I just counted, and I have seven drafts that I have started and abandoned since my last entry--mostly because I re-read the drafts and found them utterly boring.
There's been lots of news, though I obviously feel I haven't conveyed it very well, so I'll just list some things that have been happening:
Full House
Siân, Nathan, and their boys successfully moved in at the end of October, and we've all been getting used to living in the same space. I love having my grandsons here. I love getting a warm and excited "Good morning, Nanna!" from Tyler every morning when I head downstairs. I love Nicholas's huge personality in his little body and how we've become good friends now that he's comfortable with me.
Jealous Canine
The dog is really jealous. Every time I talk to or hold Nicholas, Marmite is right there stuffing his nose into my hands to get me to pet him and pay attention to him. I've had Tyler give Marmite treats and throw his toy for him, and Marmite is slowly warming up to his competition, though he is still unsure of his new position in the pack and has been extra clingy. Marmite has always been convinced he's just another person, so this has been confusing for him. He's so much like a fuzzy, jealous toddler that it makes me laugh.
Dave, the parakeet, remains unfazed and has, instead, welcomed the addition to our flock.
New Grandchild on the Way
Siân is pregnant! After three miscarriages, she's now into her second trimester with this baby, which is exciting and hopeful. She's nauseated most of the time, and it's nice that I can help her out with the little boys when I'm at home, though she doesn't complain much about how icky she feels. Husband and I try not to insert ourselves into their family dynamic in a way that steps on Nathan's duties and privileges as a father, but we help where we can. Nathan is a great husband and father, and it's so wonderful to see our oldest daughter so happy with her little family.
Siân in due towards the end of May, which will fit in nicely with the ending of the school year, as I will be around more to help with the two older boys. At this point, we do not know the sex of the new baby, but I know he or she will be both whip smart and exceedingly cute (not that I am biased or anything).
Mutated Cancer
We just had some very bad news about my mother-in-law's ongoing battle with ovarian cancer: a new, fast-growing, chemo-resistant tumor has emerged around her intestine, which began pressing on her left kidney, facilitating a trip to the ER as the pain from a restricted ureter became excruciating. That's when MIL's oncologist found the tumor, which they originally thought was scar tissue from her recent surgery; scar tissue does not, however, triple in size over the course of a few months.
MIL now has a stent, which has relieved the pain from her kidney, but her prognosis is not good. The tumor is terminal, but MIL delivered the news in an admirably calm manner on a recent emergency family Zoom call. She will start a new, exceedingly caustic chemo drug on Monday and will have to repeat it every 28 days until either she is emotionally done with the treatments or the tumor overwhelms the treatment. It is highly unlikely that the chemo will shrink or remove the tumor, and surgery is not an option. The best they are hoping for is to slow or stop the growth at this point, and to say she has even a year left is very ambitious.
Her children were all very sad at this news, of course, but they are also supportive of whatever decision she chooses to make in order to maintain the quality of life she desires. After nearly losing her last Christmas, they have appreciated every moment of the time they've had with her over the past year. I think my SIL expressed what we all were thinking: "Mum, you need to do what's best for you. We will be okay. Don't try to be brave and strong by enduring a treatment that may be worse than the disease itself. You get to choose your quality of life, whatever that means."
Trip to England
This new prognosis led to a plan for MIL and FIL and all their children to meet up in England one last time. To this end, Husband and I just bought tickets to England for a week in January. One of my brothers-in-law booked a 15-person AirBnB somewhere in Wiltshire called Mews Cottage (so British!), and that's where we will be staying. MIL and FIL are very excited about it, though I am worried about how MIL will be feeling on such a long and arduous journey for someone in her condition. Still, she is looking forward to being able to see all of her children together for possibly the last time (even Husband's older brother will be there, the one who estranged himself from the family for a couple decades and is now talking to us again) as well as to be able to visit her sister and some close friends in England. Tomorrow, I will need to start the process of getting a new passport.
That's the bare news with a little of my commentary. It's dry, but I'm only occasionally funny in print, as you might well know, gentle reader.
