Project 365, Week 13

Tough week for our family, even though it was filled with so many good things. I was feeling great until I woke up Wednesday with back and hip pain which made it difficult to walk. That slowed things down and put a cloud over the days and also there were so many good and wonderful things filling our week. 

March 28

My family talks math and I have no idea what they're saying. But I do love our huddles around the kitchen counter.

March 29 

TobyMac, a perennial favorite, was in concert right in Hartford. My sister and I got tickets and at the last minute my brother's family was able to make it, too. Colombo's brother had a box, which was meant for eight people, but the fried food, sugar and friends made it the hot spot. It was such a great night...good friends, good music, profound truth.

March 30

Long hours at work, but several times a day the guy who's in the office down the hall walks over to give me a hug, look me in the eyes and tell me how much he loves me. The words are extra though, because I can see it in his eyes...30+ years of love and devotion.

 

March 31

Show three of four in our subscription...Dear Evan Hansen. Next up...Hamilton!! Its been such a good way to spend the winter/spring, looking forward to and attending these shows. 

April 1

Every square inch of the church was taken over in preparation for The Passion, so we moved TBQ to our house. I love this crew and the time we have together.

April 2

This was district finals for TBQ. I was going to tough it out and drive the two hours up and back, but my partner kind of insisted that I not go and instead her husband moved his schedule around so he could drive my car filled with kids. It was the right thing for me but I was very disappointed to miss it.

Aiden got 3rd place in individual scoring and two of our teams qualified for regionals, which will be held in DC next month.

I hung out in the bathroom while my girl got ready for her first date!! Ack!

April 3

Flag football to start the day and then I laid low for the rest of the day. 

Just the Sunday before, I buzzed around doing all. the. things on my one day off for the week and then this Sunday I was basically couch-bound. Sigh.

 

Project 365, Week 12

My weak week in pictures is an indication of how busy things are. But we are managing and nearing the end.

March 21

Most nights either I'm not cooking or Aiden doesn't like what I'm serving, so he makes himself an egg and cheese sandwich. Come to find out, there is an exact correct way to do it.

March 22

After we picked Amanda up from practice, we stopped at DQ for a treat, celebrating the arrival of spring.

March 23

Spring flowers!!

March 24

Pop and Kiki invited Aiden on an important mission to find a new fishing pole.

Sarah has been working part-time at the office this season and she stays with us during that time. She's fun and easy and feels like part of the family.

March 25

Peace and Presence.

Amy took a load of kids to Fine Arts for the day. My kids didn't enter in any categories (sadly), but they went to support and hang out with their favorite people.

March 26

Youth convention! 

March 27

No picture. It was a day full of good things....I did an extra long work out, ironed, changed sheets, tended to my plants, served at church, cleaned the house, read, spent time with the kids and went to dinner with my siblings and their spouses. It was a good, heart-filling day.

Project 365, Week 11

The days are full and good. We are at the office a lot, but its not as overwhelming as its been in years past. The weather turning after a long winter is always a happy thing, too.

March 14

Just hangin' around, waiting to return D to his mom after a weekend with us.

March 15

The morning light!!

March 16

It'd been several months since Amy and I had hit the trail...it was good to be back, with our three clowns in tow (the little one not pictured).

March 17

I drove Aiden and his Chromebook from our house to his school so that he and I could sit in a classroom and have him open his Chromebook to show me what he has learned in school. A faculty member was in the room, but she's not one of his teachers. Student lead conferences they're called. Why?

Also, it was St. Patrick's Day, which always means Lucky Charms and green. I happened upon this photo, which made my heart burst. Those days!!!

March 18

It was such a beautiful day!! I stepped outside more than once to feel the warmth on my face and I found this lone crocus doing its thing.

March 19

It was a foggy morning at the barn, which I thought was so enchanting.

Aiden had a friend over, which means there were nerf bullets flying!

Show #2 of our theater subscription...Blue Man Group. Another lovely night!

March 20

Football at 7AM....

....and football in the afternoon.

 

March's 10 on 10

10 pictures on the 10th day (Thursday) of the month! 

{Document a snapshot of your life...find beauty among the ordinary things in your day!}

One of THE most beautiful two inches of snow. It stuck to the trees and the sun came out and it was gone hours later. 

The office is prettiest in the snow because it covers up all the places that still need to be fixed.

I keep two notebooks handy, one for work tasks and note and one for personal. I used to be able to maintain lists and dates in my head and now, between chemo and aging, my brain is a sieve. If it doesn't get written down, its often gone for forever.

My back pain was increased greatly by sitting so we bought a riser for my computer. To my surprise, I actually really like standing for much of my workday. If nothing else, it helps keep my perpetually messy desk clear.

I predict in my twilight years I'll be one of those ladies who talks to her plants. I brought my biggest one to sit in my office with me. I chopped off about six feet and its loving the windows.

I ran home to eat an early dinner/late lunch and check on the kids. Its not always the case, but they were mostly engaged in meaningful activities.

When I went back to the office to finish out teh evening, I was surprised and delighted to see flowers had been delivered. Word had gotten out at one of the other offices and they sent flowers to let me know they were thinking of me. So sweet. And a stunning bouquet!

Girls night at the theater!! 

I just love the story itself, but also they did a really great job...live orchestra, great leads, and such great company!

In contrast to the theater, when I got home Shaun was watching UCONN basketball in a tournament. Sports and theater, just one of the many ways we are so different, but also allow each other the space to enjoy our own things.

 

Doing Battle, Week 76 & 77 & 78

My apologies for going so long without posting. In these three weeks the delay has meant two things: 

1) I had new and different pain in my hip/leg that I was in wait-and-see mode. Eventually I begrudgingly reported it to the doctor who said, unless it kept getting worse, we could just wait until the MRI to look into it. Days later, I went for a three-mile walk and when I woke up the next morning, it was essentially gone. Such relief!

2) My life is full enough with work and kids and "normal" life, that I have chosen to not make blogging a priority, though I miss having enough margin to feel like I can sit down and write. Soon tax season will be over though, and we can shift to a more balanced way.

Currently, I'm feeling great! Most days I could be convinced that January and February were just a dream. I truly believe that those of you who have loved us and prayed for us have been the ones to do the heavy lifting of this ordeal. I've had so much peace and rest in my soul (except for some moments with the new leg pain when I thought "oh no!!" and "what the heck??").

As sure as the sun will rise

And take away the night

His mercy will not end

After having 20/20 vision his whole life, Shaun has spent the last couple years adjusting to reading glasses. It always fills my heart to see him wearing them, so grateful that we've grown this old together. What a gift!

Its stunning to be reminded of how much we're thought of and loved...cards, flowers, texts...wow!

How much do you think one 30-minute radiation treatment would cost? Though I think its ludicrous that we pay $30,000 out-of-pocket for medical insurance each year, I'm grateful for it (and we certainly get our money's worth every year!).

Spring is in the air and I breath in the luxuriousness of sitting on the porch for a few minutes, listening to the birds or a child's heart. Life is so beautiful and good and hard.