Patrick and I got out of town for a while today. We kind of wandered some back roads and stopped by some stores. It was good to do something different even if it means tomorrow is all laundry and cleaning.
I also got my Mother’s Day gift from my kids. I’m not sure what it says about me that they send me bugs and skeletons, but it tells me that they know me well. Haha! I’m grateful for them, and I can’t wait to see them this summer.
I’m thankful that Patrick made me stick to our walking schedule tonight even though I’m extra tired today. It always feel better to get some movement in after a day at the desk. Plus it’s a bonus to see all the new blooming trees and plants throughout the neighborhood. I was excited to see my irises looking so nice this Spring and the peonies are coming in too!
The other day I stopped by a local gift shop. I was wearing a cap instead of a wig, and the woman ringing up my purchase asked if I purposely cut my hair as short as it appeared. I replied no, I was going through chemo.
It ended up that she had gone through breast cancer treatment four years ago. We talked chemo side effects; she experienced similar ones, including the fingernails starting to pull away from the nail beds. She said she ended up liking her hair short so well after it grew back that she’s kept it short ever since.
It’s a big club, those of us who have had breast cancer, and you never know when you’ll run into a member. For some reason, my interaction with this woman stuck with me this week. Our shared experiences helped normalize it, which is both helpful and kind of sad. Yet, I’m thankful for the reminders that many women have gone through this and are back to living normally again. I’ll be joining them soon.
Only 2 chemo treatments left! It was another uneventful appointment except that I was TIRED right after and still am.
Today I’m also thankful for my sister Brenda, whose birthday is today. She’s the older sister who was most likely to beat us up. But she’s also the one who would be the first to defend us if needed. She is generous, strong, beautiful and fun. She also inspired my colorful wigs.
I’m grateful for my sister. I’m thankful for one more treatment done. I’m also super happy for my friend who finished her last chemo treatment today. She has some radiation left to do and then her year gets better. Woohoo!!
I’ve been having chemo side effects the last few days, which isn’t typical. My back pain has been present and I’ve been extra tired. Today my face rash came back, and it even kind of hurt. Weird.
I’m thankful today that Chance is a wonderful sidekick. I can tell he worries about me when things don’t seem normal. He follows me everywhere and waits patiently for me while I do whatever I’m doing. He’s also an excellent listener.
My oldest daughter Brianna turned 27 today. I don’t know how I got so old. I still think of my kids as teenagers, and yet she is getting married in a couple of months. For someone who started out life so tiny and fragile, she’s become a strong, independent woman. I wrote about this years ago, but Brianna was born three months early and spend two and a half months in the NICU. She was only 3 pounds at birth.
The first time I held her was about a week after she was born, on Mother’s Day. And I spent every day of the months before she came home sitting next to her incubator and worrying. Like a mother does, I still worry about her. I worry about her happiness, her future, and her safety. The one thing I don’t worry about is the person she’s become, someone who is kind, intelligent, creative and beautiful.
It’s also my youngest sister’s birthday today. I remember as Brianna was born, it struck me that it was Jenny’s birthday. At the time, I wasn’t sure how I felt about them sharing the day. However, I can’t imagine a better person to link to my daughter. Jenny is also intelligent, funny, beautiful and giving.
So I’m thankful today for both of these women on their birthday. They have added joy to my life.
I tend to go through spurts where I feel like I need more spiritual guidance than other times. The last couple of Sundays I’ve watched church service online again and both times it’s been really good.
Last week was about not living in a place of powerlessness. We need to charge our own batteries and not stay plugged in to someone else’s faith. While the message was centered on the spiritual life, it definitely spoke to me in other areas too. Ultimately, we determine how far we go—both in our faith and in our life.
Today was about work life balance. While we should have a good work ethic and take our work seriously, we should also have a good play/rest ethic. The thing about that which stood out the most to me is that when you take a break to rest, you should be present. Really present. I know I’m not always completely “off” because I’m always thinking about what I should or could be doing next or instead of what I’m doing. Or I’m trying to do more than one thing at once. I’m not a workaholic but I’m going to try to be better about being fully present in my moments of rest.
I’m grateful for these messages that are good reminders to be purposely in charge of my life and the moments in it.
It’s May! I didn’t put any special baskets on my neighbors’ doors, but I did spend a good portion of the day amongst the flowers. I have a few planter pots that I needed some more items for. Because it was unseasonably warm today (at one point my phone said 88 degrees!), everyone seemed to have the same idea. Luckily it’s easy to avoid crowds outside.
I’m thankful to have spent so much time outside and have found some lovely plants. I think the one for the front door is my favorite. The plant stake that was a gift from my in-laws looks good in it, too!
Some days I’m just grateful that I’ve made it through the day. I’m happy it’s Friday and the weekend is supposed to be nice. I’m thankful for that.
I didn’t sleep well last night. I woke and couldn’t get back to sleep for several hours. I hate when that happens, especially when I’m extra tired after chemo. Therefore, I’m thankful to have made it through my day without being overly tired and crabby, which is how I get when I’m sleep deprived. The sunshine and warm weather helped, too. It so nice to be leaving winter behind. It really helps the mindset.
melissagratitude 