Pictures: 1. Keith Baker left (shaved his head) and Mark right (with full head of hair grown back after chemo), 2. Frank Sicuro left and Mark right 3. Robert Bone with tribal necklace

Christmas on December 27th We celebrated Christmas two days late or several days early if Jan 6th is the day the wisemen brought gifts and we follow suit. This particular celebration time was chosen because friends, neighbors, and family could not come help us celebrate until then. Mark enjoyed the festivities and helped with the menu, cooking, and eating. He got a Tur-duc-hen for the main course. This is a Louisiana thing which is a duck stuffed into a chicken stuffed into a turkey with dressing. There are turkey wings and legs and the breast looks like a regular turkey with nicely browned skin, but it is boneless and slices nicely. James selected ham to serve also. Charlotte and Kenneth Parkhill and children came from Chicago and Linzey and her daughter Alyssa came from San Antonio, Robert Boone came from France where he has been living and working for three years. Friend Suzie Maloney and our neighbor Keith Baker, who comes from Britain, had lunch with us and played the white elephant thing with some real valuable or interesting surprises in the packages. Charlotte's friends came by with their children so we had a yard full of children playing put put golf and croquet then a hot tub full of giggling kids. James taught the kids to play poker and staked them for 5% interest and they all got a lesson in interest as well as poker. Mark got James a Kinkey Friedman doll for Christmas among other things. He got mom some vibrating house slippers. Mark got some technology to play with. He is quite the techno wizard.
Mark's friends Frank, Bruce. and Dave came by which Mark enjoyed emensely. Dave had to go buy some vibrating house shoes like mom's. The Christmas festivities lasted from Wed. night to Friday morning and ended just about the time to begin the New Year's festivities.

Addendum on 1/1/07 Happy New Year from Mark, Mom, Steph, and James

Mark is sleeping in after going to a special upscale black and white dress New Year's eve party with his friend Dave and Dave's lady. It is a miracle that Mark was able to go to the dog races with Dave in the afternoon and a party at night...either that or just being so far out from the last chemotherapy treatment and lots of prayers and well wishes making him feel better. It is great that he can have a lot of fun adventures before going into chemo again this Friday. Mark told me yesterday to wish you all happy new year and to thank-you all for everything you do for him from prayers to cards to checking the blog and sharing the link with friends, to calls, visits, outings, and everything else. A great big thanks!

Sister Stephanie is in Japan grading papers from last semester and preparing for the new semester and another summer studying in England. She was sorely missed in Austin as she is a cheerful spirit and a darn good cook.

James is replastering and remodeling the kitchen to keep mom from throwing New Years parties. This afternoon....more football and eating black-eyed peas for luck.

Addendum 1/4/07 We are in Houston at the Best Western Reliant Stadium just off 620 South where we get a nice medical discount and free internet connection. Mark drove us down from Austin, but he will not drive back if he gets chemo. He will be too sick. We have had some rough trips down and back but this one down was the easiest. Mark told me last night that he would not complain no matter how bad if I would buy a new/used BMW. He is into BMWs.