rise and shout the cougars are out!

Yea Mom!

we are SO proud of our mom, who has run up and down the field multiple times to earn her degree. that's right...she did it! and we couldn't be more proud. not only did she earn her degree, but she was also the valedictorian of her class! today we were able to attend a graduation ceremony held in mom's honor. there were tears shed but lots more smiles.

(by the way, doesn't she look GREAT!)

Vice President of Academics, John Tanner was there presiding over the ceremony. We were able to here wonderful messages from not only him, but also Gary Cornia Dean of The Marriott School of Business and a wonderful woman representing the Continuing Education Program (her name has slipped my mind...it's been a long day). it was an amazing ceremony, for an amazing woman.

there were so many there to support and cheer for her on this big day. thank you all for your love and support.

now off to mt. rushmore!

To floss, or not to floss: that is the question.

Hello family and friends. This is Dan (Darla's son) hopping on my mom's blog at her request to provide an update on how she is doing.

The title of this post is "To floss, or not to floss: that is the question." The point of this title is not to improve the dental hygiene of the reader, but rather, my hope is to help us all to consider what is really important in our lives and to do more to pay attention to those things.

The other day, Mom said to me something along the lines of, "You know, I guess I don't have to floss any more." Fortunately though, we both agreed that brushing would still be a good idea since many friends and family members would be coming to visit in the upcoming days. In that sentence, Mom was doing more than throwing caution to the wind in regards to her war against cavities, she was making a profound observation: It is important to evaluate our lives on occasion and make sure that the less important things in life are being set aside to allow room for that which matters most.

Now, I'm not suggesting that we all stop flossing (in fact, I'll be the first to admit, I could definitely do a better job cultivating that habit). Rather, I propose that we think about what we would do differently if we knew that we only had one month to live. How would we treat those we love if we knew that this might be the last time they see us? Would we be more kind to those we meet? Would we be less afraid to say things we've always wanted to say? Would we be more willing to share the gospel with those who are close to us? Would we take time to enjoy a sunset, a sunrise, or a sweet smelling flower? Would we chew a little slower to savor our food? Would we spend more time on our knees expressing gratitude for the simple things in life that make living so wonderful? Would we be more willing to use that dollar in our pocket to bless the life of someone in need? Would we sing our favorite songs uncomfortably loud even if we couldn't carry a tune with a wheelbarrow? Would we be less quick to anger and faster to forgive? Would we hold grudges, or would we mend wounds caused by an unnecessary cross word or an unkind deed?

At some point, we will all have one month left to live, however, most of us won't be told when that month will be. For Mom, she was informed last week that she likely has at most one month to live. A blood test revealed that her liver function has decreased dramatically and she is now showing signs of advanced liver failure. The doctor told us that Mom will likely have one to two weeks where she will be able to enjoy a somewhat normal quality of life before things begin to get worse. Needless to say, it has been a difficult few days for all of us.

Many of you may not be able to see Mom or spend much time with her during these next few weeks. Because of that, I want to let you know how wonderfully well Mom is handling this difficult situation. As you all know, Mom is an incredibly positive woman. That quality has only been amplified during the past few months. Not once have I heard "Why me?" Not once has she complained about her situation. If you really make her tell the truth, she might let you in on the fact that her stomach hurts, but she will quickly change the subject to something more fun. She is not concerned about her situation, but worries more about her family and friends she is leaving behind. She has been an example of strength and optimism.

I love you Mom and will miss you more than you'll ever know. You have taught me so much throughout my life and those lessons will be passed on to my children and all those I have the opportunity to teach. At this time, however, I am especially grateful for what you have taught me during the past couple of weeks about making room for that which is most important. Although more than 29 years have passed since I was born, no one month has made more of an impact on my life than this past month. Your example of courage, optimism, and happiness have been etched in my mind forever and I am a better man for having spent this time with you.

It is my hope that we all can treat each month as if it were our last and with the same positive attitude with which Mom has treated this month. As we do so, let us all try to recognize when it's time to throw out life's unnecessary "dental floss" and, instead, spend more time enjoying more of life's important "sweet treats."

I love you Mom!

Start Reminiscing

I have hundreds of the best friends a girl could ask for. You know I could name each one of you personally and go on and on about how grateful I am to have you in my life. Picture me standing in front of you right now looking into your eyes, talking and laughing with you about fond memories we had together. Let's reminisce, you remember all the great times we had together, you remember parties, camp outs, working the concession stands, teaching together, tutoring me, running marathons, hiking, diets, vacations, putting our houses up for sale, kayaking, sharing missionary experiences, DUP, being your teacher (when you were actually teaching me), Eagle projects, sharing baby sitting, watching palm trees grow, Office Peep, bike rides, throwing up while deep sea fishing, crying over family problems, shopping, feeding the thousands, the Four D's, burnt bridesmaid dresses, cutting class and going to the beach, business partners, dancing, watching our sons play high school basketball, girls night out, surprise birthday parties, road trips, being my cancer supporter, swimming with the sharks, late night chats on facebook, sharing in the excitement of marriages and babies, embarrassing moments, long lunches at the Cougar Eat, stays at my house, and long long talks.

Recently I got together with four wives of our law school group. Our husbands all went to law school together, so these friends go back 30 years. There were six couples but one wife wasn't able to make it to our luncheon. What wonderful and dear friends they are. I will cherish their friendship always. Thank you for a fun afternoon girls.


As far as the latest treatment goes, the doctor gave me more options. He also informed me about how toxic they are. I've decided and my kids agree they would like to see me full of energy for awhile. My concern is if I start a new chemotherapy treatment I will lose my energy and appetite again, which isn't conducive to my life style. I have several alternative treatments I have researched and for now I will attempt those. I will continue to go in to the doctor each month and get testing done, especially to see how my liver is doing and to see where the cancer count is. Thank you again for all your love and support.

You've Got a Friend In Me

Tonight one of my dearest friends sent me this picture of her son Billy. He wanted me to know, 'you've got a friend in me.' Thank you for joining Darla's team my sweet Billy.