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Friday, February 15, 2013

Daniel


Life has been very chaotic for Daniel, Heidi and their small children. In the midst of going through chemo treatments, mid-terms at Cal Poly, job interviews…they have moved. I don’t think I could imagine a more stressful situation…and yet God working through all of us has provided for their needs. I can’t thank you enough for your prayers, help with moving, baby sitting, house cleaning, home repairs, painting…and meals! I owe you a debt of gratitude.  

Last week the doctor called with Daniel’s PET scan results. The tech's exact words were "there is a significant decrease in size and activity". This means the chemo treatments are working!  The doctor said he was calling this one… a VICTORY! Even though the PET scan came back clear, the doctor still wants Daniel to finish treatments. However, he did say that he most likely won't be giving him another PET scan because he was pleased enough with the progress and results. You don't want to have more PET scans than necessary because you expose your body to radioactive material that can cause damage. So for the doc to say that Dan doesn't need another was very encouraging. That means that 7 weeks from now, he'll be done!  

Please continue to hold Daniel in prayer, his risk of infection is high. He has two more months of chemo (four treatments). This June he is scheduled to graduate from Cal Poly Pomona with a degree in Mechanical Engineering!  

I love this picture of Daniel! I took it two weeks before he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, last September. He has always had a great sense of humor, spirit, energy and what I call “bounce” the ability to come back from adversity. This picture says to me… VICTORY!

With a grateful heart,
Brenda

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

An Illustrated Journey

 I’ve shared my travel journals with you (my readers) for years. You’ve become familiar with my uncontainable love of watercolor and my delight in sketching on location. I sketch anything that catches my eye… street scenes, people, open markets, cathedrals, lunch at a cafe… Each night before I go to sleep I reflect upon the day and write within the pages of my sketchbook. My adventures may be a short weekend up the coast or weeks away to a distant land. I may be with family or teaching a workshop to people I’ve met for the first time. I travel to see, experience, and explore my world…one sketch at a time. I am a sketch hunter! I have several shelves filled with these sketchbooks. They bring me a great source of joy.  Not only do I enjoy the experience of creating these books…I enjoy sharing them!

I don’t know if you are familiar with Danny Gregory’s books (Everyday Matters, An Illustrated Life, A Kiss Before You Go…).  I have followed his work for years and I admire his work greatly. A little over a year ago he asked me to be a contributor to his book “An Illustrated Journey”. Of course, I said YES!   
An Illustrated Journey captures the world through the eyes of talented artists, illustrators and designers. You'll experience the wonder of seeing familiar sights through a fresh lens but, more important, you'll be inspired to set pen to paper and capture your own vistas. The book features 40 artists and has 272 pages of sheer inspiration! Last week the book arrived at the warehouse and they have begun shipping to stores. The book will be in stores soon but you can preview and purchase on Amazon, now.
Danny thought it would be fun to introduce people to the artists in the book on a more personal level. To enhance the experience of reading the book, he has been recording video chats with the contributors and will be sharing them on YouTube and a special channel on Vimeo.  Each one is 20-60 minutes and he’ll be posting them twice a week.  Last week I did a video chat with Danny. It was great fun! I’ll let you know when my video chat is posted. You can also check Danny’s site to learn more.

Happy Sketching!
Brenda