Over Coffee

It's been a while. I know. Maybe we can catch up the same way we might if I met you for coffee on this sunny Saturday morning.

January dragged on forever (as I have seen memed over and over) and February is doing a bit of the same. I forget how hard it is to (1) get back into a schedule after the holidays, (2) endure the never-ending gloomy weather - we've had an incredible amount of rain, and my mood suffers.

Regular season basketball ended this week with only a tournament left the last weekend of February. I could not be happier; if Camden were playing I wouldn't mind so much but since he broke his finger, he cannot play or practice . . . just be present for every minute of it. Basically, our days have revolved around basketball so that Camden can hand out water and fetch balls. He jokes about being the best assistant manager, and he's certainly an encourager (I would say cheerleader, but he might not appreciate that).

Speaking of Camden's finger, the splint finally came off about 10 days ago. He's had some physical therapy and is playing guitar again. We have one more x-ray and doctor's appointment (I hope), and he should be released with no restrictions. I didn't know how much I had missed hearing him play the guitar, but it's been lovely to have him set up in the living room playing. I don't think he realized quite how much he had missed it either, but after his first band practice this week, he said something along the lines of how it brought joy to his heart. And that brings joy to my heart!

Maybe I should have led with this (since I surely would have if we were actually sitting down for coffee), but I had a scan this week after 3 months on Letrozole. Before I arrived home (mostly because I had to stop TWICE to use the bathroom after drinking all that contrast/water mixture), Dr. C had sent a message letting me know the scan confirmed the decline in my CA125 and showed a slight tumor decrease. This is significant because going into this 3 months of Letrozole, Dr. C reiterated this drug would not kill cancer, but simply stop the growth in a best-case scenario. These scan results simply confirm yet again to Dr. C, for better or worse, my cancer simply does not behave itself in a typical ovarian cancer way. I actually haven't felt well this month and was convinced cancer had grown, so no one was more surprised than me to hear good results.

Brian is fighting a losing battle with squirrels. They are running across our roof and making themselves at home at one corner of the house. He sets traps, bought a pellet gun, bought more traps. Nothing works. He attempted climbing up on the roof - twice - only to practically hyperventilate at the height and came back down. I am not sure what the next step is, but we should figure it out soon because it feels like the squirrels will gnaw their way inside any day now.

Rory received her first Valentine flowers and candy. From a boy. While I admire his courage in proclaiming his feelings for her, I do not admire her classmates who are harassing her to be his girlfriend when she has declared over and over that they are simply friends. Middle school is hard.

Brian surprised me and the kids with lots of chocolate on Valentine's Day. Because he leaves for work at 5:30, we don't often see him in the morning so the candy was waiting at the coffee station (me) and breakfast spot (kids). We have church obligations all weekend long so no official celebrating for us although we plan to find somewhere good for lunch next week after an appointment with Dr. C. 

The flu camped out in our house during February beginning with Camden, moving to me, then Rory who had it the worst. Brian has a bad cold and cough that will not stop but no flu. I vividly remember when the kids were little and how sickness would make its way through the house. It felt like going back in time!

This second semester of tenth grade has brought many, many Spanish projects, mostly video-based which includes learning how to edit and post videos on YouTube (what does that have to do with Spanish?). If Camden isn't with the basketball team, it seems he's working on Spanish projects. Or at a party or sleepover. Tenth grade has brought a lot of social opportunities. Finding a balance is challenging. So is letting your firstborn grow up.

Goodreads tells me I've read 11 books in 2020. I'm surprised to say that 3 of them are non-fiction and the best of the bunch. I reread Just Mercy for book club and then went to see the movie after our discussion - I highly recommend both. Last week I read Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell. It was my first Gladwell book, but will not be my last. He has such a way with words and information. The final non-fiction book I read is Know My Name by Chanel Miller. The subject matter is very adult and intense, but an important read. I suggest browsing through the description and reviews before reading to make sure it's the book for you.

Super Bowl Sunday