I'm finding that a tough question to answer. In one sense, she's awful - she has cancer, after all!

But when friends ask me how my mom is doing, I know they ask out of concern and because they have been praying for her. So the answer, I guess, is she's doing pretty well, all things considered. Her attitude and spirit are good. Her faith is strong. And she's back to her regular treatment schedule. Radiation treatments are physically draining, so she doesn't have much energy most of the time. She is looking forward to all of this being over and hoping and praying that after she finishes radiation treatments that the increased dose of chemotherapy won't be necessary.

As for me, I'm happy to be spending this weekend with my parents - to help lift a little of the burden of extra work from Dad and to just hang out with them. I often wish I lived closer and could help out more often, but that's not possible now. So I choose to be content with doing what I can, and I'm very thankful for Mom & Dad's wonderful friends and the support they have given.

And together we wait for the end of this stage of our lives.