The four of us packed our weekend with maximum fun by road-tripping to my sister’s town for her baby shower. Even though my body was in rough shape last week after chemo, it is important to me to do important things; we are so glad we went. It was a great time, and this baby is already so so so loved. Our family is the best. I’ve come home with a fair...

Today I started my radiation therapy. I will receive treatment every business day for the next ten days, which means I finish radiation treatment the day before the girls’ get out of school for the year. The timing has worked out — albeit with my next three weeks of May being ultra-booked. You can pray for our household: it has been an emotional month...

Tonight I laid on our bed while he folded socks. Let me tell you some stories about that sentence. Our bed. In early 2004, newly married Jen and Brad went to a furniture store and bought a mattress. We did all kinds of laying on mattresses in the showroom and reading of the fine print. We didn’t have kids yet so we didn’t even know that we should...

I am at my oncology office today, and getting ready for my chemo dose. Also on my mind is thinking about what needs to be done. It is Greta’s birthday this week and The Birthday Person in our house gets to plan the menu. Greta, bless her heart, has asked for spaghetti with marinara sauce with no meat and no chunks, and Oreo cheesecake for dessert. Even...

All of the important minds have now weighed in on my bronchoscopy from last Thursday. I’m glad I did the procedure. From the images, my team got important information about how the cancer in my lungs is affecting my airways. At this time, there are no interventions possible from the pulmonology team (stenting, excisions, etc.) which is not a great surprise....

I don’t know what you all did today, but at about six o’clock this evening I got a very important phone call from a very important five-year-old. She, in her very big and grown up five-year-old voice asked me if I would be able to come over and pull out her loose tooth. I, if you don’t already know this, am an excellent tooth puller. Clearly my...