Thursday, May 1, 2008

A need for setting privacy controls on the blog

Hi everyone.
I wasn't sure who all out there was still checking our family blog since I had slacked off for a few months there and hadn't posted anything new. I had been a little better about posting lately. My friend Keri had a bad experience with her blog where some stranger posted some unsavoury comments so she had to set privacy controls on her blog (by asking people to log in to view) and not having random access to strangers, and after I have had a stranger in Brazil comment on one of my posts I decided it is for the best if I only make the blog available to family and friends, especially since we have pictures and videos of Lochie up.

If you're here because you received the email to come and register and check out the blog, welcome or welcome back! We have had some wonderful adventures the past year with David working at Alaska Airlines which has really opened up our travel opportunities! Several trips down to see David's family in So Cal. last year and this year and we're planning another trip down in June especially to see our nieces as one is graduating high school and the other is graduating from college. Lachlan and I were fortunate enough to meet up with my Mum & Dad in Tokyo this past January, and Lochie got to experience the joys of visiting Disneyland in California in March.

Another advantage of privatizing the blog is my newfound freedom in sharing personal family information that I previously didn't feel fully comfortable sharing before. The way the blog was originally set up, anyone who knew the blog address (http://trekkingmerricks.blogspot.com - previously http://lochies.blogspot.com - archived) could look around the site - but I set it so my posts wouldn't be tagged to show up in google searches etc. With the changes blogspot has made though, I believe it changed so that anyone was able to find my site by googling a phrase I may have typed, or a funny youtube clip I may have posted. So although I apologize for the new inconvenience of logging in to view, its better for Lachlan's safety and also for me not having to censor what I write as much as I previously did (like never mentioning local place names we visited etc). So bookmark us and visit us every now and then to keep updated on what the Merricks are up to!

And for those of you who have been praying for us especially for David with his upcoming surgery, I really want to extend our thanks for your love and support! We were blessed today when we went to the pre-op appointment as the doctor assessed the cancer and thinks the scar will be smaller on his scalp (about 1 1/2 inches now opposed to about 2 1/2 inches) and he thinks David probably won't need the chemotherapy gel at all if all goes well with the surgery. His surgery date is the 15th of May so keep him and us in your prayers still! We're fortunate that there is an on-site pathologist at the Treasure Valley hospital and Dr. Rodgers will biopsy the cancer throughout the surgery to make sure he has removed all of it. We really like the doctor and feel very confident with him - David is just antsy to just have it over and done with.

I'm rounding off with a picture taken at the park on Monday. We've had the wackiest weather - gorgeous warm Spring days 70-80 degrees one day then freezing weather the next day! I don't know whether to pack away my winter wardrobe yet or not! Hope it's warm wherever you are!
~~Bianca.

1 comment:

Keri Hibbard said...

I hope all goes well tomorrow, he is definitely in our prayers!