Five on Friday (May 25, 2018)

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Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! -Psalms 34:8

1. When I got to work Monday, there were balloons, a gift card, shampoo, conditioner, and mascara waiting for me. I am already using the mascara even though my lashes are teeny tiny. Other updates as a result of 6 weeks now with no chemo - I'm back in my contacts (chemo was affecting my eyes), toenails are still falling off right and left (this is not an improvement). Fatigue is still present, of course, but so much better. The best improvement is that the cancer-related pain I have experienced since October 2016 is improving at a rapid rate. I'm continuing to have scar tissue inflammation from my old stomach port (I had it removed all the way back in July 2011).

2. My kids are a solid week and a half into summer break and I've been telling anyone who will listen how great they are. There is giggling and playing, fake fights (their current favorite), soccer competitions up in our tiny bonus room. They are sudden compadres, and I love it.

3. On Brian's last day of school, he met several other teachers at 6:00 a.m. for a little trip down the river in a kayak, which was a pretty sweet way to end the year.

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4. Our summer break is quickly filling up with nothing close to resembling vacation for the adults with 3 weeks of camp, sleepovers, VBS, church conventions in Arkansas, and library trips (my basket is currently overflowing with books off my "to read" list). Camden leaves Sunday afternoon for the high school week of church camp. I feel irrationally freaked out  nervous about this. High school? It was just last week that he was in kindergarten.

5. Camden is so funny. We spent two nights watching the 2-part American Idol finale which inspired extra guitar practice. Several rounds into NBA playoffs and he can hardly stand it that we're 5 months away from his own basketball season. While the summer heat is slowing down the evening basketball practice, he did beat his dad earlier this week. Personally, I can hardly be bothered to walk to and from the car in the heat much less play a sport.

Our weekend plans are appropriate for the first weekend of summer break - shopping for shorts, swimming suits, and other summer-related clothing, binge-watching the last 3 episodes of Survivor, dinner with friends, and ice cream. Always. Rory and I also have plans to watch the new Little Women mini-series while Camden is gone to camp.

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