An artist's journal.
Here you'll find my paintings and musings, where the featured subjects could likely cover just about anything.
The last 4+ years I've been caring for my best buddy B during his courageous fight to live through cancer and it's complications. I'm tickled to report, he's getting better and I'm finding small bits of painting time again.

Looking forward to a daily celebration of life's gifts by using the brightest, happiest colors in the box!


Visitors looking for 'B's Journey', click here.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

"Never take time for granted, and always, everyday, let the ones you love, know it, by your actions and your words." Jenna Millward Corkill

'Lauren and the Old Piano' 2003
Acrylic on canvas
Private collection- Tucson, AZ







This is one of three paintings I entered in this month's CFAI art challenge. Two of them star our granddaughter, Lauren.
Update 3/28- The March results are in and I didn't win, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. Part of stepping outside my comfort zone this year is entering art contests and I'm doing just that. Who knows, someday, I may win one.
See all the CFAI entries submitted (including mine) here

This portrait is of three year old Lauren. She will be 16 next month, the 2nd oldest of our ten grandchildren. She is beautiful and talented young woman, who has starred in a few of my paintings. Fifteen year old Lauren is also the star of 'The Girl', a modern style portrait and another entry in the March contest. I am especially pleased that in the painting of the younger Lauren above, I was able to capture her Mom's piano and music books for posterity, as that piano is now gone and missed.

Now, on a different subject, I'm sorry to have to say, my wonderful husband, Brian, the light of my life, was told yesterday his Non-Hodgkins lymphoma has returned. 

We knew this day might come, as when they 'typed' his cancer in 2000, they told us the good news/bad news with his type of lymphoma was: 
  • Good news-it doesn't like to metastasize. 
  • Bad news-it was a persistent type that almost always comes back. 
The docs were hoping he would get 10-12 years of remission, saying that with the advances in cancer care, if/when it came back, they would have new medicines to fight it with. We got 11 years remission.

So begins another journey.

I'm not sure how much time I'll get to paint or post, but I hope I'll be able to find time to do both. I hope through this blog, to chronicle another success story for him. He has been my Superman, fighting cancer (twice) and heart disease this past decade, with courage, determination and grace. We've had three miracles and now pray for another. If any of you speak regularly with your higher power, please put in a good word for my/our Brian.

8 comments:

Shelley Smart said...

I am soooo sorry to hear about Brian's lymphoma return. Miracles happen every day. My prayers are with you both.

Jenna said...

Thanks Shelley. He is the focus of many prayers and we do believe in miracles.

cinderkeys said...

I don't put much stock in prayer, but I'll send good thoughts your way. In the meantime, I hope you find time to paint. Or make time.

Bluiedprincess said...

I just went to check and your blog and read what is going on. My prayers go out to you both. I believe in miracles. :) Lots of love and peace to you.

Violetta Smith said...

I'm so sorry to hear about your husband. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Jenna said...

Thanks everyone, for your thoughts and prayers. A quick update- we are still in the process of diagnosis. The first biopsy did not find cancer (or fungus). Docs aren't sure why, as the PET scan shows something is definitely going on. Another biopsy is in order, in case the first one missed the 'hot' tissue. So, we are living each day of this process as normally and as happily as we can, trying not to fear that which we don't know. Who knows, we could have a miracle here.

BTW, thank you Violetta, for becoming a follower of this blog.I hope to be painting again within a week or two, so my blog followers will get to see some new stuff. I can't wait.

Carol Schiff Daily Painting said...

So sorry to hear about Brian. I am praying that you received a good diagnosis and that he is doing well with the treatments.

Jenna said...

Thanks Carol. He is having lung surgery June 8th. This will be another biopsy, but more invasive. They will also do pathology while he's in the operating room to make sure the tissue they're getting is the 'hot' stuff. They told us to hope it's lymphoma, cause they can treat that. (not sure what they mean by that statement, seems counter-intuitive to hope for cancer).
I've tried to paint these last few weeks and seem to be blocked. So, I cleaned and organized my studio this weekend and plan to try again tomorrow.
Brian remains in great spirits. Me too, for the most part.
Everyone has burdens in life to carry. I look at the poor people of Joplin and am reminded, ours are much lighter than many others.

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"There are days when I feel I could've painted the Sistine Chapel and, then, there are the days when I'm not sure I could trace a stick figure.... the only difference between these days is my state of mind"~ Jenna Millward Corkill