You never know what's gonna happen......

Last Monday evening we ended up at the Emergency Room with my son, Tyler.  He turned out to have an infection in his abdomen so we ended up staying in until Friday.  They sent him home with antibiotics.  It seems to be healing but there is a possibility of it returning.  I pray it won't.

On Saturday,we decided to continue with the planned trip with my parents to the beach. (photos below) We went to a beach in New Jersey and then headed over to 6 Flags Safari. Kids had a great time!

I managed to call my oncologist to inquire about my tumor markers. Turns out they are great which makes me very happy!

School and birthdays.....oh my!

Today Lexi, my youngest, turned 8. 

  

It was also the first day of school........

 

I also went back to work.  Unfortunately the dishwasher broke about halfway through the day so tomorrow am we have to go in to work early to wash dishes..... if it got fixed......

Back to school!

Next Monday our school starts again which means I go back to work.  It's been a short summer and I didn't get everything accomplished that I would have liked to but I got a lot of it done.  Monday is also Lexi's 8th birthday.  

This morning I had a Ovarian Cancer Awareness Table at a church clothing giveaway.  I was a little disappointed more women did not stop but I can understand why.  It's something they think they will never have to think about because it won't happen to them.  Two years ago I would have thought the same thing.  So, how do we get women interested.? I was hoping to put the symptoms in large letters all over a board would catch their attention but it didn't.  How do we spread the word to a public who thinks it won't happen to them?  I had thought about shoving symptom cards in woman's hands but I don't like to be pushy.  If anyone has any ideas, let me know! 

Rain......

For a period we had long days of no rain but this past week we've been having a lot more rain.....almost every day.  It's good because we really needed it.  Local crops were beginning to look really bad.  

Yesterday I was getting a baking pan of barbecued chicken out.  I made the mistake of using a loosely crocheted potholder and it burned through to my hand causing me to jerk the pan back causing sauce to splatter on my forearm and hand.  The whole length of my forearm (approx 6 inches long and six inches wide) has a 1st and second degree burn on it and 1st degree on my fingers.  I had some burn cream my doctor gave me last year when I burned myself on the mower, so, with the help of Norm, I was able to treat myself.  If the burn had looked worse, I'd have probably headed for the ER but I figured this I could take care of because I had the stuff to do it anyway and it wasn't as excruciatingly painful as last year. 

I've been struggling emotionally and spiritually lately.  Call it after-effects of post traumatic stress from the cancer.  It is a syndrome that others who have gone through cancer have also experienced.  I know because a dear friend has shared the same thing.  It's like for so many months you are overwhelmed with friendship and it just suddenly stops.  I don't want gifts but it's like, "Where is everybody?"  I don't want to upset anyone by that.  I know it's actually something not even related by like a phenomenon of long-term illnesses.  I guess i am just trying to sort out feelings because that is how I do that.  I write them.  Another thing is that for so many months you are depending on God to get you through and now that it's over I just keep asking myself, "Now what should I do?"  I guess I've been feeling a little lost with that.  I don't know if it's the different perspective but sometimes I just feel like I am treading water.  I've been reading through Isaiah lately but sometimes I just don't feel Him speaking.  And then I wonder what i am doing wrong or what i can do different.  Then this morning our associate pastor had a lady get up to speak and it was almost like it was answer to prayer as she spoke about the burdens we carry.  I was just so touched by what she said.  I just needed to hear what she had to say today.  

I am including below some photos

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Me

Norm and I

Nicole,16

Tyler, almost 12, and Coby, 5

Lexi, almost 8

Coby

It's almost time!

September is Ovarian cancer awareness month. Let's promote what is known as the silent killer so that others can learn the symptoms and have a better chance at surviving! Go to the link for more information....and then go out and buy your teal polish!

As August begins.......

Summer is speeding along and it won't be too long until the kids are back in school and I am back to work. I feel like there hasn't been enough time to get things done. I guess it does not help that school finished later and I was unable to do anything for three weeks due to my back. I am thankful that is mostly healed.

Nicole started band camp this morning. She will be doing that all this week and next week. It will next next Friday with a picnic and Parent Preview Show.

This will also be the month for appointments as I have scheduled a lot of doctor and dental appointments for the kids and I before school starts again. I am also looking forward to a Ladies tea as well as a business meeting.

Summer continuing.........

Monday was my last day with physical therapy. I tried returning to the gym on Tuesday avoiding two pieces of equipment and taking it easy but I could tell i was still healing and was not used to exercising. I'm trying to do my stretching exercises at least every other day so I'm completely healed by the end of August when my job starts again.

Nicole's youth group had a good trip to Kentucky. The team helped a single mom restore her trailer to a livable condition.

Our church has VBS this week. I was running the Pro Presenter Slides for the band. I learned a lot about adding new songs to the play-list. Usually that is already done for me on a Sunday morning.

I've been trying to work on raising awareness for Ovarian cancer in our town. I am trying to get a Turn the Town Teal movement going for September during Ovarian Cancer Awareness month. I have to get approval from the town council yet.

Hot summer days.....

We just ended a very long 90+ degree heat wave last week. (a lot of times over 100 degrees!) Norm got some wash lines up for me hopefully cutting down on our electric bill most of the year although I have been hanging things in the basement since February. My back is improving from Physical Therapy but it is still hard to carry a heavy load of wet laundry up the stairs, through the kitchen and down some unstable "steps" made from concrete blocks.

Lexi has started summer school and on Wednesday afternoon she goes to camp till Friday evening. She wanted to go longer. Hoping to be able to send her for a week next year.

Nicole is headed for Kentucky. They left after lunch yesterday and were stopping for the night at a church in West Virginia to sleep. This morning they will go on a mine tour and then head to their crew headquarters to get their assignment. They return on Saturday and will get in late......somehow I will have to get Nicole's clothing washed and dried and repacked for Sunday afternoon where Nicole is volunteering at the same camp Lexi will be at this week.

I am hoping to continue my library work today cataloging books, labeling and putting cards inside.

I hope you are enjoying your summer!

Psalm 100

The LORD Is God

Shout praises to the LORD, everyone on this earth. Be joyful and sing as you come in to worship the LORD! You know the LORD is God! He created us, and we belong to him; we are his people, the sheep in his pasture. Be thankful and praise the LORD as you enter his temple. The LORD is good! His love and faithfulness will last forever.

Happy Independance Day USA!

The local fire companies have had a very rough week. Last Sunday three motorcycles crashed into a van. We don't know the complete story of what happened with that yet, but five of the six motorcycle riders were killed and the sixth one severely injured. Early this morning they went to another crash involving fire..... another gruesome fatality. Please keep all firefighters, police and ambulance responders in your prayers.

Last Sunday morning we were also awakened early to a major leak under our kitchen sink. It was repaired but when we got the water loss estimate from the borough, the water lost was 7 times more than what we use in an average day. We are thankful that the borough said they were doing to credit us for some of it.

On Monday I started having lower back and leg pain. My oncologist sent me for a CT scan and a tumor marker but that came back okay so now I have to find a way to relieve the excruciating pain. I believe it's sciatica but I am almost scared to find out what I need to do to fix it. I am not up for surgery. I would like physical therapy better. We have to come up with some money to do something. It is very frustrating because I had so many things I wanted to get accomplished this summer.

Tonight we are planning to go and see some fireworks with my parents. I thought we might take a little picnic along.

I will leave you with a verse on Freedom:

John 8:36 - "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." God bless!

Send a Virtual cake to benefit Ovarian Cancer Research fund

Brighten someone's day this summer with a virtual cake. Each day you send a cake, Electrolux will donate $1 to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. And you'll be entered for a chance to win the hot new induction range from Electrolux².