Five years, four months, and eighteen days later, I'm back. I didn't expect to return to the blog, and it never even entered my mind to make another post until yesterday, but here I am.

I left off in Paris in 2019. After a few days in Paris and a few weeks in Italy (it was my first trip to Europe), I returned to China to pack and say my goodbyes. I sent Mimi back to the US via Shanghai and Frankfurt in early April. On May 18th, I boarded a flight and said farewell to my beloved home away from home for most of my adult life, China.

Once back in the US, I had foot surgery, then many other medical appointments in an attempt to get my health into better shape. My cancer treatment of 2014-2016 really knocked me for a loop, and I wasn't recovering as I was told I could expect. I ended up in the hospital the day after Christmas with pneumonia. Then I continued my lung rehabilitation for my paralyzed right diaphragm a few months later when Covid hit. It was a good thing I wasn't in China when Covid came along. If you know, you know.

I had another surgery later in 2020, and it was decided that my health wasn't strong enough to return overseas. It wasn't strong enough to do much in the US either.

I spent much of my time helping my parents, who lived next door.

In 2021, my dad was in and out of hospitals ten times. He passed away in November 2021 at the age of 88. We have the blessed assurance that he is in the presence of his savior, Jesus Christ. We sure miss him a lot though. Life is just not as sweet without him in it. You can read his obituary here. I thank God every day for letting me have him for my father. He was the best man I've ever known.

I tried to fill his shoes helping out my mom, doing the bookkeeping and taking her where she needed to go. It has sure been fun spending time with her. I wish my energy level was up to doing it all, but fatigue has made it hard to keep up with everything she and I both need to do. My mom is 87 years old right now.

My sweet dog, Mimi, turned 19 years old in January 2024. She did so well in her old age. On the night of March 17, 2024, we both spent the night on the floor, because she couldn't go anywhere else. She passed away the next morning at 4:45 a.m. and was buried in my backyard the following day. What joy that dog brought to my heart and my life! I can't imagine every having another furry friend like her.

Too much loss ... too much sadness. 

My doctors consider my medical problems too complex and overlapping to try to figure out any great solutions. Their goal is to keep me stable. I have bigger dreams though. I pray that God will renew my strength and let me live my life to the fullest. Just "getting by" is something, but God has much more in mind for a child of His.

I hope this brief synopsis of the past five years fills in a few gaps. Let me know if you read this, because I'm not advertising my return to the blog, and I'm going to assume that I'm the only one that sees this unless you let me know otherwise. I'm happy to have a place to post my photos and keep an online journal once again. 

And, if I ever disappear again, don't necessarily assume the worst. I'm glad you're here!