What a Wonderful Christmas.

We are about to go out the door to see Marley and Me with my parents. It looks funny and I am looking forward to it. This has been a great day. As I have reflected on this Christmas, I am so fortunate to have a wonderful life, full of family and friends to share with. Yesterday we spent the day with Mom and Dad. We had a great time and had a delicious lunch, complete with a chicken that my sister had raised and processed herself. Yesterday evening we were at the Frady's. We had a wonderful time. Ninny turns out to be a champion bowler on their new Wii.

Heading to Rutland

I got an e-mail from my sister, Donna. It said, "I can't wait to see you. Bring your muck boots." Hmmm... Makes you wonder what she has planned for me. Muck! Yuck!

I leave here tomorrow afternoon and fly to Boston. I will be at the Heifer International Learning Center at Overlook Farm. It is a wonderful place. I am volunteering at in the Living Gifts area at the Live Nativity there. It is the last time they are doing the Nativity due to people being offended because of the religious theme. Well, Hello! It is CHRISTmas! Don't get me wrong though, I am happy to help with a very worthy cause for an upstanding and outstanding organization. I will be packing my muck boots, lots of warm socks, and work clothes to wear under my warm coat. I can't wait to see Donna. She is much too far away, but thanks to the miracle of flight, I will be there in 4 hours instead of 17. I will take lots of pictures to share.

My class has collected change and we are choosing a gift to give tomorrow. They are excited about doing someting for others at this time of year when the focus is often on getting. I am proud of their collective attitude. Go kids!

It's been 6 months

Updates:
This school year is going great.
I have hair. It's not much, but it covers my head. Some people say it is "chic". I think they are just trying to make me feel good. I am thankful for what is there.
Campbell is wrestling and doing well. He is also having a good school year.
Claire is busy in her Junior year of high school. She is doing well.
I am taking horseback riding lessons and still love it.
I feel great.

Happy Fourth

It is the 4th of July. Here in Brevard, we have quite a celebration. There are 5K and 10K races, a festival downtown with booths of all sorts, and a good fireworks display after dark. It's always hot, fun, and worth the time. Not bad for a small town in NC.

I just booked airline tickdts for Boston for the end of the month. I can't wait to go see my sister in Rutland, MA. She works there on a Heifer International Educational Farm as the livestock manager. We will be staying on the farm for a week. We will volunteer and help her get her chores done each day, so I'm packing my good ol' Muck Boots. We will also go into Boston and other places around there. I know that we are going into Vermont to the Morgan Horse Association headquarters. I haven't been to Vermont before and hear that it is beautiful. Good thing it is summer. This southern girl would be a popsicle.

Enjoy your day. I am feeling great, and can't wait to get out there and see friends, hear music, and celebrate being an American!

Spurts

I wish I could make myself be consistent about blogging. I do it in spurts. I don't know why. I have had a few things that have taken precedence. I found out that I have cancer back in February. I have been a bit preoccupied with that. I am taking chemo treatments every three weeks and will end those on the 30th of this month. The kind of cancer I have is unknown. It had already metasticised to my lymph nodes, my liver and my lung. The prognosis wasn't good, but I am responding to treatments very well, and I believe I am going to beat this thing. I believe in God and one of his names is Great Physician. I know that many, many people are praying for me, and my last CT scan showed good progress in the decrease of disease.

Here are some of the things that suck about cancer:

1. chemo for 6 hours at a time

2. my skin is a weird color

3. I get tired sometimes

4. I used to throw up alot

5. NO HAIR

Here are some of the good things that have happened because of me having cancer:

1. I don't have to shave

2. I get to take naps any time I want

3. I have started exercising and my body is getting stronger

4. I have a great hat collection

5. I have seen the truly good side of people - true compassion

6. I have a wonderful family

7. My faith has grown by leaps

I plan to fight and beat this thing no matter how long it takes. I feel great. God has blessed me.

The picture is one of me after I lost my hair. I am holding a lovely little baby who is the child of my friend Erin. She took the picture.

The stink is better.

I have gotten over my pity party and things are fine now. The air is fresh and clean and smells of citris.

It stinks!

When you have something in your mind that someone told you they were going to do and they don't follow through, it really stinks. That is the reason I am sitting here on my computer rather than doing what I thought I would be doing. It really stinks. I feel let down. I feel unimportant. I feel lonely. It really stinks! I hope that the person who let me down will know that it really stinks and do something to try to make it up. That is, if they really care.