Since we've been home

The four of us spent a few days in Austin this week, enjoying family time at the Jones house -- home of Aunt Ami, Uncle Rich and cousins Sasha and Tara. My sister Melane and her family were there, too.

We all drove to Temple on Friday to spend some time with my mom, who is still in a nursing home. We were a huge crowd -- Uncle Tim, Aunt Cheryl and cousins Sarah and Trevor joined us. My stepdad Daryl was able to take his lunch break in time to join us all in the nursing home's conference room for a post-Thanksgiving Day lunch.

Steve did well on the trip. He spent his days eating, watching movies, visiting, napping and reading. (He's almost done with my favorite novel, East of Eden.) His left-side sluggishness and instability were about the same, though this weekend they seem exaggerated. He is getting headaches again with more frequency. And hiccups have returned.

When we came home Friday night, we were thrilled to see that someone had dressed up our house with Christmas lights. Some of the Spiritual Journeymen (a men's group at our church), decorated before we came home. Cooper and Katie are so proud to have lights. Thanks, guys!

Cooper and Katie woke up Saturday with awful coughs, so we headed to pediatrician's office. They both have colds but thankfully no strep. Later we decorated the inside of the house. One of my favorite days of the year is the day we hang the stockings, pull out the annual Santa photos, rediscover favorite ornaments.

We enjoyed dinner at Jim and Betty's house Saturday night.

Steve had trouble sleeping last night, so he headed to the family room to read. Katie stumbled out at some point, and they cuddled on the sofa. Then he took her back to her room. He laid down with her for a while. When he got out of her bed, he fell. He crashed into her wooden dollhouse, cutting his mouth and bruising his side.

Now he's back in bed, just a few pages from the end of East of Eden. He's taken pain relievers for his headache and the aches from falling. We hope he's able to nap this morning.

The week ahead may give us some answers on the larger mass in his brain stem. Steve's PET scan is scheduled for 9 a.m. Monday. We don't expect results right away -- probably by the middle of the week.

He has an appointment to have the chemotherapy port placed on Wednesday morning.

We have many specific prayers today.

• That Steve's symptoms stop increasing
• That he doesn't feel pain after this early morning's fall
• That the results of the PET scan show treatment-effect growth, not growth related to new tumor activity
• That, no matter the results of the PET scan, we are able to find treatment that will reduce the size of the Damm Spot