# 74

It has been a little while since I blogged. I have been just a tad busy with the weekend activity, Sunday's are very full and we had some other things going on as well. My youngest had a school choir concert and it was scheduled during my father-in-law's birthday cookout. I didn't want him to have a concert and no one see it so I had just planned on having Allen drive me with his nice new permit, then all could stay at the cookout and just he and I would have to leave. But that would be too easy!! He forgot his permit so my oldest son had to drive us and he couldn't leave his girlfriend....or his cousin....yeah, a car load took us and it was right in the middle of the cookout. Ha! Ha! Nothing ever goes quite as planned, but I am so glad I went! I watched a Dobson video about 15-18 yrs ago on some teen topic and in it he mentioned that he always made sure that the kids knew how important they were and that they came first. I don't even remember what the video was on, but it always impacted me from that point on...to the point that as I was standing there listening to everyone tell me to just let my oldest drop him off and sing and then go pick him up and me stay there and eat with them...I just couldn't. I wanted him to know that he meant more to me than just eating with the family, and I am sooo glad I did!! I was sitting on the front row and the ladies left just the guys ensemble as they asked all the moms to come to the front of the stage. Then they serenaded all the mom's with MY GIRL. Allen sang right to me, it was such a sweet moment that I would have missed! He even had a solo that he performed perfectly! I was sooo proud and thanking God as we left that I had made the right choice. Funny thing as we were standing in the kitchen and everyone was trying to talk me into staying, the look on Al's face made me think of that video so long ago...I knew I had to go. He didn't even tell me I needed to be there because it was supposed to be a surprise...well it was! I teared up and made him hug me and when I did all the other mom's did as well. It was a great memory I will treasure!!

On the flip side I get and unexpected phone call from my mom asking what I am doing Monday and Tuesday of this past week....of course this is sounding like I might be getting a surprise visit. That is exactly what it was!! Apparently Cecil is on spring break this week and it was the perfect time to come up for a visit since we don't have anything major going on right now it was a good time for us as well! We had three wonderful days together! The weather was just perfect so we had the doors and windows open so she could see the mountains and hear the birds as we sat talking and reminiscing. It was great to share some things she forgot like her mother's handkerchief's that Grandma passed on to me. Because of chemo and my leaky eyes I use grandma's hankies every day so I got to share that with her and show her again all of the ones she left. Then I pulled out the scarves she left me. It brought back good memories for both. It was really nice to just sit and talk...ask family history questions..catching up.

The next day she took me to my treatment and got to meet my doctor and nurses. I'm thankful she can now put a face to names because they are such a godly, awesome group of ladies. I find that I pray for them and have a bond to them that almost goes beyond words. I can go in at any time and know that they are there for me and they pray for me as well. It's amazing! Now mom has seen them and can put faces to names...that's nice.

I had a chance to make some chicken and dumplin's for Cecil and mom and of course I'm all about country cookin' so I pulled out some leftover soup beans, corn bread and potato salad then added some onions and some homemade lemon pie and coconut cream pie. I think all were happy :)) It was such an enjoyable visit! They went to church with us Wednesday night and got to see where we worship. Just the location of our church is beautiful...it is high on a hill where one side looks out over rolling farm country and the other side is nothing but mountains, it is BEAUTIFUL!!!! I'm glad they got to see it.

Parting was tearful, but maybe we can make a visit to Texas and visit them ! :))

After they left, my body just couldn't fight off the sinus gunk any longer. I'm sure the the chemo treatment probably contributed to that factor and then I just couldn't leave the windows shut. So I have been totally down for the count with all this sinus gunk...it has just been crazy! But I can tell you that I am starting to look normal again. I'm so thankful! Even being able to breathe?! I was so struggling with breathing because of the excess fluid in my abdomen and to be able to breathe easier is just such a relief!! So to have my cheeks actually now convex and not concave? It makes me relieved and now I can breathe easier :))

I go in Tuesday for my next treatment and I probably won't be able to take it because my white blood cell count will more than likely be down from fighting the sinus gunk. So we'll see and say some prayers, God knows what He is doing...I'm just along for the ride. :)