DEBUT [with the kid] FESTIVAL

Greetings from Hendersonville NC! I've just finished my first festival back in the saddle - the Blue Ridge Festival with Connie Engle! What a grand time we had, and I'm in a lovely B&B nearby!

One special thing was having Ann and her mom here for their first festival experience. I got to introduce Ann to the gathered group and dedicated our performance of Sherman's Grazioso (which is a wonderful celebration of life renewed) to her. When I introduced her she received an extended standing ovation - a deeply moving way to help me express the unexpressable thanks and deep appreciation I have for her - thank you bell friends for helping me say something that I can't ever repay and have trouble even expressing...

When words fail......music speaks.....

A very special day of renewed "firsts" with bell people - some of the very best people in the world!

All the best from a content and tired.....
Tim & kid

A POST ON THE FLY.......

....hmmm - well - that might hurt the fly and could be hard to write that small.......:-D

YUP! you can tell that I'm back to it - the end of day 2 - fully back in the classroom.

Things are going pretty well - especially considering that I found out on Monday that we had TWO performances today! ONE was for the WV Secretary of State - NO PRESSURE of course!

GEEZ! is THIS welcome back?

T&K

OF MONTHS AND MIRACLES

[Apologies to those who check regularly - I had a thought that interest here was starting to fade, but I see it might not be! Don't be quiet - you're welcome to comment below!

ALSO this is a post that actually started more than a week ago - and kept growing I'll have to just post things in segments? Thanks again for keeping up! ]

OF MONTHS.....

It's been just past two months [ed. note - this is almost the 10th week! WOW] since the big surgery. I'm figuring that most of you don't live life in the days and weeks much unless you've recently had a child. The experience has been both exciting and frightening!

For those checking in for updates - the white blood cell count at last check was up to about 4.4 which is just past the range of 4-10 that Duke likes. I'm moving up slowly and they've chosen to keep med levels at the same spot as before to allow them to climb. They've removed all the antibiotics and antivirals which is both good and bad. As time goes by the system will become a bit more resilient to invading germs but I still have to be cautious in what gets in (food things) and who I'm around (lest someone sneeze on me!) The HUGE news is that, following spring break (the week after Easter) I'll be trying "back to work full time"!

I'm looking forward to getting to try my hand again at conducting a bell fest as well - very soon! It's always a "test" to see if one still 'has it" and it will be a good time for me!


......AND MIRACLES

In the season of Lent just past and Easter that comes quickly, I'm happy to reflect on miracles. Certainly and without a doubt all of your support through prayer and good thoughts have been one of the miracles for me, along with the certain miracle of the nephrectomy and transplant.

I would never minimalize this truly miraculous event that has rejuvenated and renewed life as I know it. I still sit in awe and some panic to know how far I had slipped before this surgery and medical miracle that wasn't available to my dad just 45 years ago. PKD was a certain death sentence, and I had entered that cycle in the last months of 2005.....but...

..I've had my attention drawn to things that some might consider some of the mini-events of life and look again and again at the miracles that happen BECAUSE I've had the transplant. I'm sure you're confused with this, so I'll give you some examples that have surfaced....

* a former student - very talented but going through a rough spot in life that separated him from me - came up to me to ask how things were. The opportunity to talk patched many of the rough spots we had prior to his graduation. BOY did I ever celebrate that evening.

* two friends separately mentioned to me that they had experienced a death in their current life experience. I said a few words, in a feeble attempt to console and not knowing if it would help (know you've been in those shoes). I was warmed by hearing from them that they had shared my words with the families (in two separate instances) and that both the families and they had been consoled and given heart by my attempt to console. We never know how we impact another!

Just two of the many examples that I've noticed recently! I continue to be blessed with these random occurrences!

Remember how important you are to me and to those around you!

Don't forget to post a comment (even just a HI) if you're still reading all this! I'll try to do better at keeping up with the writing!

Tim & Kid!