversary!

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Sim, Myra, Erica, and Brian!!!!! And a special NEW YEAR birthday to Joanna!!!!!!! Happy celebrating. :)

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy, 2007 full of memories, learning, and growth.

God bless!

Another Day.

Today's title is brought to you, courtesy of Joe. :)

We went to the hospital today for another blood draw. Joe's WBC dipped again. Still, his counts are better than when he was first diagnosed, he still feels well, and they are hovering in an acceptable range. Joe called the doctor's office and was told he wouldn't need a Neupogen injection. So that is how I define acceptable range. :)

We were able to see several of the residents and have lunch with them. That was nice. We got to see Lilly too, which is always wonderful.
After arriving home, we received two packages! One from My cousins Sandy and Osamu. It was beautiful and filled with fun "spa" stuff. Very luxurious. Thank you!!!!! We were supposed to see Sandy and Osamu for Christmas. Unfortunately, due to Joe's low counts they decided to postpone the trip until Spring. We missed seeing them, but look forward to seeing them in a few months!

The other was from my cousin Cathleen and 3rd Auntie (Sandy's mom and sister!). They made us the cutest things, as you can see from the picture (although they are even lovelier in person). And the best part is that they said that each bead symbolizes love and a blessing for us. How sweet! Thank you!

Another Happy Birthday to Lora and ChristinaMarie!

Merry Christmas!!!!!!

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirnius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them. "Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

~Luke 2:1-20

This has been a wonderful Christmas. God's love has been everywhere. Our mantle and fridge are filled with Christmas cards and photos, our tummies are filled with food, and we've been surrounded by wonderful friends and family.

On Saturday we were able to have lunch with "Physics" Auntie and Uncle Lin. They took us to the perfect place, with yummy food and no crowds. We had such a wonderful time chatting about everything, and getting some science lessons as well. (Auntie Lin has probably tutored every Taiwanese kid in the area, including me and Joe!)

Sunday, I went off to church and Joe stayed home because of the large service. In the afternoon, David came over to watch the Steelers game with Joe. David's company was very much appreciated. The game is not really worth mentioning. In the evening, David joined our families for Christmas dinner! We did the "Chinese restaurant thing" so we could focus on fun and family, rather than cooking and cleaning. It was great. At the restaurant we were able to see several friends and that was great too!

After dinner, we followed the annual tradition of going to Joe's parents house to open gifts. As usual it was fun and chaotic. Somehow though, it felt much more special and meaningful this year. We didn't really discuss it, but I'm sure everyone had in their mind all that we have been through this year and what is to come. Maybe I'm dreaming and imagining things, but the time we had together as a family last night just seemed so perfect. Then again, of course I didn't imagine it. It was perfect. I'm so thankful to our families. They are just wonderful.

This week is all about resting and relaxing and preparing for the hospital. Joe will get his blood drawn tomorrow. I'll update when we find out the results.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to our parents and brothers for being so generous with your love. Your gifts were generous too. But most appreciated is your love, patience, support, and time. We love you!!!!!!

Thank you David for joining us. You have been such a great friend to Joe, and our families think you're the best!

Thank you to "Physics" Auntie and Uncle Lin for treating us to a wonderful lunch. What a cherished memory.

Thank you Auntie S.B. Lin for the homemade food. It is SO yummy. Our families are so jealous! (Ooops, I guess we should have shared!)

Thank you so very much to Crystal; Pastor Jim & Kathy; Peggy, Kevin, Meagan, Lauren, & Vivian; Louison, Ping & Ethan; and Julie for all the yummy treats and goodies. I think everyone is trying to plump up Joe for transplant! Thank you, thank you!

Thank you to Gretchen and David for the gifts. You are such wonderful encouragement.

And thank you to my 2nd Auntie & Uncle and 3rd Auntie & Uncle and all of my dear cousins. You have shown us so much love in so many ways even though you are all so far away. I really have the best relatives!

A very HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Tim (yesterday),
December (today),
Lora, and ChristinaMarie (tomorow)!!!!!!!!

A very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lots of Lins!

Final Verdict.

I wanted to share a photo from a bone marrow drive at the end of November. Our friend Eddie, (who will always be a Pittsburgher even though he's now living in North Carolina) worked with Maria from CLLF and Pastor Elijah from Chinese Bible Church of N.C. to host a drive. We are so thankful to all three of them, as well as the church for their participation and prayers. If it weren't for all the people who are registering to be donors, Joe might still be searching for the right match.

Speaking of which...Joe's donor has officially been chosen, and the selection has been sealed! The winner is...the 21 year old female. Despite the initial doubts of the NMDP about her committment, she has been following through with all of her appointments. She was the ultimate winner because of her age, and because Joe's doctors prefer a PBSC donation to a bone marrow donation. (If you recall, the 37 year old male was only able to be a bone marrow donor.) Joe will be admitted to the hospital on January 3. That will be a tough day. Joe will be getting a bone marrow biopsy and a lumbar puncture. He'll also have a central line put in, and begin chemo. Joe will be given chemo for 5 days. On January 8th, Joe gets a "vacation day." At least from chemo. January 9th will be "Day 0" - transplant day. Meanwhile, Joe's donor will be getting five days of filgrastim injections. PBSC cells will be harvested on the 8th and the 9th. It won't be such a walk in the park for her either. We are SO grateful to her for doing this. Wow, everything is moving so fast.

Joe had his blood drawn today. Everything looks about the same. The good thing is that Joe still feels well, and there wasn't another drastic drop.

Thank you, thank you to everyone for being so loving and encouraging. As transplant day rolls near, and everything is actually being scheduled, we are realizing how real this is! Everyone has been amazing. Simply amazing.

Thank you to Mike & Amy, and Crystal for the fun gifts. You are each so sweet.
Thanks to mom and dad for the food! And thanks to Victor for playing with us and being such a great brother. (Awwwww...)

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

~Isaiah 9:6

Brother is home!

Victor is back in town. He's staying with us tonight. It's nice to have him back. On Saturday, Albert will be back, and my cousins Sandy and Osamu are coming too!

Tomorrow, Joe is getting his blood drawn again. We're praying that they go up so that he doesn't have to spend the holidays in seclusion. But if he does, so be it. We'll be together.

A very happy birthday to Sha! Thank you for being such a great friend.

I am the Lord's servant." Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.
~Luke 1:38

The Latest

All the test went smoothly yesterday, and that's according to Joe. The day started off with a pulmonary function test. Joe had the privilege of sitting in a phone booth like contraption with a nose-clip. I was kind and didn't post the nose-clip photo! All went smoothly, and I was greatly entertained by the gentleman running the test.

Next we had a bit of a break to catch up on some emails and news (The oldest person in the world is 115, and male.) We then headed off to the nuclear medicine department. Joe had an IV put in, and lots of blood drawn. Then an EKG and MUGA scan. This was the longest part of the day. Joe had to stay in certain positions for what felt like an eternity. He's really good at staying still though. Sometimes, I call him Mr. Tin Man. I suspect Joe took the opportunity to nap for a bit.

The final part of the day was a history and physical. Joe has gone over his history so many times, that this took very little time. Then we were done! We were able to enjoy lunch at around 3pm.

In the evening, we discovered that Joe's counts are not behaving very well. The Vidaza seems to be losing its powers. Joe's Hemoglobin is the only thing that seems to be staying in the normal range. Helps him keep a rosy glow!

Joe's Counts
WBC - 2.4 k/mcL
Hemoglobin - 15.6 g/dL
Platelet Count - 61 g/dL
Neutrophils - 28%
Neutrophils-absolute - 0.67 k/mcL

We'll have to be more cautious than ever. Our goal is to keep Joe out of the hospital until he is admitted for transplant. We're just going to take one day at a time though. That's all we can do.

Speaking of transplant, here is the latest news. The 21 year old female was CLEARED yesterday. This means that she is okay to be Joe's donor. Because of her size and Joe's size, she will probably have to give cells two days in a row. Joe will have the transplant on the second day when everything is shipped from wherever she is in the United States. The 37 year old male donor should be having his physical tomorrow. One thing that we learned about him, is that for whatever reason, he would only be able to do a bone marrow donation, as opposed to a PBSC donation. This changes the process for the donor, but shouldn't affect Joe too much. If the male is also cleared, then a final decision will be made as to who Joe's donor will be.

As far as dates are concerned, Joe will probably be admitted January 2nd or 3rd. The transplant will likely be on the 8th or 9th. This is only two weeks away!!!!! We are feeling so many different emotions. I'm not sure there are any words to perfectly describe what we are feeling. We are more than hopeful that all will go as smoothly as possible...or smoother than possible. We are glad that things are moving forward, but there is some anxiety mixed in there. Excited doesn't really fit the bill, since there are still risks and unknowns involved. I don't know. But I feel sure that everything will be okay. Thus far, everything has gone as well as can be, except for those silly counts suddenly deciding to go crazy. God is control, right? Yupyup. For sure.

A very happy happy belated birthday to dear Colm. Praying for you, your daddy, grandpa, and the whole family.

Happy belated birthday to Sabrina! I didn't realized you had the same birthday as Richard. How sweet!

Happy happy birthday to Alivia's mommy Emily. We are constantly praying for you.

"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"
The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. SO the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God."
~Luke 1:34-37

Tests, tests, tests...

Tomorrow is Joe's pre-BMT testing day. He'll get all kinds of fun tests uncluding blood tests, a pulmonary function test, and an EKG. It'll pretty much be a full day. Hopefully soon, we'll be able to set a definite date for transplant. It is so weird to think that right after the holidays Joe will be getting a transplant. Just saying it sounds weird. It just doesn't feel normal to say something so huge, in an almost casual way...about my husband! "Oh my husband needs a PBSC (bone marrow) transplant." What? It feels like something that should be said about the uncle of a friend of a friend. Or something you read about in Reader's Digest. But alas, every person who has to face any type of transplant, or chemo, or other hospital related yuckiness is a brother, or sister, or parent, or child, or spouse, or friend to someone. And I would hope...and I pray...that the families that deal with such things are close and have as great a support system as we do. How scary and sad it would be to face such things alone.

I'll update on Joe as we get more information.

Hmmm. Lots of thank yous. Thank you so much to Jomei and Vivian for such a fun girls day on Thursday. I had so much fun with you!

Thank you to Joe for allowing me a day with the girls. I know you not so secretly enjoyed those hours of peace and quiet, but I still appreciate it!

Thank you to Steve & Lora and Monica & Brian for contributing to a fun filled weekend! We really enjoyed the time we got to spend with you.

Thank you to Louis and Karen & Steve for the fun gifts.

Thank you to our parents for all the goodies and treats!

And...a HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY (belated) birthday to my dear cousin Richard. I haven't see you in SO long, and Joe still needs to meet you! Hope you had fun!

Also, a very Happy birthday to Luke!

(and go steelers! :) )

"He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, his kingdom will never end."
~Luke 1:32-33

Who will be the winner?????

The latest news regarding Joe's PBSC donor, is that both the 21 year old lady and the 37 year old gentleman are continuing with their appointments as scheduled. So we shall wait and see who will be awarded the prize of becoming Joe's donor!!!!!

Joe had his blood drawn on Monday. His counts haven't changed much since last week. Usually we'd see a nice rise in his counts by now. He still feels great. Joe will have his blood drawn again either on Thursday or Friday. We just continue to be thankful that his transplant is approaching. It is good...and it is a bit scary. But mostly we remain optimistic that everything will go smoothly.

Many thanks to Shelley and Ed, Akiko and Joe, and Sha for your very thoughtful gifts. We don't deserve to be so spoiled!

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus."
~Luke 1:29-31

No more Vidaza!!!!!!

God-willing, Joe will not be getting anymore Vidaza. Yippeeeeee!!!!!! He finished round 6 on Friday. This time around he is extra sore and extra itchy. Despite all that Joe is doing a remarkable job of not complaining much. His counts also do not seem to be responding as much as they used to. According to Friday's blood draw, Joe's WBC dipped down again. This makes us more grateful than ever that all the planning for Joe's transplant is well under way. Speaking of which, according to the NMDP, the 37 year old male donor mentioned in a previous post is very committed to the whole process. He has scheduled the pre-transplant informational meeting for tomorrow, and his physical for the 20th. Pray that all goes well!

We have so very much to be thankful for this weekend. Thank you to our CrossRoads brothers and sisters for entertaining us! All of you have been so amazing and so supportive in so many ways. Even long before Joe was diagnosed we have felt your love and we're grateful for it!!!!!

Thank you to Sheena for singing with me this morning. I love teaming up with you!

Thank you to Louis and Sha for feeding our egos and telling us we're cute all the time. And thanks for hanging out with us!

Thank you to Joe's mom and dad for a lovely lunch this weekend, and Thank you to Steve for joining us. How fun to swaps stories and memories!

Thank you to my cousin Pei-chen for the card. It makes us feel so special that you are always thinking about us no matter where you are in the world!

Thank you to Mrs. Ott, Patrick, and Susan for the gifts. Each of you had us jumping up and down and squealing with excitement. (Okay, okay...it was just me jumping up and down and squealing because that's what I do...but Joe had a big fat grin on his face which is the equivalent of jumping up and down and squealing!)

And as always, because we couldn't possibly say it enough (and because we mean it with our whole hearts each and every time...i promise it's not something we toss out lightly) thank you to every single person who has prayed for us, given us real hugs and virtual hugs, loved us and supported us. We are able to stay strong and be positive each day because God has surrounded us with the most amazing friends and family...and even people we do not know. How blessed are we?

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."
~Luke 1:26-28

It's a boy?

Joe had his third dose of chemo today. All went well, although this round is making him feel a little "yuckier" than usual. Naps have proven to be helpful.

His pre-transplant tests have been scheduled for the 18th. Joe will have to give up about 14 vials of blood, among other things. Lucky guy, eh? Well, the blessing is that both of our brothers will be coming home later that week for the holidays.

The other news is that Joe may not have xx chromosomes floating about him in the new year after all! The NMDP is pretty much the middle-man between us and the donor. They informed our transplant coordinator that they aren't sure whether our chosen donor will end up following through with the transplant. Apparently, she has rescheduled several appointments, and the NMDP just has a feeling she might be hesitant. So, in order to keep our bases covered early on...rather than getting a not so pleasant surprise the day of transplant...a request has been made for the 37 year old male donor. So far nothing is definite, but it is good to know that we have the option of choosing another donor, just in case. Praise God for that.

Tomorrow (the 7th!) is a very special day. It is my father-in-love's birthday. If you see him around, make sure to wish him a very HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!

And, it is also beautiful Holly's birthday. She was one of my roommates for a year. The year that I had FOUR roommates. What an interesting year that was. :) Happy birthday!!!!!

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.
~Matthew 9:35

Round 6!

All is well! Joe started Round 6 of his chemo on Monday. Today, the results of his blood draw showed that his counts are slowly sneaking back up. Very good sign. Speaking of counts and good signs, many know that Joe's dad went through a period of very low platelets. Well, he had his blood drawn on Friday, and everything is normal! Yay for that.

Either next week or the week after Joe will be spending a day at the hospital getting all kinds of fun tests to prep for his transplant. We should find out soon what day the test are scheduled.

We had a nice visit from Joe's med school friend Arun over the weekend. He just returned from 6 months in Iraq. It was so good to see Arun and hear all of his stories.

That's about it for today.

Oh yes, I received this message from Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation yesterday...

"Who hasn't uttered the words, "I wish there was something I could do to help"? Now you can. Start shopping! At http://www.industrymailout.com/Industry/Redirect.aspx?u=39490&q=23712705&lm=5097448&r=37213&qz=c15215e62b0707092f1c81393ff61b46 you can buy the gifts you're planning to give this holiday season - like that DVD box set, cologne, or the wall-mounted flat-panel TV you've had your eye on - and help a great cause!
It's FREE -- no invisible costs or tricky obligations. Shop for everyday items from over 650 stores at the Mall at iGive.com, like Barnes & Noble, Lands' End, Best Buy, and Neiman Marcus. Up to 26% of each purchase is donated to the Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation at no cost to you.
Start shopping today at http://www.industrymailout.com/Industry/Redirect.aspx?u=39490&q=23712705&lm=5097448&r=37213&qz=c15215e62b0707092f1c81393ff61b46 and help save lives this holiday season and every day at the Mall at iGive. "

Something to consider if you are doing online shopping, and you aren't already attached to another charity.

Happy day!

Praises!!!

We have a lot of praises to report today. :) Yesterday, Joe had his final blood draw of the week. Again his counts were low, but stable, so Joe weasled his way out of getting a biopsy! He was all smiles when he heard that.

We also had our appointment with the doctor. As stated before, Joe will be starting chemo round six on Monday. This will be his last round of Vidaza before transplant. Before transplant, Joe will be getting a lumbar puncture to ensure that there are no signs of MDS exhibited in his central nervous system. It is unlikely, but if there are signs, the doctors want to be able to treat it immediately. Joe will also be getting another bone marrow biopsy (can't weasle out of it every time!) so that there is base line data.

When we arrived home in the afternoon we had a message from Joe's transplant coordinator stating that his donor attended an information meeting yesterday, and set up an appointment for her physical for December 8. YAY! We're moving forward. Now we just continue to pray that all goes smoothly.

In other news, Joe beat his high score in Galaga! (I was just informed that the score above is now outdated...)
(If you are a Galaga pro and Joe's high score is in fact one of your low scores...please try to be kind.)
(Nope...no fancy schmancy PlayStation or XBox in our house. Just a "fancy schmancy" Super Joystick with a whole bunch of retro games that we purchased at a swap shop in Miami! *Have you used yours yet David?*)


A very happy birthday to both Uncle Antonio and Rowena. Happy celebrating. :)

Also, congratulations to Shalin! The next time we see him he will be a married man.

A little shout-out!

Keep up those prayers! Tomorrow afternoon Joe will get another blood draw, and we'll meet with the doctor. More details when we get them!!!!!

Also, I must wish Ray-Ray a very happy birthday, even though he is currently far far away. Hope you are having fun with your family!!!!

And speaking of family, tomorrow is my dear cousin Lilly's birthday (Dec. 1)!!!!!! She is as much a big sister as a cousin. She has spoiled me and teased me since I was a baby. I love you cousin Lilly/Lillian!!!!!!!!

No Biopsy!!!!!

Joe managed to avoid getting a biopsy today. YAY!!!! His counts weren't much better...but they weren't much worse either. Joe's doctor feels that even though the counts are lower than normal, they seem to be stable. Having a dip in the counts isn't unusual. Just the fact that they went so low was concerning. As planned, Joe will get another blood draw on Friday to confirm nothing weird is happening. If they still look about the same or higher, then chemo Round 6 begins on Monday. Friday is also our monthly appointment with the doctor, so we'll discuss more transplant details.

We did go to Pitt and speak with their chapter of APAMSA. Joe did a great job, and the students really seemed to be receptive to what he had to share. The hour went by much faster than we had anticipated. Thank you to David, Jamie, and May for all of your help coordinating everything!

Thank you to Sheena and Sheena's mom for the yummy food and for your friendship.

Thank you to Lauren and Eric for your sweet card. Hugs are the best, even when they are virtual. :)

Thank you to everyone who prayed extra hard, sent good vibes, crossed their fingers and toes, called, emailed, and otherwise expressed concern for Joe in the past two days. Wow! All of that love really worked. How blessed we are to have such a great network of support!!!!!!

...but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
~Isaiah 40:31

Counts dropping

Last week when Joe had his blood drawn, his counts had dropped. We were hoping it was nothing and the counts would stabilize by this week. Today, results of his blood draw showed that Joe's counts have gone down even more. They haven't hit rock bottom, but it has been months since they have been so low. To give you a better idea of where he is...

Normal Ranges
WBC - [4.4-11.0] k/mcL
Hemoglobin - [13.4-17.5] g/dL
Platelet Count - [145-445] k/mcL
Neutrophils - [42-74] %
Neutrophils-absolute - [2.20-7.70] k/mcL

Joe's Counts
WBC - 2.7 k/mcL
Hemoglobin - 16.6 g/dL (the one thing that stayed normal)
Platelet Count - 75 g/dL
Neutrophils - 32%
Neutrophils-absolute - 0.86 k/mcL

We don't know what this means. Joe will get his blood drawn again on Wednesday and Friday to see what happens. If the results on Wednesday show another drop, Joe will be getting another bone marrow biopsy that afternoon to see what is happening with his marrow. I don't know what happens after that. One step at a time. If the results on Wednesday show the counts rising again, then we'll proceed as planned with chemo round 6 beginning on Monday.

We're trying to remember to take one step at a time. Remembering that God is in complete control. It is scary to think things might be changing after being on the positive side of "bad" for so long. But we will try not to worry before we know anything, because worrying won't solve anything. Plus, there is a positive, and that is that everything has already been moving toward Joe getting his transplant sooner than later. God is in control.

Wednesday, Joe and I are also supposed to speak to the Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA) at Pitt (They are planning a bone marrow drive with Cammy Lee in the Spring!). We're hoping it is informal. :) David from Pitt has been so amazing with organizing everything and keeping us up to date. It is actually a bit intimidating! Pray that Joe will still be okay to go and share his experiences.

Saturday, we were going to kick off the Christmas season and attend a hospital party. With Joe's counts being funny though, we're going to be safe and stay home. Don't want to take any chances!

Thank you to Sandy for hanging out with me. It was really nice to catch up with you!

Thank you to Cammy Lee for the cheery message! You have been a great source of encouragement.

Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.
~2 Corinthians 3:5

Photos

Just wanted to share some photos from Thanksgiving. Joe made me wear the hat. It gave me the opportunity to act as though I knew what I was doing. :) As usual, the family (aka the guinea pigs) acted as though I knew what I was doing as well. :) Victor was a great food tester.

We went to church today. Joe, updated the congregation on identifying a donor. And then (only half joking) asked that the congregation pray that his donor will practice moderation during the holidays...will stay away from smoking and alcohol...and will return home immediately after work each day, after moderate exercise!

Thank you to Alyssa, Ryan, and Charlotte for the sweet card. Can't wait for the opportunity to meet Charlotte one day!

Thank you to Sheena for playing with me.

Happy day.

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
~1 Peter 5:7

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Happy happy thanksgiving. :)

On Wednesday, Joe went into work. He also had his blood drawn. All of his counts dropped except for his hemoglobin. They were all lower than they have been in awhile, but Joe still feels well. We'll be going back to the doctor on Friday, December 1. The following Monday, Joe will be starting chemo round 6. We anticipate that it will be his last round of Vidaza before transplant.

Thursday was Thanksgiving of course. We had a nice family dinner, minus Albert. We always seem to miss him on Thanksgiving due to his schedule. Poor guy. At least we were able to chat on the phone, and we'll see him for Christmas. Hopefully, next Thanksgiving we'll be able to celebrate with all eight of us!

Today, Joe and I were so exhausted from the excitement of Thanksgiving, we spent the day vegetating and marinating - and playing Galaga and Tetris. Haha. :)

This year we have so much to be thankful for. Joe and I are so thankful for our families. They have been absolutely amazing. Obviously, we've always loved and appreciated them. There is no question about that. But if possible, it seems this past year, they have gone above and beyond.

Every year in the past, Joe and I have given thanks for our health. This year is a little different, but we are still thankful. Despite the shock of Joe's diagnosis and the rough summer...we're so thankful that he is able to be home. So thankful he has responded so well to chemo treatments. So thankful that his counts have remained in a reasonable range. So thankful that he has a donor.

We are so very, very, very thankful for our family and friends around the world. It has been amazing to see all of our brothers and sisters at PCC unite in prayer and support for Joe. It has been incredible to know that brothers and sisters in Philly, California, and North Carolina have united to support Joe. It is overwhelming to get posts, emails, messages, phone calls from friends and from strangers letting us know that we are loved. We don't deserve so much love, but you can bet we are so blessed by it! These past few months have not been easy, but it has been apparent from the start that God has been watching over us. All I can say, is amazing. We have learned so much, and gained so much through all of this. There is no doubt that with God continually in our hearts, we will be able to overcome any and all challenges in the months to follow.

More thanks. :)

Thank you so much to my 2nd Auntie and Uncle, and 3rd Auntie and Uncle for your generous gifts. It really touches our hearts to feel your love from miles away!!!!! Special thanks to my 3rd Auntie for writing us such a heartfelt message. We were so very touched. :)

Thank you to dear A.M. and A.D. for your sweet gift. What a lovely surprise! You have shown me nothing but love since I was a little girl. And ever since you met Joe you have embraced him as well. Thank you!

Thank you to our parents and Victor for spending Thanksgiving with us! We love spending time with you.

Thank you to Albert for calling us, even though you had to be at work. We really did miss you, and we talked about you much of the evening!!!!

Happy happy Thanksgiving birthday to my very handsome "nephew-cousin" Alex!!!!!!!! Hope you had so much fun celebrating!!!!!!

And a happy happy Thanksgiving birthday to my dear Nancy. You have been such a dear friend, and I love you for it (old lady. :) )

More thanks.

Here is Louis modeling his marathon gear! Thanks again to Louis for running with Joe in mind. You can read his race notes here.

Thank you to Connie, Anthony, and Zachary for the super sweet note. It totally made my day.

Thank you to Giant Eagle for not being too crowded two days before Thanksgiving so that my shopping trip was not too torturous. :)

And as always, praise for my super awesome husband. That boy never fails to make me smile.

Happy happy belated anniversary to dear Yi-Shan and Osamu. One whole year. YAY!!!!!!

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
~Ephesians 5:19-20

Thanksgiving...

Thanksgiving is this week, and we have much to be thankful for!!!!!

Thank you to Jeff and Neeta for having us over.
Thank you to Brian and Monica for hanging out with us.
Thank you to my mommy and daddy for hanging out with us!
Thank you to Louis and Sha for hanging out with us...and special thanks to Louis for running a marathon in Joe's name and bringing back fun souvenirs.
Thank you to Mrs. Fullmer for hosting a get together for the girls.
Thank you to Crystal, Jomei, Julie, Kelly, Sha, and Vivian for the laughs and entertainment.
Thanks to Angela for baking yummy cookies for the girls!
Thanks to Eric for hosting a get together.
Thanks to Tim for the yummy stew and Patrick for the yummy brownies.
Thanks to Kenny for the Steelers yearbook!
Thanks to the Steelers for WINNING this past weekend.
Thanks to Uncle and Auntie Huang for the yummy cookies.
Thanks to my 3rd Auntie and Uncle, and Yi-Ting for the card!
Thank you to my Cousin Yi-Shan for spreading awareness, and for her friend who donated cord blood.
Thank you to everyone who has been rejoicing with us because we have decided on a donor for Joe!!!!!!

And there's more!!!!!

My dear A.M. aka my Cambridge Street mom (even though she's not on Cambridge street anymore. :) ) celebrated her birthday on Friday!!!!! Happy birthday. :)

Kian turned two on Saturday. Boy is he good lookin'! He is going to such a heart breaker! Happy birthday. :)

Yesterday it was the birthday of Chris. As in awesome brother to Sarah, Josh, and Rachel. Happy birthday Christopher!

Today, my best friend from high school, Jennifer, turns 30. Happy happy birthday. :)

And, it is also the birthday of Baby Livi's daddy. Happy birthday, James. We pray for your family every day.

Joe continues to do well. We are so thankful that we'll be able to celebrate Thanksgiving with our family this year. (But we'll miss you Albert!) We have so much to be thankful for and so much to celebrate.

Come, let us sing for joy unto the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.
~Psalm 95:2

It's a Girl!!!!!!

Today we received news regarding Joe's tranplant. As you may recall, four people agreed to have additional tests to see if they were a match for Joe. Two of them returned with the same results as our first possible donor. One minor mismatch. Turns out that one spot is a weird one! One individual did match in that area...but mismatched in three other areas. Well, with God in control one minor mismatch is as good as perfect - perhaps even better. Our doctor agrees. Apparently, the mismatch shouldn't pose any problems.

So we now have THREE possible donors. Two females...one in her early 20s, one in her mid 30s, and one male in his late 30s. After a chat with the doctor, it was decided that having a younger donor would be the best. So our first choice is the girl in her early 20s. Transplant would take place in mid-January, so that we can enjoy the holidays! This means, that as long as all goes as planned, next year, my husband will have xx and xy chromosomes. Funny, huh? Furthermore, his blood type will change. He'll be going from O+ to A+. Wonder if he'll start having interesting personality changes too! :)

So praise God, praise God. We didn't get our perfect match, but that won't stop us from moving forward! I think it is just a relief to not be waiting, waiting, waiting anymore. Yes, the idea of transplant is scary. No, it will not be fun or easy. Yet with all the conversations Joe and I have had, and with all the support and love we have from all over the world, and with great doctors and nurses, and God on our side, I'm confident all will be fine. We can do it!!!!!!!!

***

Thank you so much to Sha for the yummy and healthy pumpkin muffins!!!! They were great. :)

Thank you to Graystone Church and Peggy for your continued prayers and messages.

A very HAPPY HAPPY birthday on the 16th to my beautiful cousin Yi-Shan. (Isn't she so pretty? Oh...but she is very happily married. :) ) She has been so great about SPREADING the WORD about MDS and registering to be a donor. I love her for that, and she had better come visit me soon, because I miss her.

Round 5 - Complete

Joe has completed his 5th round of chemo!!!! He is more sore than usual, but that didn't keep him from putting in a few half days of work. Joe's counts are looking good, so continued praise for that!

On Thursday evening, Joe had the opportunity to spend time with Mammen. It was a great time for them hang out with out the annoyance of nagging girls...ok, ok. Without the nuisance of annoying ME! :)

Friday night we went to fellowship. This morning, we got to spend time with Joe's parents. They even brought over some yummies!

That's about it. On to prayer requests and praises!

***
Please pray for Baby Livi and family. They have been stuck in the hospital, because poor Livi got the flu. She is doing
better now, but she won't be discharged until she is off of oxygen for 24 hours. That hasn't quite happened yet.

Pray for Amy and family. Amy was diagnosed with AML around the same time Joe was diagnosed. Her journey has been rough, but she has such strength, and so much faith. Monday is her "Day Zero." She'll be going through a PBSC transplant, with her brother as her perfect match.

***
PRAISES!!!!!

Christine received news (As of Nov. 6) that she will be able to go HOME! She is the girl who had the risky partial-match transplant. She was on hospital grounds for 134 days at the time of her last update. I hope she is home now!

Thank you to Mammen for treating Joe to dinner! It was fun for him to get out of the house.

Marcus celebrated a birthday on Friday. HAPPY belated birthday!!!!!!!

And...the 12th is another SUPER SPECIAL day!!!!!! It is my In-loves' (I've discovered that sounds much better than In-laws....) anniversary! Such a beautiful couple. Happy happy anniversary Mamma and Dad!

And, a very HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my MOMMY!!!!!! She's turning...uhm...39. :)

My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long. But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.
~Psalm 71:8,14

Over the hump of Round 5

My Joseph is well into round 5, and he is again doing as well as can be expected. He's expecting the usual soreness and nausea, but as usual he's being a trooper. Joe's counts are all up a little this week, which is a good sign that the chemo is still working as it should.

The two of us are both more emotional lately than usual. The reality of what is and what is to come will just hit us individually at random moments. Fortunately, we're able to discuss all of our feelings openly which helps so very much.

No word yet on the four people who have gone for further testing. It doesn't look like we'll be getting any other people to test though. It sounds like several other potentials contacted declined to move forward for whatever reason. So after these four, we'll be moving towards transplant no matter what the results. As I've mentioned before, this is both a relief and a source of anxiety! In any case, we are strong. Joe is strong. And with the overwhelming support we have from all over, we will fight, fight, fight.

A lot of fun praises for this week!

A very HAPPY, but belated BIRTHDAY to my Big Uncle! He celebrated his birthday on Monday. Happy Birthday!

Happy 1st birthday to Gabe! Congratulations on your television debut Mr. Dinosaur! You are too cute.

And the 9th, is a very very special day. It is my cousin Yi-Ting's birthday! (Why yes...as a matter of fact, she is single. If interested, simply send your application and photo to me, my mom, or any other member of Yi-Ting's family. :) ) Yi-Ting and I have had lots of fun ever since we were young. Even though we only get to see each other every few years, when we get together, it's as if no time has passed. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, my dear cousin!!!!!!

And, the 9th is also a very special day because it is my parents' WEDDING ANNIVERSARY!!!!! (Isn't their wedding photo great?) HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MOM and DAD!!!! Thank you for being so wonderful and loving. You have been a HUGE blessing to us. If you see my parents, make sure to wish them a happy anniversary. :) (I think it's been 32 years...but don't quote me on that. :P)

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
~John 14-27

Update.

Thursday, we learned that there are four people who have agreed to additional testing to see if they are a match for Joe. Two are from Taiwan, and two are from the U.S. We're praying, praying, praying that one of them is a perfect match for Joe!

Friday, Joe had his blood drawn, and we met with the doctor. His counts are still looking good - normal, or slightly below normal. Joe's platelets went down a bit, but that seems to be the trend a week before chemo. The plan now is to wait on the four people getting further testing. We're aiming for Joe to go into transplant in 8-12 weeks. This means we have an opportunity for a relatively relaxed holiday season. Transplant will probably be around January or February. Even if we aren't able to find a perfect match, we can go with the next best option, which is a near perfect match (which we have.) The doctor is confident this would be as good as a perfect match. So that's where we stand.

Friday evening, we spent some time with our CrossRoads fellowship. We met up with them again on Saturday evening to fill shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. Our fellowship participates every year, and it's one of my favorite things to do for the holidays!

This morning, Joe and I went to church together. It's always a treat when we get to attend together. Joe looks so great now, and everyone is always so excited to see him!

***

Happy belated birthday to Bekah!!!!!!

Thank you to Juanita for baking us a cake! It's really yummy. :)

Also a shout-out to Louis who has been training for a marathon in honor of Joe. Read more about it here. And if you happen to have an itch to donate to a charity, or know someone who does, visit Louis' Team in Training page. I know he'd appreciate it. Don't do it just for Joe, or Louis though. Do it for anyone and everyone who might benefit from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
~2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Happy November!

Joe had a dentist appointment today. Now his smile is even brighter than before! His hygienist was really sweet. She has her own inspiring story, which she shared with Joe. After Joe's appointment, the hygienist actually called me back so she could share a bit with me, and give me some encouragement. I thought that was so sweet. :)

On Friday, Joe has his appointment with the doctor. I can't believe that next week will be round 5 of his chemo treatments. I imagine on Friday we'll have a better idea of what our next few months will look like. I'm not sure if this makes me relieved or anxious. Both I guess.

Here's something cute my mom passed on to me after receiving it from a missionary back home...

Daily Christian Wisdom

Being a Christian is like being a pumpkin. God lifts you up, takes you in, and washes all the dirt off of you...Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside you to shine for all the world to see.
-Unknown
***

Lot of praise and thanks today.

Praise God, because 355 registered to be donors at the drive in honor of Baby Livi. How awesome is that? Yay for everyone who attended.

Thank you to our neighbor Cathy for the really yummy pumpkin bread. Made from scratch even.

Thank you to Myra and Sheru for dinnering with us last night. It was really fun hanging out with the two of you and hearing all of your stories!

Thanks to Eddie who has been working with CLLF hold a drive in North Carolina! We miss you Eddie!

Thank you to my CrossRoad girls. It is so wonderful to have your love, support and encouragement.

***

I have info on Cammy Lee drives for November! Spread the Word!

Nov. 8
Virginia Commonwealth
College Avenue
Richmond, VA
11am-5pm

Nov. 10
Columbia University
New York, NY
11am-5pm

Nov 14-15
Virginia Tech
Williamsburg Room of Squires Student Center
Blacksburg, VA
9am-9pm ,9am-8pm

Nov 15 or 16
Stonybrook University, NY
11am-5pm
(not confirmed at this time)

Nov 26
Apex Chinese Church
Apex, NC
11am-5pm

Nov 27
Duke University
Durham, NC
11am-5pm

So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
~Isaiah 41.10

Weekend.

Joe and I attended Sha's recital at Geneva College on Saturday. I haven't been back on campus for over six years. It was neat to walk around and show Joe around. It was also neat to see the different renovations that have been done.

Sha's recital was incredible. What a treat. She introduced each piece and told us interesting bits of information that helped to enhance the performace. Sha also memorized everything. Yeah, sure, she's a pro, but it was still nothing short of amazing.

On Sunday, Joe and I had lunch with my parents. My mom stocked our fridge. After lunch, my mom and I had some mommy-daughter time at the mall. :) When we got home, Joe's parents were visiting. Joe's mom found every tiny little gap available in our already stocked fridge, and now it is stocked to overflowing. I think we're set for awhile. Praise God for moms!

The Steelers...*sigh* Joe was making fun of me, because I was being a very bad fan, and paying far more attention to my crochet than the game. In my defense, the Steelers were only scoring when I wasn't paying attention. During the moments when I'd look up and start rooting them on, they would do silly things like throw interceptions. *sigh*

That was our weekend.

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY to coke-splashin' SHEENA mareena. :)

Happy Friday

Joe had his blood drawn again today. His counts are about the same...slightly on the low side. Not too low though. Joe is still looking great and feeling great. Yay for that. :)

I helped with the harvest festival today at our church. It was a lot of fun. The kids were just too cute. So many people came over to ask about Joe and to let me know they were thinking about him and praying for him. Thank you so much for that. It really means so much to have so many people watching out for Joe.

My cousin-in-law's birthday is on the 28th. HAPPY BIRTHDAY OSAMU! Hope it's a fun one. :)

Also on Saturday is Sha's recital. :) Sha is a professor at Geneva College, and she is a wonderful pianist. You can hear her play at Geneva College, John H. White Chapel in Old Main Building from 4pm-5:15pm.

And for those in the Lancaster, PA area, there will be a Community Bone Marrow Drive "in honor of Baby Livi and thousands of children and adults like her."

Sunday, October 29th
noon-4pm
Cimbrian Offices
333 North Arch Street
Lancaster, PA 17603

Fundraising is taking place to cover the cost and it is open to everyone, so SPREAD THE WORD!!!!!!!

Stem Cell Research

Mr. Rhino really has little to do with anything. I just thought a photo of a cute rhino might spice up my post a bit! Mr. Rhino lives in the San Diego zoo, where we had the pleasure of meeting him face to face in June. San Diego doesn't bring a lot of happy memories to mind, but the zoo was quite fun.

This evening, Joe and I attended a talk given by his doctor. Basically it was a moral perspective on stem cell research. I actually found a site that sums up the main part of the talk very nicely - far better than I could anyway. So if you're curious, click to read more about the facts and myths about stem cell research. It was very eye opening and interesting. Joe and I learned a lot of things we didn't know before. Also interesting was a photo essay that presented before, during, and after shots of various patients undergoing PBSC transplants.

The really wonderful thing is that Joe and I not only learned more about stem cell research, and more about other patients who have undergone transplant - we also had the opportunity to see Joe's doctor in a different setting. It was very apparent that Joe's doctor is very passionate about his work, and cares deeply for his patients. He was humble and positive, but also very honest. Very refreshing, and very encouraging. Not only that, but it was very obvious that Joe's doctor has so much faith in God as he talked about the Lord placing him where he is today. And, he gains so much encouragement from his patients. Several of the patients mentioned also have displayed incredible faith in their journeys.

It was clear that the transplant process is not all sunshine and roses...not even close. But wow...to see and hear about the strength of these people, and to know that Joe has a doctor that will do all that he can to make sure all goes smoothly...and to know that ultimately God is in control. Well, that is just a very neat thing.

"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
~Hebrews 4:16

serious stuff. funny stuff.

Yesterday, Joe went to work, and even did some dictations! He was pretty happy with the fact that getting back into the groove didn't feel as foreign and weird as expected. Joe also had his blood drawn in the morning. All of his counts went down a bit, which seems to be a trend the second week after chemo. Joe is still feeling good, so praise God for that.

The weather is getting colder, and the search for a match will only continue for a bit longer. We have such mixed feelings about it all. On the one hand, we want to get it over with and get past this part of our life. On the other hand we are anxious because of all of the unknowns. It would be nice if we could be guaranteed that Joe will be in remission forever and we can forget the transplant. But there is no guarantee, and because Joe started with high-grade MDS, the chances for a relapse without transplant are really high. Vidaza will start to lose effectiveness eventually...and at least 5 doctors in hem-onc (that is, all the hem-onc doctors we have consulted...) have said the same thing. Joe's best chance for a cure is with a transplant. Winter seems like an awful time to have to go through this, but then again, when is a good time? One thing we're thankful for is that if all goes well, Joe gets to recover at home. From reading the stories of others going through similar things, this isn't very common yet. I know that for Joe it will mean so much to be able to step outside of the hospital every night because it will mean an evening free of doctors, nurses, IV poles, beeping, and rumbling hospital beds. We are both very optimistic that the procedure will go well, but we know it won't be easy either. Fortunately, God is in control. All we can do is give everything up to Him.

***
On a much lighter note, (laughter is the best medicine, right?) I will share a story of today (can you hear Joe protesting? :) )

I am known for losing little things like pens and tweezers and such. Joe always accuses me of squirreling away hoards of pens that will never again see the light of day. :) Joe, is known for knowing exactly where everything is at any given point.

At some point late last year, the second set of keys for my car disappeared. Because I lost a set in the woods last spring (and managed to find them again several months later!) it was assumed that I was responsible. Every so often, I would go through all of my coat pockets, all of my purses, and all of my bags in search of the keys. They didn't turn up! Meanwhile, every month, Joe would turn to me and ask, "hey, whatever happened to the other set of keys anyway?" I would respond by rolling my eyes and saying, "they'll turn up. I must have missed one of my coat pockets..." Well today, Joe came downstairs modeling his winter coat, a cool hat, and a very sheepish look. Turns out my darling, sweet, organized, and responsible husband had the keys in his coat all of this time. Grrrr... Joe looked so very sheepish, I had to give him a hug. Then I thanked him for making me look good, just this once.

Happy day. :)

I lift up my eyes to the hills -
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
~Psalm 121:1-2

Portion Control.

It has been a good week! Thursday, Joe went to work for most of the day. In the evening, we went to Uncle Charlie's house for dinner. Auntie said that Uncle Charlie prepared the whole meal by himself. It was outstanding!!!! Very impressive.

On Friday, Albert came over and we mostly just hung out and watched movies. It's always a treat when Albert comes home. Now if we could only get my brother Victor to come home more often...

Friday night, Joe and I were watching some blurb on television about eating, and portion control, and stuff like that. Well, it was mentioned that people eat less when they use smaller plates. Consistently, people put more food on big plates, and less food on small plates even though they felt like they were doing the opposite. The show also mentioned that eating slow helped with portion control. And so on and so forth, blah blah blah. SO.....on Saturday morning, Joe kindly prepared breakfast. This is what I got...half of a bun on a tiny little plate, with a tiny little fork. My husband is such a ham.














Saturday was fun. I made use of the cookbooks I received last weekend, by making a mess in the kitchen! I made devil's food cupcakes. I've never made devil's food anything before, so I wasn't aware that they would come out looking scary BLACK! I only screamed a little. haha. They were fun to make though, and unless my friends are liars, they were fun to eat too! Marcus hosted a dumpling party at his "mansion." (Yes, Marcus is living in a mansion for a year.) When we arrived, everyone was hard at work making and cooking dumplings. They were yummy, and it was a great time!!!! There are many great chefs in CrossRoads. It is a great perk to be friends with so many people who have a talent for cooking. (Not a perk for the waistline though...) I also fell in love with the kitchen in the mansion. It is huge. To give you an idea...3 sinks, plus a spigot over the stove, 2 dishwashers, 2 ovens, a big island, a little island, a couple warmers, a couple coolers. Crazy. Marcus kindly offered to let me borrow the kitchen for a week so I get take notes for my future dream house. I'm pretty sure that borrowing the kitchen for a week would require cooking for Marcus for a week. :)

Today, Joe went to church for the first time since the bone marrow drive in August. But it was the first time he attended service since...June? It's been a long time. It was great to see him there. Joe even shared some very touching thank you's. He's a great guy.

Thank you to Uncle Charlie and Auntie for treating us to a wonderful dinner! Thank you to Akiko and Joe for the super cute halloween cookies! What a sweet surprise. :) Thank you to Marcus for hosting the dumpling party, and all of the CrossRoads gang for making the dumplings and sides! Thank you to Mammen for all of the pictures and songs. We appreciate it so much. Thank you to Albert for the souvenirs from Mexico, and for hanging out with us!

Happy happy birthday Katrina. :)