Delft

As you may have noticed, I have a new looking blog page! For those of you who aren't aware, the little blue painted 'porcelin' items are a famous Dutch stoneware called "Delft's Blue" (originating in the city of Delft, Holland) An authentic piece will have a signiture on the bottom, while the screen printed knock-offs wouldn't (and they are cheaper, of course)

I collect Delft, and here are some pictures of my collection in our kitchen!

Blue everywhere!


A dutch lace fitted tablecloth that i made.



I also made the tea cozy on the wall. Yvonne made the 'checked window box' years ago



Authentic Delft


A needle point that my talented daughter-in-law Lynne made for me. Gezellig is a dutch word that has no english translation; however, the closest would be "cozy, warm, inviting"

Chemo situation

I kind of forgot to give an update after my visit to the oncologist.

Well, good news again, first of all, my blood and everything else is normal.
Secondly, I am continuing with the chemo, 1000mg twice a day. Dr. Harris is absolutely sure that I will be able to do the full two week cycle.

She insists I gain some weight, (I lost a pound). "If you don't, I'll shoot you", she said.
All my life I had to be very disciplined (eating habits and exercise) in order to stay slim. Yes, I was at one time, in my early twenties, 170lb's. Now the table is turned, my brains are totally confused!!!!!!

On May the 20th I have a CT scan, and Ted has one on the 30th. We both have blood work done on the 20th. Hey, that is our 45th anniversary! How many couples are there who have reached that?

We have had an eventful 45 years, many blessings and sorrows, but I tend to forget the last.
My life has been and still is great. God is good, can you say amen to that?

Love Trudy

Sad News from North Carolina

They found out yesterday that the baby died about one week ago. They are dealing with this as is expected. When I talked with Jennifer yesterday, (before going to the Hospital) she told me she had peace and she was able to leave it with the Lord.

But after seeing the little one so many times from so many angles on the ultrasound, it simply does feel as a great loss with many why's. Like Paul said last night, I wonder what kind of a child it would have been, a boy or a girl, character etc.

This morning Jennifer had to go back to the Hospital, and will have a D&C on next Tuesday. Why wait so long, because she has no pain nor bleeding.

Today she is dealing with it in her own way, she is very sad, the disapoinment of the sudden ending of this pregnancy. If we would know why certain things happen we would not need God, that is why we call Him GOD, He is beyond our comprehension, beyond our wisdom. We are also living in a world corrupted by the enemy. Only by trusting in God are we able to enjoy, or take advantage of the "Kingdom" living. Jesus mentions this so many times. "The Kingdom of God is like this............." A mustard seed, being born again, His Kingdom is not of this world etc.

All we can do is pray for Jennifer and Paul that they will have peace, a peace that passes all understanding. The same peace I had (and still have) when I heard the news of the cancer in my body. God has planned many blessings for them. He will see them through this, of this I am sure. Praise God for His faithfulness.

Love Trudy

Chemo Cycle Four

I had my appointment this afternoon with Dr Harris. Well.... Everything is fine, blood shows normal again, for which we are very happy. I am continuing with the chemo but at a reduced dose. She is sure I will do great with that. So I will start tomorrow morning. I will be going for a CT scan in May, as a matter of fact, Ted will have one as well. We are the only people in the clinic who are called by name. I guess, it is not often both husband and wife are cancer patients, they know us well. But the Lord is faithful and we are so thankful for our lives and are enjoying it to the fullest!

As I am writing this, Jennifer is in the Hospital for a second opinion. Paul just called. This is a Hospital in Southern Pines. That only means something if you know where that is. Well it is a town with the famous golf course where the rich go. So, needles to say, a rich town, good Hospital. We are waiting and praying for the news.

I talked to Jennifer today, and she has peace about it, she is an amazing girl. As a joke I tell her often. Jennifer if I saw a heap of girls somewhere and you were at the bottom, I'd pull you out from underneath, because you were made for Paul!

Will keep you posted

Love Trudy

News from North Carolina

This morning we got some disturbing news from Paul our son. He called from the doctors office. Jennifer who is four months pregnant was in for a checkup. The doctor did not hear a heartbeat.
She feels pregnant, is nauseated, so all around is feeling good. But this news is very difficult for them to bear.
Paul is asking for prayer for God to perform a miracle.

Because of family (down south) issues, Jennifer has been under a lot of stress the last couple of weeks.
We as a family are standing behind them and holding them up in prayer, as that is their request.

So if you feel a burden for Paul and Jennifer, even though you don't know them, please help us pray. I will keep you posted.

While you are at it, pray for me as well, I have a cold, not very good when having to take chemo. I see the oncologist tomorrow for bloodwork and will get the result of bloodwork done three weeks ago. (It takes a while for the lab to come to a conclusion.) I will also find out what Dr. Harris will do about the chemo. On the internet I read that it can only be reduced three times.
Since I am about to start my fourth cycle, could not finish the total third one, I have no idea what is going to happen.

Thank you my faithful partners in prayer, love you!

Trudy

Sweet

in 1 month, she'll be 5 years old!

Chemo cycle 3

I am done with this cycle.
I had to stop yesterday, two days away from doing my 14 days.
Tuesday I had no problems but during the night my feet started hurting so much. Also my emotions got all out of wack and I could not get warm. Yesterday was therefore not a good day. I did go to work but lasted only till about 1:oo pm, when I came home I slept practically the rest of the day. I will see the oncologist again next Thursday for a check up and blood work. She will have to reduce my dose again, so I can do the full two weeks. This is wicked stuff.

Today I am my old self again, I have been enjoying the outside. What beautiful weather we are having. We were babysitting Aila for a bit this afternoon while Yvonne and Anneka went to parent teacher meeting. Yvonne came back with very good reports. I am very proud of Anneka.



While they were away, Aila and I were on the deck and the lawn. Aila was exploring the lawn and the gravel on our driveway. The more I told her to stay on the lawn where it is safe, the more she decided it was more fun to be on the driveway walking barefoot on the gravel doing HER thing. See Oma, now what are you going to do about that!



Love Trudy

Been thinking!

This morning during my devotion I was reminded of this.

We often hear of the salvation Christ provided at Calvary when he died for our sins.
But... Little is said of His interceding before the Father's throne on our behalf. (Hebrews 7:25). This vital work of the Saviour will go on as long as we are in need of His help, comfort, and blessing.

Jesus also promised us the comfort of the Holy Spirit in John 14 to help us.

But if I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear anything. Yet the distance makes no difference."

Jesus my Lord is praying for me! Jesus is praying for you!

This reminds me of the experience I had in the hospital, please read my blog of Jan 14, 2005.
The man (angel) told me, he would be praying for me in the next room while I was being operated on. How much comfort that gave me.

Yet, all the while Jesus my Lord was interceding for me before the Father God, as I so often read in the Bible, but never allowed it to become so personal. Do we kind of overlook it?

Can you imagine how our lives will be, us having this realization every day?

Me praying for my children in partnership with Jesus!
Me praying for those around me where sometimes words can not enough describe the burden I feel.

Wow!!!! and a double Wow, Wow!!!

Trudy

Going well

I have not much to report.
No problems with the chemo yet. This is the eight day in this cycle.

Yesterday we went for our weekly outing, that is Yvonne the girls and I go to Wal-Mart and lunch at McDonald's. They so do enjoy that. They came to pick me up, but first had to come in to say hi to Opa, he complained he had not seen them for a while. So out comes the camera!

Those two girls are very happy ones. Aila sits in the cart just making faces and smiling to whoever walks by. Then of course her "Knock, Knock, who's there" game. The only thing she can say is, knock knock, the rest is her own vocabulary!

Today we are looking after our two special grandsons, Hudson and Evan, so that Ron and Lynne can go out for their 11th anniversary. Yep, Opa took these pictures. They play so well together, Lynne does a amazing job.

We are having this beautiful weather, I am certainly enjoying that!
I cleaned up the back yard last Wednesday. I collected about four bags of debris. The garbage had not been and right after I went inside they came to pick it all up including the bags I had put there last Saturday.

So, let those flowers and tulips come up, I am waiting!

Love Trudy

Update

So far I am feeling good with the chemo. All though I woke up very tired after going to the office for two days. So I am glad to be home today.

We have had a few days of rain, which is nice for the lawns.

I actually did two hours plus of heavy raking last Saturday. The weather was so nice, a bit windy. Once and a while I had to run after the bags filled with debris and leaves. But I got a lot done. The tulips are starting to come up, and every day are taller. Across the street from us, they are almost in bloom. Those tulips are on the south side against their house. I am almost jealous!

As soon as it dries up. I will have to uncover the plants and bulbs in the backyard. I always throw the fall leaves on them, supposed to be good. But in the spring it is a lot of work cleaning it up. Now everything is soaked, can't do anything about it as yet. We are going to have a nice day today apparently!

I am very thankful, I can do all the stuff I enjoy. Can you say PRAISE THE LORD!

Love Trudy

Just sharing!

As I was resting I was thinking how far I have come in my life, in my emotional and especially in my spiritual existence.

In 1967 after Paul was born I was not myself, I felt depressed, lonely, just not right, so I went to a doctor, who did not really take the time to listen to me. gave me some pills and told Ted to take me out for dinner or something. Only one problem we did not have money to go out for dinner, never mind paying for a babysitter. We had no family here. So what was I to do, the doctor gave more pills. They did not help.

Our church was having a meeting at the Salvation Harbour Light, where street people, mostly very intoxicated could come for a meal. after some preacher would slap a sermon on them! Pardon me, but that is how they must have felt! The pastor asked me to sing, that was the last thing I felt like doing. But I went, taking my autoharp with me, nicely tuned by Ted!

The pastor's message went something like this. A pilot who flies a plane can put the plane on "Autopilot" so he can relax a bit and eat and enjoy the ride. So also, we can either fly our self or make Jesus our "Autopilot" and relax and enjoy the ride!

After a message the custom is to give an invitation for anybody to come forward and accept Jesus in their lives and then are allowed to enter into rehab. Nobody came forward, but I should have. My heart and mind were touched with such encouragement. When I came home I flushed all those pills down the toilet and I set my life on "Autopilot".

Me being a young 27 year old mother to Ron then 3-1/2 and Paul six months old, and young in the Lord, my faith soared.

That is one of the reasons I wanted to minister there as a family. The Lord gave me there a new beginning. We started going when the boys were six and three. Ted would bring a message and we sang together. We did that for many years one evening a month. When Yvonne came along we took her as a baby. The ladies in the audience wanted to hold her. One such lady we called "the frizzled hair babysitter". They felt so honored to do that for us! The men just loved to help us carry our equipment down the stairs and into our truck.

See, we all have to endure the tests of time, we grow stronger and we will be more understanding.

In the future I would like to write some more about our times as the "Decock family Singers"

Love Trudy

Did you know?

On the day we call Palm Sunday the Lord Jesus presented Himself to Israel as their King when He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. Had He been riding a spirited horse, He would have looked more kingly. But Zechariah (9:9) had prophesied He would come in the humble way that He did.

Chapter 9:9
Behold, your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation,
lowly and riding on a donkey.

Why? Kings of the East rode donkeys when on errands of peace. The horse was used as a charger in war.

Trudy

Chemo Third Cycle Day 1

Yesterday I went to the cancer clinic for my three week check up.
Well, the CEA level in my blood shows NO cancer. That of course is good news. Can you say: "Praise the Lord" somebody? At least that is what we said.
When I came in a few mentioned that I look so good. One nurse said:" do you feel as good as you look?". I told her that except for the few days after I had stopped the chemo, I have been feeling excellent!

I am back on chemo with a reduced amount. I started the first cycle with 4000mg a day, second cycle, 3000mg, and now I am in the third one, 2300mg. I take 1/2 am and 1/2 pm. We'll see how that goes. I have to finish 10 cycles in total. So I am looking at September before I am done.

Now we are also having this beautiful weather, no more coats.
Who is looking forward to cleaning up your yards? It seems like a big job. I guess we'll just have to do a little at the time. I can hardly wait to sit on my deck and watch the flowers etc. I planted a lot of tulips in the fall. Hopefully they will all come out.

Yvonne and the girls and I went to our weekly Wal-mart/McDonald outing.
We arrived at McDonalds too early, they still had the breakfast menu. So we had to shop around a bit. Well.....you try to explain that to two year old Aila, she threw a fit! I mean, when she sees that big M, there is only one way, and that is IN. So when we came back at 11:00 sharp the girls were "soooooo hungry", at least that is what Anneka said. Aila just attacked that cheese burger and fries. Just as we sat down people came filing in what a line up!

Anyways, we had a good time as always. You may think, what is the big deal. Well, for me right now anything is a big deal, I am so thankfull to the Lord for extending my life, so that I can enjoy the small things in life.

In a while, I get to look after Ron and Lynne's boys Hudson four and Evan three, so that Ron and Lynne can go out on a date.

Trudy

Are you struggling?

I was reading this in the "OUR DAILY BREAD" devotional this morning.
Written by Joanie Yoder, she passed away last year, but she contributed to the devotional. I always found her very human and realistic, so I would like to share this with you.

She writes: I was in my second year of widowhood and I was struggling. Morning after morning my prayer-life consisted of one daily sigh: "Lord, I shouldn't be struggling like this!" "And why not?" His still, small voice asked me from within one morning.

Then the answer came—unrecognized pride! Somehow I had thought that a person of my spiritual maturity should be beyond such struggle. What a ridiculous thought! I had never been a widow before and needed the freedom to be a true learner—even a struggling learner.

At the same time, I was reminded of the story of a man who took home a cocoon so he could watch the emperor moth emerge. As the moth struggled to get through the tiny opening, the man enlarged it with a snip of his scissors. The moth emerged easily—but its wings were shriveled. The struggle through the narrow opening is God's way to force fluid from its body into its wings. The "merciful" snip, in reality, was cruel.

Hebrews 12 describes the Christian life as a race that involves endurance, discipline, and correction. We never get beyond the need of a holy striving against self and sin. Sometimes the struggle is exactly what we need to become what God intends us to be. By Joanie Yoder

The following portion of Bible reading I took from the translation "The Message" Hebrew chapter 12:7-17

7God is educating you; that's why you must never drop out. He's treating you as dear children. This trouble you're in isn't punishment; it's training, the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. 8Would you prefer an irresponsible God? 9We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God's training so we can truly live? 10While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God's holy best. 11At the time, discipline isn't much fun. It always feels like it's going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it's the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God.

12So don't sit around on your hands! No more dragging your feet! 13Clear the path for long-distance runners so no one will trip and fall, so no one will step in a hole and sprain an ankle. Help each other out. And run for it!

14Work at getting along with each other and with God. Otherwise you'll never get so much as a glimpse of God. 15Make sure no one gets left out of God's generosity. Keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time. 16Watch out for the Esau syndrome: trading away God's lifelong gift in order to satisfy a short-term appetite. 17You well know how Esau later regretted that impulsive act and wanted God's blessing--but by then it was too late, tears or no tears.

Have a great day!

Trudy

Chemo

Tomorrow I have an appointment with Dr. Harris, the Ongologist.
I have been asked, am I scared or worried? Nope, I am not.
I am incredibly happy, just to be alive, to be able to see my grandchildren grow up. Well, there are lots of things to be thankful for and tomorrow or there after will take care of it self.

The chemo of the last cycle is still in my system, I still feel my feet and hands. Theo has to pour the tea, aha, the handle to hot for my hands. The tips of my fingers are so smooth, if I had to go to jail, they would not be able to get good finger prints. Now that is really odd! They sometimes feel like pins sticking into them. But it beats getting sick and having to puke. I think I would not like that!

How do you people like the T shirt?

Trudy

Did you know?

That in the early 1900s, "watermen" using ox carts hauled water from the Red and the Assiniboine rivers and delivered it by barrel around Winnipeg. But sewage in the rivers rendered that supply undrinkable.

After the watermen, most of the city's water came from artisian wells, which produced unreliable polluted drinking water.

Typhoid fever outbreaks killed thousands of citizens in the early 1900s.

Even in the "Grand Hotels" along Mainstreet had toilets and ornate claw-footed bath tubs ruined by rusty stains!

In 1907 the Public Utilities hired Professor Charles Slichter from St Paul, Minnesota as an expert of the highest order, to determine which water supply was best for the city. In 1912 Slichter recommended Shoal Lake citing it as the best supply. He said: "It required no treatment and it was an enormous reservoir of clear, pure and soft water. No other cities such as Glasgow, Los Angeles or New York or any place on earth possessed such wholesome supply!"

Slichter offered the city a few options and one was the "daring" and "visionary" approach to build an aqueduct to Shoal Lake. The route being 85 miles of wilderness, muskeg, streams and rivers with no road access. A railway had to be build parallel to the route to carry workers equipment gravel and cement. Camps were set up along the way to house workers and stockpile materials.

Winnipeg voted to proceed under the direction of mayor Thomas R. Deacon.
Construction started May 15, 1915 and April 6, 1919 the first water came out of the taps in our city! The cost.....$17 million.

Shoal Lake is 300ft higher than Winnipeg, that means gravity could move the water to the city. It covers 110 square miles and contains 93 billion cubic feet of water. Winnipeg takes up to 100 millions of water per day at present. Water quality is so high that no water treatment is necessary, except for the addition of fluoride and chlorine.

The aqueduct enters Winnipeg at the Deacon reservoir at the eastern side edge of Winnipeg. It currently stores 902 million gallons (16 day supply)of water. From there to three regional reservoirs.

- McPhillips enclosed at McPhillips St and Logan Ave
- Wilkes (partly) enclosed at Wilkes Ave and Waverley St.
- MacLean enclosed on Lagimodiare Bld. and Marion St.

From there it delivers water underground to our homes.

Now, you people who take showers, together with the use of toilets are using up HALF the supply.

Why am I informing you, because I found this fascinating and....
I am the accountant for Maple Leaf Drilling Ltd.

One of our expertise are to drill water wells for people outside of the Winnipeg city limits. You like to know more what we do? Go to our web site lots of interesting information. Our site was designed by my son Ron, yes Yvonne's big brother!Go to: mapleleafdrilling.com

Trudy

T is for testimony

This weekend I made something for my Mom. A t-shirt. I thought the front would be a great conversation starter, and the back would be a statement regarding the front! It was a ton of fun.

I prayed as I made it.... this agressive feeling growing inside of me as I worked. A feeling that this was war....and we were gonna win. (And here's the t-shirt to prove it!) I laughed thinking about other NO CANCER t-shirt options like "I beat cancer, and all I got was this darn t-shirt". hee hee.

Anyway, I thought you'd enjoy seeing it.

comments

There is a new comments server now. Sorry, but all previous comments are now gone. Ah well. Comment away!!!!

Chemo

Chemo did not agree with me even with the reduced dose. During this cycle I lasted 10 days. I stopped last Monday. I was not a happy camper I'll tell you that much! I experiences several side affects.

Tuesday's I usually work, but I told Debbie I just couldn't. Since it is springbreak she had to make arrangements for her children Breanne 12 and Shane 9. Wednesday I did go felt a lot better, yet I was glad it was time to go home. By Thursday I was my own perky self.

I don't like not to be feeling good! One other thing I find somewhat difficult is having a three year old granddaughter 3000km away in North Carolina, who tells me a few times per week she misses us, better get on an airplane. Her room is already clean so we can sleep in her big bed. (She even talks to us on her play phone, isn't that a bit heart breaking?)

On top of that her mommy, our dear daughter in law Jennifer is turning 30 and giving this big party April the 9th. I actually called Northwest Airlines and almost booked a flight just to be there. Considering that an agreeable amount of Chemo I should take has not been established yet; we decided a trip will have to wait. We can talk and see each other on the web-cam, what an invention!

Aren't we having beautiful weather? I have been saying for the last few weeks that by the end of March the snow would be gone, well, a few days into April, I'd say pretty good guess!

Trudy