A New Day

While I was at chemo yesterday, the kids were having a fun-filled day with one of Brian's friends and co-workers. In Tennessee, the first 3 years of teaching, you're only granted an apprentice license and you must have a mentor. Janelle has been Brian's friend and mentor for the last 3 years (in two different schools), and she gave Camden and Rory and very exciting day. She picked them up bright and early at 7:20, fed them sugary cereal for breakfast and even let Rory pick out just the marshmallows to eat from the Lucky Charms. They then had a long swimming session where Rory joyfully jumped off the diving board over and over. Camden managed to jump off twice, which is shocking considering his fear of water. Janelle says he knows how to swim, he just doesn't want to. Busted, buddy!! Next on the agenda was Chucky Cheese. Three words: Glutton For Punishment. They came home full of stories and had a blast!

Here's my schedule for last night. 11:30 p.m. - finally put down my book and went to bed. Woke up at 1:30 to eat a snack, wait 30 minutes and take medicine. Watched Sherlock Holmes on PBS on my iPad. Realized I was not going to go back to sleep and got up at 2:30 to browse Pinterest and Etsy. Tried to go back to bed at 3:30. No luck. Back up at 4:15 to do a little scrapping. Listened to the coffee brew at 5:00. Blogged.

As I laid in bed last night at 3 a.m. unable to sleep, things from the past several months went through my head like a slideshow. Surprisingly enough, not the bad things, but the good things. Like Andrea showing up at my door with Gigi's cupcakes the day I arrived home from the hospital; Mayme coming over early in the morning and late at night to care for my wounds; the many, many meals our church family and Brian's school family have brought to us; the overwhelming number of cards and emails and Facebook messages I've received from my friends in the adoption community and scrapping buddies. The countless number of gifts sent to us and to the kids; the gift bags that are always waiting for me the morning of each chemo treatment from Brian's school family. The four trips that Becky has made to see me - 10 hour trips for just a few days here in Tennessee; the many, many trips my mom and dad have made (9 hours one way) to help out. The times that Gram and Gramps have dropped everything to come get the kids so we could go to the hospital and the many overnight stays they've had with the kiddos. Michael and Liz who have practically lived at our house in order to chauffeur the kids around or watch them for us as needed. All the friends who have kept the kids and given them fun, fun days while I've been in the chemo room. For Jenne who writes a blog documenting her homemade ice cream adventures and when I called last night to tell her it was a fun read, she immediately volunteered to bring me ice cream and dinner next week. For the flowers and visit from Kari and Emmalyn. The chicken salad from Mayme, the gooey butter cake from Elizabeth, the fun Korean meal that arrived vial mail from Christine, the gift cards from so many people (most of whom I've never met in real life); the incredible photo session from Angela Crutcher; the amazing camera bag from Melissa and her mom; all the phone calls from my sister-in-law Jessica; hospital visits from my friend Tina; the calls on chemo days from Kathy. Honestly, I couldn't possibly list all of God's blessings on our lives from the past four months. While the bad stuff seems to take precedence sometimes, there has been so much more good than bad. And even after only 2 hours of sleep last night, I feel good. God knew I needed the reminder of all the positive in my life, and He successfully reminded me.

We're planning to take advantage of my steroid high and go to the Farmer's Market today, a quick trip to Walmart looking for $5 white flat sheets to be remade into curtains, making a few returns to Old Navy, and then going back to Dr. W's office to get my Neulasta shot (it helps keep my immune system up but comes with the price of lots of joint and bone pain; thankfully I have drugs to help with that). I am quite sure that I will crash as soon as we get home, but I plan to try to enjoy the steroid energy while it lasts.

And one positive about only 2 hours of sleep in one night is that I was finally able to scrap again! Brian's lucky I scrapped instead of indulging in some retail therapy, which I was sorely tempted to do.

Everything from The Lilypad July BYOC

Sahlin Studio Country Fair Picnic

Still lovin' on her kitten (in a slightly more appropriate way after getting scratched multiple times yesterday).