Archive for March, 2019

Yea! Two years and counting…

March 22, 2019

Two years ago I had the unexpected and unpleasant news that I had CANCER. I had not been feeling well, I had some unexplained pain, so had seen a dr. When she told us the news, I was stunned! I try to eat healthily, exercise and other things…but still I got the diagnosis of cancer.

During a week or two after that I prayed a lot and thought about alternatives and how I wanted to pursue treatment. I remembered that the four of my siblings that were diagnosed with cancer ALL died within two years of their diagnosis. I wanted to have a different outcome…

I found a good GYN/Oncologist and after seeing her felt good about the total hysterectomy that she suggested.. My surgery was April 6, 2017. When all the tests came back that other organs were NOT affected by the cancer, my dr and Kent and I were pretty positive too. I recovered from surgery but still feel that I have less energy than I used to. Oh well!

So today it is two years since I got this diagnosis, and I am CELEBRATING, first that I am ALIVE and HEALTHY! Also celebrating that at this point my cancer is in remission! I wish I could say gone, but there re regular blood test checking for cancer cells and I have been diligent about doing those.

THOUGHTS FROM THIS JOURNEY:

I try to live each day with gratitude for that day!

I try to be kind to everyone I meet, even if they are not kind to me. Who knows what they may be dealing with?

I want those that I love to know it…experience my love for them and not ever wonder about it.

I am planning for a future and I have hope that I may live a long life.

I try to tell my husband and my loved ones that I love them very often!

I pray that, you will be aware of some of these things too and learn how to live life with gratitude for every day! There is so much to be thankful for!

Jan for the Roaming Reimers

Posted in Celebrations, Health, Overcoming Obstacles, Thoughts | 3 Comments »

My week in Phoenix

March 20, 2019

While Kent was with his parents and siblings, I decided to catch up with some friends here in Phoenix.

First I had a good visit with a couple Sharon and Geordie that were our neighbors in the RV park, where we used to live here. It was great to see them again.

The next morning I had breakfast with a dear friend whose husband died suddenly in November. Shirley is learning how to be a widow even as difficult and different as it is. I and so grateful that her grown children are so helpful to her.

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Another couple from our church in northern Phoenix that we attended 8 winters, Kathy and Don have been good friends and even supporters during these years. I was able to spend few hours with them too!

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I also stopped to see other old friends and several neighbors that we lived beside for about 5 years. We are so blessed that we have such great friends from all over.

On Sunday I went out with Shirley and several couples from our Sunday school class. These are all special friends. And when coming back to my RV house in a friends car..and we saw a stranger sitting in his car very near our house, these friends wouldn’t let me out until we had called the security guard for the church and after the car left. I felt loved and safer with my friends knowing that this guy was now gone.

Kent gets home tomorrow and we will be on the road going north.

Posted in Friends, God changed our plans, Gratitude, Seeing old friends | Leave a Comment »

Kent has an unexpected trip

March 15, 2019

A few days ago, we got a call that Kent’s father was in the hospital with pneumonia and a c.diff infection. Dad is 97 and has had a hard winter. Mom who is 94 also has been in the hospital some this winter. They were both doing better and were sleeping well and then dad got pneumonia. They are still living alone although most of the winter have had “helpers” for hours during the day and or at night. Kent’s sister also has had a lot of nights sleeping at their house to be near by.

This was them when we saw them in November of this year.

So the youngest brother from Indiana decided to come for a visit. Kent’s oldest brother also was coming in March. So Kent decided to go to see them at this time too. I was so glad to send him to go and see them. Kent’s sister needs some support and with everyone there for a few days I hope that will help her.

And a recent picture of mom with her four children all together after mom had several trips to the hospital this winter.

We are planning on going to their area this summer also, but this was too many weeks out. Kent will be there for a week at this time. We are so grateful for his parents and the many good years of life they have had. God has blessed Kent’s family as they have had their parents for many years.

Love,

Jan for the Roaming Reimers

Ps. As Kent was leaving me, we had to get to Phoenix to fly out..where to leave me and the RV house… we went back to our church’s parking lot and I am living off the grid on solar power for this week! I am grateful to have safe place to stay though.

Posted in Family, God changed our plans, Gratitude, Thoughts, Travel | Leave a Comment »

More about Tucson

March 15, 2019

Since we were parked in Tucson over Christmas there were several special events that we were able to participate in as well as the activities at the church where we were parked.

Tucson has a part of the city that was planned about 50 years ago to be a friendly community. It was designed with wide avenues and nice sized lots. Plenty of communal space for family events. They even have a street named Christmas. We had seen on the internet that they hosted a month long Holiday lights festival in their community. Almost everyone decorated their house with lights and some went to a great degree. We saw some lights choreographed to music and then some smaller and plainer lights. Everything was wonderful nd it was walking or riding a bus only. Cars were not permitted so the area was filled with many families. We walked 4 miles around the streets until we were tired but it was so nice to see some nativities as well as all the fun things of Christmas. They also had booths to sell popcorn, hot chocolate and other fun stuff. It was definitely a highlight of our Christmas season.

We also saw that another local church was doing a live nativity and Christmas fair during the weekend. So on Saturday evening we went to that as well. Also a resort was having a big free Christmas festival with tree lighting, Christmas caroling, free cookies, hit chocolate and roasted chestnuts. We went for awhile and then to a church kid’s program.

Tucson is also known for several beautiful outdoor areas. One is called Sabino Canyon with many walking trails and lots of cactus. Also Picacho Peak is close by and one of the most climbed peaks in Arizona as it is very easy to get to. We did enjoy the nice weather while in Tucson and sat outside in the 65-70 degree afternoons.

When people think of the desert they often think of sand and Saguaro cactus. We do have them but also multitudes of other kinds of cacti and other dessert plants. And the dessert is sandy soil but more often rocks.

We had a great 5 weeks in Tucson and would love to return someday!

Jan for the Roaming Reimers

PS yes, this was written a long time ago…and I just found it in my draft box..so old news but a good review!

Posted in Friends | 2 Comments »

A quick trip to Southern California

March 14, 2019

We have lifetime supporters and good friends in the San Diego area! In Yuma we were parked within 3 – 3/12 hours from them. So we decided to go and see them as we haven’t for awhile.

Ross and Denise live in the San Diego area and have for a long time now. We met when we all were newlyweds and living in New Jersey. They were waiting for base housing on the base nearby and we met at a local Baptist church where we all attended. We ended up all living together for several months in a big house that was the church’s parsonage while the church didn’t have a pastor. We have been friends ever since. It is always good to see them and we enjoyed going to church with them again! They are dear friends that we enjoy!

After seeing them we went on to visit our friends the Lyall family whom we have also known for over 40 years. They live on a large orange ranch that was started by Warren’s grandfather. It has always been a joy to see how they are doing on the ranch and see, hear about new fruit and things that they are doing as well as taste some of the delicious oranges. They also grow some avocados. And the area is beautiful as well.

We got to pick some fruit from the trees and then one of their grandsons..wanted to make us some fresh orange juice…delicious!

Warren has had a specific type of leukemia and it is being contained at this time. He is on a very, very expensive medicine but they are grateful for it and for the health that he has!

We had two wonderful visits with both of these couples and we are soooo grateful to he them in our lives. It makes me appreciate every day and every friends that we have.

I pray that you have some long time friends in your loves too!

Gratefully yours,

Jan for the Roaming Reimers

Posted in Friends, Gratitude, On the road, Rest and Relaxation, Seeing old friends, Travel | Leave a Comment »

Mission conference

March 13, 2019

We moved our RV house to Phoenix a few weeks ago for a missions conference at our church. It was a wonderful and encouraging time to be with the other missionaries and the church friends too. We also got to see our dear friend, Shirley several times who is the widow of our former Sunday School leader/teacher. We were able to have dinner with our dear friends while there as well. We were kept very busy with many visits and also some counseling. We were so busy I took no pictures..

We then moved back to Yuma for the last few weeks. We went to a dentist in Mexico to get a new night guard made for me, as I wear it every night. We could get it made in one day, so stayed in the town and got a hair cut and had lunch and then picked it up. There was a very long wait to cross back int the United States, but I am glad that our borders are safe and do no mind the wait!

We have been going to one of our churches that support our WorldVenture missionaries, called Grace Bible Fellowship. It is a very different church as far as the mixture of peoples that attend. There are American Indians, blacks, poor whites, homeless, migrant workers, bikers, some Asians and even some like us Winter visitors. All these very different peoples but they get along and God has been doing some very exciting things here, last year 18 people came to know Jesus as their savior! And then Got baptized. We are so excited to see how God is using this church in the community and will use them. They have done outreaches to the street people just outside of the church, also to the migrant workers and homeless too. We have been privileged to stop at this church each winter as we move to Phoenix. It has been wonderful to see how God is working there. Kent spoke at the church one week as well.

We spent another two weeks parked in Yuma. Yuma is a very interesting town. It is more or less the salad capital of the US especially for the winter months. The grow, all kinds of lettuces, spinach, cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli and more! We often see the workers around town and Grace Bible reaches out to them in several ways.

Jan for the much Roaming Reimers

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