for Paula

Today my heart is with my dear, long-time friend Diana, and her very large extended family, as they say their final farewells to Diana's sister Paula. Paula passed away last Tuesday after a battle with cancer such as I have never seen. In all my days, I have never known anyone to have to endure such misery and suffering as Paula had to endure over the last year and a half. To see Diana and Paula's family go above and beyond countless times to do everything possible to help Paula was touching, and humbling, and inspiring - and at times excruciating. My love and prayers have been with them every step of the way, and will continue to be. I can only imagine how much they will miss Paula - wife, mother, sister, aunt, grandma...... but of course I know they look forward to the day when everyone will be reunited again. I am grateful Paula was able to pass away peacefully, surrounded by her family, and I am relieved to my very core that she is finally, finally free from the awful misery she endured.

❤

sending love

Sending love and prayers today to my dear friend Tami. Today is Tami's first day of chemotherapy, and she's in it for the long haul. She is an extraordinary person and friend - as good as they come - and has a literal army of friends and family that would gladly step in and take her place, including me, if it meant her not having to go through this... but alas, it doesn't work that way. But even if it did, Tami would have none of that. She has the most amazing attitude about everything. She always does - and to say cancer is no exception is the truth. She's anxious to plug her nose and jump on in. And we will certainly do everything we can to help and comfort Tami in every possible way - from prayer and chocolate and music and chick flicks and laughter and shaved heads and flowers and cussing and everything in between. That's how much we love her :) And she has also been blessed with a very good prognosis, so we are gearing up for what's ahead, remaining steadfastly optimistic for the future. 

~

So in the words of Tami herself, BRING IT ON!!! ❤ ❤ ❤

Tami, Terry, Me, and Chris having a *wonderful* picnic

 near the Hollywood Bowl a few weeks ago,

before spending the evening listening to the Neville Brothers 

and the New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band :)

(thanks to Terry, for the awesome pics!)