Fun with the Family

Yesterday was a fun day for our family. The weather was unseasonably warm...even reaching almost 50! So it was perfect snowman/play outside weather. Even I joined in the fun...mostly taking pictures, keeping hoods on, replacing wet gloves, and making sure Melvin and Cameron's snowballs weren't hitting Ella or Max!

The day started out, however, with Cameron's last basketball practice of the season.

And then we hung out as a family outside. Later, Cameron FINALLY lost one of his front teeth...and this morning a 2nd one (he looks so funny!). I will be posting a picture later this week.

It was so warm out, that my husband even grilled steaks! Now how awesome is he!

Our evening had a bittersweet ending. It was my mom's last night here. She will be so missed and I can't thank her enough! But it's time for her to go back to my dad and get back to her normal life. We're trying out "normal" life here for now. It won't be easy, but it's something we need to do. My mom will be back in a heartbeat if we need her. But for now, I'm counting on God's healing powers to keep me going strong and to be able to be the mom and wife I want/need to be.

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Luke 17:11-19 (New International Version)
Ten Healed of Leprosy 11Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy[a]met him. They stood at a distance 13and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!"
14When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed.
15One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
17Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" 19Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."

A Three Hour Tour

I thought that when I stopped taking the Xeloda I'd feel better and more energized. Instead I feel the opposite....more tired and in more pain. My head and back have been hurting more, and I need to keep popping Tylenol every few hours. Not sure what that's all about, but I see my oncologist on Friday, and hopefully we'll get some answers then.

Yesterday was quite the interesting day, reminding me how kind people continue to be. Because I lost my keys when I was at McDonald's with my good friend Andrea and our kids, she ended up having to take me on a "3 hour tour" of the Twin Cities in her car. We happened to be driving as a snowstorm was starting and then eventually during rush hour. This combination, along with a few missed turns and the fact that to get my spare keys we had to go to one side of the cities to the other and back, was just insane! We were in the car with 5 kids, and yet they were actually quite good, considering the circumstances of my own 3 hour mistake.

When we were at McDonald's there was a lady there with a couple kids who offered to drive me anywhere, or bring me carseats or help out in anyway. We managed without her help, but I certainly appreciated the offer. There were workers who helped me look through the trash and checked the dumpster as well. Unfortunately, no keys appeared.

But the next day, I received a phone call from CVS. Apparently someone had found my keys, saw my CVS key card and the drug store was able to get my phone number. They called me and gave me the number of the man who had my keys. He worked at the Sprint store near the McDonalds. He told me that he found them on his windshield. Obviously, I dropped them in the parking lot...as it was snowing...and someone must have stumbled on them and put them on the windshield. Thankfully he didn't just toss them aside, and took the time to find out who they belonged to. That was so kind of him.

It turned out to be a very long and crazy day. My mom's flight was delayed, so we just stayed on the west side of town waiting for her plane to come in. I took the 3 kids to Chuck E. Cheese, and as soon as we got there, Ella wet her pants. We had to trek back out into the snow and below zero temps to find a place to buy her new clothes. And then trying to leave the rodent pizza place for a 2nd time was a disaster with Ella not wanting to leave, and me not being able to pick her up. But eventually we made it out, arrived at the airport just in time to pick up my mom, and made it home for the kids bedtime.

What a day. But without the help of my friend and a few strangers, it would have been disastrous!

When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior ... Titus 3:4-6

On the road again....a slippery one

In my blog the other day I said that I thought I was going to try driving again. But I said I'd wait until the snow and ice cleared.

Well, I drove yesterday, and because of some medical issues that kept me at the hospital unexpectantly most of the afternoon, I ended up driving home in the middle of a snowstorm!

But I made it no problem, and it feels wonderful to be able to drive again.

I have some good news with some test results, but I need to find the paper to post the correct information.

Praising God for all his goodness.

A new week

It snowed this weekend. Nothing that stuck...but it snowed. Need I say more. I should probably write some post about how fortunate I am to see the snow...but I hate cold.

Last week I had an MRI of the upper part of my spine because of some pain that I was having. The early results showed no new or further tumor growth. So the tumor at the top of my spine is still there, but it has not grown at all. My husband was really happy to hear that, so it must be good news. Praise God. Also, there was no new cancer activity detected wtih the PET scan either. So that is another praise God!

Except I'm experiencing a lot of other concerning symptoms that seemed to have popped up over the weekend, including tingling in my tongue and down into my chin. I don't know what it means, but whenever I bring up tingling to my doctors, they become very concerned. I've also been having a lot of muscle pain in my neck and arms. Again, I don't know what any of this means right now. But I'll probably be having another MRI today. I wish they could just MRI my entire body and figure everything out at once.

I'm also pretty emotional...a lot. But I'm hoping that's because I haven't been getting much rest, despite my extra Ativan and other meds.

But I think today will be better. Today will be good. Because we serve a good God, and he's working through all of this.

Oh, and I owe people SO MANY e-mail messages and cards and thank yous. I'm getting there.


Lord, even when I have trouble all around me, you will keep me alive. Psalm 138:7

Springtime in Minnesota

Beautiful Yellow Daffodils sprouting from the ground?

NO...these were cut flowers donated to patients at the cancer center.

Lovely pink roses blooming in my garden?

Of course not! Sara gave me these for my birthday.

Snow, snow and more snow?

Most definitely!

When will it end? Not this week, more snow in the forecast for Thursday!

Why people don't live in Minnesota

It's April.

It's Spring Break.

It's SNOWING.

I am not happy.

Digging Out

Snow has fallen.

I'm not sure how much, but enough to close schools 2 hours early and to cancel it tomorrow.

Enough to cancel Max & Ella's music class in the morning.

Enough for me to cancel Sara coming today (and you know it's got to be bad for me to do that).

Enough for my husband to have a quiet day on call....as no one will be going to the hospital for "emergencies" unless they are actually really having a baby.

Enough for me not to leave the house. Just the thought of driving in snow makes my stomach turn.

Enough for the boys of the house to go outside and shovel...although if you looked out there right now, so much more snow has fallen, you'd never know they had cleared the driveway.

Enough for the girls of the house to stay inside and keep warm.

I think total we're supposed to get about 18 inches. If we're really lucky, Melvin's clinic will be closed tomorrow, and he'll get to spend his birthday with us all day. Not sure if he'll consider that lucky, but we sure would.

So far, March has come in like a Lion.