Five on Friday (April 21, 2017)

I posted this on Facebook Easter Sunday. "Rory is in the kitchen whipping up a coffee cake. Hair in a bun, bare feet. She is wearing an apron that reaches to the floor and singing away. I can see (and hear) Brian and Camden outside the front window playing an intense father/son basketball game. Sunday afternoons aren't often this idyllic. But it's pretty sweet when they are." I like to think I was pretty good at recognizing these moments when the kids were younger, but I have failed disastrously in recent months at giving thanks for the quiet blessings. 

1. One more update regarding last week's scan results and the next 2 months. My CA125 was down again significantly (second time in a row after increasing for over a year). Because the scan is the be-all, end-all, this is only a small victory, but a victory none-the-less. I will proceed with rounds 5 and 6 before scanning again in late May/early June. Brian went with me this week, which means I had a bag-holder, coffee fetcher, door-opener partner for the day.

2. This morning I attended the middle school/high school chapel at the kid's school and was surprised by the volleyball team honoring me and several others diagnosed with cancer. What made it sweet is that Camden read scripture he had chosen to open the assembly and then he was so willing to hug me not once but twice. As a mom to a nearly 14-year old, those moments don't come around nearly as often these days. It was so thoughtful of the team to put together gift baskets.

3. Not only does Rory have a field trip today, but she is celebrating a friend's birthday with the other girls in her class after school. Doesn't get much better than that for a 4th grader!

4. Someone offered to do something incredibly kind and generous for me this week. Anytime I receive a gift, my immediate thought is how I do not deserve this, if they only knew me better they'd know I'm not worthy, etc. etc. And then it dawned on me that I have never felt that way about the gift of salvation. I don't know if this means that I am secure in Christ's love for me or if I have glossed over how rotten I am. I have spent a lot of time thinking all the deep thoughts on this, and I don't have an answer.

5. My parents are here this week for a visit, finalizing more house details. I'm so excited for them to be permanent TN residents in another 2-3 months. It's hard to imagine what that will be like - not only having my mom and dad here, but both sets of my grandparents. I'm thrilled for the kids to have this much family nearby.

What's up for the weekend? Brian and the kids will be working at Rivers and Spires while I do some resting at home. It's a busy 2 days for them, but fairly uneventful for me! Next week promises to be extra busy surrounding work, more family in town, and chemo. Of course.