6 Things On My Mind

1.  The twins are thisclose to being out of diapers!  I knew Audie was about done, but I thought the girl was going to wear them when she graduated high school, just to spite me.  With the stroller and sippy cups in the flea market pile, I am starting to see the light.  Time to enjoy the fruits of my labor, right?  Even if one of those fruits seems a little rotten...

 

 2.  I used to be able to count on Adam being my cautious one...until the girls next door taught him to climb a tree.  He is now fearless and I'm scared.  Not as scared as I am for Anaya - I'm fully convinced she will be blessed with the first cast - but scared, nonetheless.

3.  I'm super not excited to say goodbye to a bunch of people over the next couple of months, as they leave here for other (way cool) assignments.  It's just another reminder that we're still here and have no idea when we will leave, even though we have some idea of where (and it's not way cool)...can't tell you yet, though!

4.  No matter how hard you try to do the right thing and make everyone happy, someone will always find something ridiculous to have a problem with.  So you might as well have more wine because it takes the sting out and just makes those people seem lame.  I found an awesome group of women who like to run and have wine.  So, a few weeks ago, we ran a half marathon...then had wine!

5.  I came across this picture that I took when we went to cheer on the runners of the Okinawa Marathon (they run through the base).  Audie took the Evil Dr. Porkchop with him to play with and then set it down on the curb.  We thought it looked like EDP was plotting to trip someone.

6.  I'm tired of people who take things for granted - especially time on this earth and people they are supposed to love.  Do you know what I would give for just one more day with my Dad?  One more phone call?  One more hug?  And some people squander these days away, as if they aren't numbered.  They are.  And you never know when God will choose you to join him (if you're blessed).  If you think you have time to make amends...just be prepared if you don't.  The time is now because you just don't know what tomorrow will hold. 

Fish in the Sea

 

Monday I had a doctor's appointment.  The same kind of doctor's appointment I've had every three months for the past six years (it was supposed to go to every six months at some point, but never did).  That makes this, roughly, 24 appointments of this kind.  The kind where I go to the hospital a couple of days ahead of time and give them 4 vials of blood.  The kind where the doctor reads the results of those blood tests, along with my mammogram/chest x-ray (whichever was up that time).  But Monday's appointment was a little different - especially at the end.  When the appointment was over, my doctor said to me, "Well, you're six years out and everything has looked fantastic for the whole six years.  So, I think you're done!  You'll be seen only once a year from now on, unless you discover anything new, then see us immediately.  Otherwise, you will be treated like most other 33 year old women!"  Just like that, I was thrown back into the sea.  Out of the warm little tank I have been in for the past six years - the tank with the safety net.  It is terrifying and exciting, surreal, even.  I was flooded with emotion as I left the office and got in my car.  I cried.  On one hand, I am so happy to be DONE with everything I have had to endure the past six years (although I know I'm not truly "DONE"), and I was praying to God, thanking him for bringing me through it.  But on the other hand, I am terrified of being released into the sea.  I have known that nothing could go wrong while I was being watched so closely - they were so thorough that anything would be caught super-early and I would be fine.  But now...what happens?  It's all up to me and that's scary.  But I have two things on my side: First, paranoia will send me into that office the second I feel anything.  But, more importantly, prayer will protect me and carry me through any challenge that might arise.  Romans 8:31 says If God is for us, who can ever be against us? and Exodus 14:14 says The Lord himself will fight for you, and, my favorite, Jeremiah 29:11-12 says "For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord.  "They are plans for good and not for disaster, give you a future and a hope.  In those days when you pray, I will listen."  I will pray and he will listen.  And I'm going to be that fish in the sea that cancer doesn't eat.  Like, ever.

 

Kind of related, we bought a few new fish the other day and Adam took it upon himself to name them.  First, we have Al, the algae eater (get it?  Al is short for algae...).  Then, there's Bevo (because he has orange fins), whose full title is now Bevo the Hider (because he likes to hide).  Then, we have a couple, Mr. and Mrs. Bones, because they're kinda like x-ray fish.  I'm not sure which is the Mr. and which is the Mrs...Finally, we have Mr. Little (because he's...you guessed it...little).

Won't You Join Us?

I'm doing this one last time (I think)...The race is earlier this year - Mother's Day weekend, so we don't have much time!

Join my team - race or sleep in! - or just make a donation!

http://globalrace.info-komen.org/goto/warriorsontherock

 

Last year, we raised over $2100, so this year I'm shooting for $3,000!  Help me out if you can - every dollar counts!

 

Wouldn't you love it if your kids lived in a cancer-free world?