Brimful of blessings

I want to start off by thanking those of you who have been touching base with me and for the gentle nudges about, "so, um, the blog doesn't have anything new on it yet, does it?" 

You're so sly. I love it.

You're right! The blog does indeed not have anything new on it. And there is old stuff that is also not yet on the blog.

So here I am. Thanks for the reminders. 

Last Thursday I had my second of six chemo treatments and my sweet Emily went with me to keep me out of trouble. 

Everything went well, I had a fabulous weekend, good energy levels for the most part with a touch of fuzziness around the edges, all food staying where it belongs, and had a good time with Grandmama visiting. We even got a girls-only breakfast out. Thank you, Mommee!

Monday night we had the honor of hosting a retirement party for one of Dada's coworkers. I heard several of them say they very much enjoyed themselves, but I had an absolute blast. It was so nice to talk with people and let the kids run around in the yard  and have "far too much food" and enjoy the sunshine in the trees. Even the bugs were minimal! The weather cooperated beautifully and nobody was tempted to stay too late as it was a work evening, so we had a perfect shindig. Thank you all who helped plan, prep, clean, and party! Thanks for blessing our home with your fun selves. We loved it.

Yesterday was Damon's birthday. Can you believe that kid is 8 already? Me neither. I love the Facebook memory feature that shows pictures of my huge stick-outy belly and the big kids as little kids kissing it. And yes, I'm aware that Carrie's birthday has come and gone and there was no blog post about that yet. Hush. I'm getting there eventually...

Did I mention when I asked what kind of cake he'd like he told me, "a minion leading a storm trooper"? 

Ohhhhhkaaaaay.

So far today I've had to kick Carrie off my laptop two or three times and it's only lunchtime. And she slept in until ten. Yesterday I had to kick Damon off of it at least three or four times. So as you can see, blogging is difficult when one has no access to her tools. Another part of the procrastination is having coherent blogging thoughts, which are much more difficult to come by once all the kids are home. Mainly because there is no quiet once all the kids are home. I hear that that is something I will miss once they all move out. Someone who has actually experienced such an event might have to let me know if that is true or not. To go to the bathroom in peace... but I digress.

Annnnnd my computer is sticky. Ewwwww.

Also, Dr. Pepper doesn't taste like Dr. Pepper when you're doing chemo. *sip sip* It tastes astringent like what I'd imagine cleaning solution would taste like. As I need the liquids anyway, bottoms up. Please ignore any belching you hear from my general area. My apologies. My mouth is just now starting to feel a little pebbly and strange again, but as I know that doesn't last forever it is easier to mentally manage. I've also been using my alcohol-free mouthwash this round but haven't started the baking soda and salt rinse again yet. Perhaps today. Fritos taste pretty much the same in case you were wondering.

After the first chemo, I had a few good days and then Immodium became my best friend. I think I already talked about that in a previous post. I find it interesting that two of the chemo drugs caution you against constipation and one of them warns about the likelihood off diarrhea; you would think you'd end up about even in the middle. My bod declares otherwise and ends up needing Immodium, though I have to say that this round has been much better thus far, and yes, I'm knocking on my wooden kitchen table as I type. All that to say thank you to those of you who are praying over such things, and I know some of you definitely are. It is greatly appreciated, even though I have no secrets, haha. Nobody wants to spend all summer in the bathroom. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Mucho! Keep it up! I have no shame. ;)

Also knowing that bone pain would be approaching this time around, I got proactive and popped some Advil this morning when my femurs started to feel sore. No point in feeling like I'm 80 when I'm not there yet. Femur is such a funny word. Nothing like when your femurs start feeling funny. Teehee. My Doc said I could do Advil as long as I did it with food and only 400mg as 800 would be too much. Since mine are only 200mg, I can happily oblige. Aleve was recommended and works well for my Dad, but Mommee can't tolerate it and I already knew Advil works well for me, so my other Doc said to just skip it and stick with what works. I like that they are willing to work with me and be flexible instead of me blindly following orders. 

I've had super incredible friends pop in to visit, take me to treatment, bring us dinner, clean our bathrooms (seriously!), go grocery shopping for us, give us blankets and candies to settle my stomach, lavish us with books, flowers, coffee mugs, and other gifts, offer to take the kids to karate, give us money for pizza; it's been amazing. My sister in law's Bible study made us 14 freezer meals. Fourteen! Then her family drove them out to deliver them and visit with us. People all over creation are praying for us. And still you ask how you can help. You all are so loving and so supportive! We are truly blessed. Every day. Your love and the ways you show God's love, grace, and mercy blow us away. How could we ever not believe that He is good!? 

Pre-holiday ponderings

I was sitting here with my back resolutely turned against the crystalline, intricately crafted ice pieces that were not so much falling from the sky as floating like dust motes caught in sunbeams while I wondered about procrastination and if it benefits or hinders. I decided both. I think it depends on the situation.

For instance, just this morning (December 7) I remembered that Home Depot has a turn-in-old-strings-of-Christmas-lights and we'll-give-you-a-coupon-towards-new-LED-lights. Apparently I should say "had", as that particular offering ended November 17.

November 17th?

That's my brother's birthday.

That's the week before Thanksgiving.

Who has their stuff out and checked and decorated and organized for Christmas the week before Thanksgiving?! And why can I never seem to be one of those people?

I am sitting here now in brilliant sunshine (and so is Triskal, at my feet) with 5 strings of half-dead (yes, only "mostly dead, which is not quite all dead") Christmas lights which now will not do me any good in my decorating needs but will also not earn me any coupons towards shiny new ones, because the powers that be decided that it'd be a good idea to run the exchange for a week and a half before the holiday that happens on the calendar before the holiday that lights are needed.

What!?

Hmm.

Maybe that doesn't even count as an example of procrastination. I didn't put off decorating. I simply did it in what I feel to be a timely fashion. That means I didn't start decorating for Christmas while the back-to-school supplies were still in the stores. I guess even that isn't accurate, since the Halloween stuff is displayed at stores at back-to-school time.

I get that planning ahead is important, but good gracious, things are getting out of hand.

I've noticed that if certain shorter people in our home leave their belongings strewn from Hither to Yon, there are times when I'll pick them up out of disgust, frustration, annoyance, a weak moment, an inspired to clean moment, or any/all of the above. In cases that like, procrastination on their part works out to their advantage. "I put it off, so Mama took care of it. I win!" I do try to not be the weak link and to make them clean up after themselves most of the time. After all, I don't want their future college roommates or spouses to hate them for leaving a swath of destruction in their wakes. I get that it builds character or empathy or something. More immediately, if their favorite pants get worn for 4 days and miss making it into the laundry basket, they won't get washed with everything else and then they won't have said pants for the next 4 days until I do laundry again. Mama wins!

Oh wait, not supposed to be about keeping score.

Right.

Obviously, procrastinating with issues like bills tends to have negative consequences. Same thing with homework. But nothing will truly be hurt if I leave disgusting dishes in the sink while I play with play doh with our youngest whirling dervish. The clean, wet towels can, on occasion, stay in the washer overnight if I forget to toss them into the dryer before bed.

Decorating for Christmas can wait until Thanksgiving is over and has been fully enjoyed, every drop of blessings squeezed out of it. 

After all, Lowe's will still recycle the Christmas lights that don't work. They just don't give coupons.