MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! A Christmas Newsletter by Blog...

Happy Holidays!!!

I sent out some Christmas cards and e-cards this year. Oddly, this is the first year of the past three (since I've been sick) that I've felt the Christmas spirit. I actually decorated the house with much help of the kids. I made peppermint brownies for Cam and Molly's teachers and with the help of a Secret Santa, I even bought some Christmas gifts for my children. I haven't blogged since Thanksgiving, so I thought I'd do a little Christmas newsletter in my blog today.

2010 has been a year that allowed us to grow stronger both as a family and in our faith. We are closer to each other and closer to God. There have been many challenges, but we consistently see how God can bring the good out of every bad situation. And there have been so many blessings! Most of all, we continue to live in the now and focus on the journey one step at a time rather than worrying about the destination.

Our youngest, Isaac John, is now 8 years old and in 2nd grade. He is a sweet and caring little boy. He is active and fun-loving and enjoys skateboarding and biking, climbing trees, and getting dirty. He is currently homeschooling with Mom and Nate and is quite intelligent, learning how to read and do math in the setting of the real world. He spends a lot of time with our two cats, Itty Bitty Kitty and Bo Bo, because he is a real animal lover.

Nathaniel is 12 years old, and he is in 6th grade. He continues to homeschool for the rest of this year, although he plans to go to public middle school next year. He is the typical almost-teenager, listening to music and talking on his cell phone. He enjoys skateboarding more than anything and loves the local skatepark. He is also really into fashion and the skateboarder look. He is active, fun-loving, and a jokester. Recently he has been learning card tricks and doing magic shows for the entire family.

Molly is 14 years old and a freshman at Channel Islands High School. She has done a great job of adjusting to high school and received mostly A+ grades, with just a few B's. We are very proud of her. She enjoys reading, music, FaceBook and other computer activities. And she continues to be a huge help at our house. As the only girl, she has those maternal instincts and can often be found cooking, cleaning, or doing the laundry without being asked.

Cameron is almost 18 years old and a senior at Channel Island High School. He is in the Marine Science Academy at his school and his biggest interests are animals and the environment. After high school, he intends to go to Moorpark College for their Exotic Animal Management Training Program. After 2 years, he will transfer to a California state school to get his Bachelor's Degree in Animal Studies. We are sure that he will be very successful in his future endeavors. He also continues to be a huge help at home when Mom is sick.

I have learned that being a Mom is not defined by how much you can do. I now view a Mom as someone whose primary job is to love, care, and pray for her children. No matter how sick I am, I can always do those things. And I am blessed with plenty of help to do household chores, driving, and other things that I am not physically able to do. As far as the lupus goes, we are still working to get it into remission. I am currently doing 3 types of aggressive chemo -- 1 daily pill, 1 weekly shot, and an infusion of chemo + steroids every 4 months. I am on round 4 of round 8. Hopefully, we will see some improvement. If not, we may need to consider a stem cell transplant. But I choose to focus on the now, and trust God with the plan. I have had fewer hospital stays this year with the utilization of home health care nurses.

I have also been blessed this year by a new laptop that Bill gave me for my 40th Birthday. It enables me to reconnect via FB and e-mail with many childhood friends -- and it just makes my world seem bigger. I find that focusing on God and others makes my problems seem much more manageable. And with a team of 10 doctors and such supportive family and friends -- I don't need to worry about much.

Bill continues with his job at Point Mugu. Now that we are living in Oxnard, he is much closer to work and is able to take Cameron and Molly to and from school in the morning and afternoon. He is also able to stop at home during the day if help is needed, which is especially helpful since Michele is now unable to drive.

Bill also stays very busy (but in a fun way!) on the 40 acres of land we bought on Yerba Buena Rd. We spend many weekends out there, enjoying the quiet and beauty of nature. We have an RV that we can stay in while out there. So far, Bill has cleared a road using a huge Bobcat up to the site where we plan to put our house. Now it is time to work on the permits and paperwork for electricity, and a well, and all the other things we will need.

And of course, Bill stays awfully busy being Mr. Mom and Michele's primary caretaker -- which can be a challenge considering that (as some of you may know) he has his own health problems to contend with. But he does it with a very generous, kind, and loving nature...

This Christmas we are happy to be together to celebrate our Savior's birth. We take nothing for granted after several hospitalizations this year. We will be going to church this evening at Calvary Chapel in Oxnard. After a bit of searching, we have found a new church here in Oxnard that seems to fit our family. Tomorrow morning we will open gifts and have our traditional family feast. Bill is planning the traditional ham and fixings + beer-can chicken, a new recipe -- which seems fitting for our family.

We have some big plans for the year of 2011. Cameron will be graduating high school and starting college. Also, in May Bill and Michele will be celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary. We intend to have a very small vow renewal ceremony out on our land to honor the day. So, let us know if you'll be in California around May 25th. Also, in the summer, our church does baptisms in the ocean. As only Bill has been baptized by immersion, Michele and the kids are planning to be baptized in the ocean. And Bill will be able to help. How cool is that!

I think I'll end there...life is good. I am happy. Our family is abundantly blessed, and our challenges make us stronger. We love God and we thank Him for you, all of our friends and our families. We wish you joy, peace, happiness, faith, hope, and most of all love for this holiday season. We pray that you will live 2011 on purpose!!!

Happy Holidays and Best Wishes, With Much Love,
The Blands
Bill and Michele
Cameron, Molly, Nathaniel, and Isaac