Over halfway through the summer......

     A month left until school starts as my job. I will have to go in for a meeting and a day on in-service but it seems like this summer is flying by. I spent most of this month working in our church library and I almost completed cataloging the fiction section.  I brought the rest home in anticipation of working on it at home.  The box was a tad heavy.

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     Nicole starts two weeks of band camp on Monday and Lexi leaves for Girl Scout Camp on Friday.  Amid that add dental appointments and who knows what else but this month promises to move equally fast.  I am hoping to get my house cleaned.

     We pulled a good one on Lexi today. She was angry with Nicole and wished Nicole would go away and never come back. So Nicole and I made a plan. I was getting ready to go shopping. Nicole made the announcement that since Lexi wanted her to leave, she would, so she did..... all the way down the street to the ball field where I picked her up and took her along shopping 10 minutes later. Till we got home 2-3 hours later Lexi was standing by the door worried she would never see her sister again. I guess I will have to pay for her therapist when she needs one in a couple of years......

 

 

 

My daughter is a senior!

I recently took some photos of my oldest for her senior pictures. I took my youngest along and had her dress up and promised to take some photos of her as well. The photos turned out beautiful! Enjoy!

2 and one half years

Today I went to my oncologist for my 2 ½ year check-up.  He didn't do a whole lot.  I asked, "No blood-work? No CT scan?"   He said, "Nope.  None of those for you...because you see, the type of cancer you had, if it was going to recur, 90% of the time it will recur in the first two years.  You are past that mark, almost at three years and you are doing great."  It's hard to know how to feel after hearing that.  I wish I could forget I ever had cancer, but unfortunately it is something I will have to live with the rest of my life.

School has been out a week and a half and yet it seems like time is flying by and I have not gotten a thing done that I wanted to get done.  My time has been full with appointments and now a new aspect, college visits! Yikes, am I old enough to be taking my child on college visits?!!!  It has been fun, though.  I could never go to college so it is all new to me and I will have to live it vicariously through my daughter.  Last Friday we went to Moravian College and Marywood University.  It was a long day as we had to travel quite a distance and, unfortunately I had to do the driving as Norm was not able to get off work...and I do not enjoy driving!  I put Nicole in charge of keeping my mind occupied.  We had to stop every sixty to ninety minutes of road travel because my leg was throbbing.  The colleges were interesting.  We discovered while driving that if the turn signal was on too long, an alarm went off.  That majorly messed with my head till I figured out what was causing the alarm.  We had three "wrong turns" or missed turns in which I figured out instantly what was wrong and corrected myself.  Yesterday we visited Elizabethtown College in which the girl presented us with an entire carrot cake. Sold!  LOL.  We also got a free all-u-can-eat lunch and I have to say, the cheesecake was heavenly!  Nicole liked that college the best so far because there was so much to do and they offered her the course she wanted.  So far Moravian is running second.  We go on Thursday to visit Valley Forge and Immaculata.  

     We have also had many appointments.  They found a polyp in Norm's colon (which is normal) and two in his stomach which is not normal.  They were not cancerous but they wish to keep a close eye on the stomach ones.  Tyler goes back to his doctor in July for another test for a minor issue and tomorrow we are going to an Ophthalmologist for a spot on Nicole's eye that has been there since birth.  We went to the opt. for that before but it has been several years and our family doctor asked that we have it looked at again so I thought we should before she goes to college.  I also am having some minor things being taken care of with her as well.  

Lots of other things going on.  This week Lexi is at church camp.  Next week Nicole leaves for creation and then Tyler is going with my in-laws to New York over the holiday.  After the holidays we have a family reunion, vacation Bible school and then Tyler goes to church camp and Nicole leaves on a mission trip to Philadelphia.  We are hoping to sneak in a trip to Pittsburgh to visit more colleges at the end of the month and then in August Nicole goes to two weeks of band camp and Lexi goes to girl scout camp.  Lots of activities in between as well.  I was hoping to get my house housecleaned this month but between college visits, doctor visits and getting our bathroom redone, it has been near impossible.  I wanted to work in our church library and I thought maybe I could do that in July while Alexis is at a school-run camp during the mornings.  I am hoping to get all the books I am currently storing in my basement processed and put on shelves before July and time is quickly running out.  Somebody asked me if I could relax having the summer off from work.  I just laughed. 

I know I have been behind in my blogging.  Sometimes lately it is hard to even get in the mood for blogging although it was something I enjoyed doing.  I am starting a Bible Study with the women at church that I am really enjoying.  It is just what I need lately.

Snow on April Fools Day?

Yes, there actually was......guess I was April Fooled!  I tried to pull it on my daughter and went to show her and lo and behold there actually was sNOw!  argh!

We've been having some ducks hanging around...so we started feeding them.  I am hoping she makes her nest around here and we get to see her ducklings.

Nicole was recently in "Bye Bye Birdie" where she played Mae Peterson.  The following is a video of her solo called "A Mother Doesn't Matter Anymore."  Her character was the over-involved, interfering mother of one of the main characters.  People really seemed to enjoy her character.




There has also been a lot of other things going on. Lexi recently competed in a Pine Car Derby where she won her heat.  This past Monday she fell and we ended up taking an emergency trip to the dentist.  He thinks she will be okay but we have to keep an eye on her.

Nicole recently started softball and she is also doing band practice as they have a special trip planned in a few weeks.

I have been working on our church website and trying to update their orphan care part and cancer part.  I have also redid the woman's part.

Two years ago......

I was starting my last chemo treatment......
I thank God that it is part of my bittersweet history and pray that it does not return in the future.


Been going through a lot of things lately...
>been working with the school district to get my youngest daughter the help she needs in school
>been working at getting our church women's ministry page off the ground
>taking kids to and from activities such as youth group, church clubs, play practice, girl scouts and a WRE after school program among other things
>a couple of friends dealing with cancer
>a funeral last weekend of a friend who passed on from complications of cancer
>getting my oldest daughter college and senior year needs taken care of...... that's a lot to think about!
>an issue with my family(sisters/mom) that I do not ever feel will be fully resolved... but am used to that
>my own medical issues that are still being worked on


Just a lot of water under the bridge...... :)
I was able to have some fun with friends lately.  Last Sunday we met with a bunch from church for fellowship and games and yesterday I met with friends from work for some scrap-booking fun.  I almost wished I had another page to do but I was the first one finished and I had no other material with me to do more so we chatted.  I work with a great bunch of ladies.  We found out recently our boss is retiring so it's been a little stressful wondering who will replace her as she was a great boss.

How Do You Want To Be Remembered?

      Yesterday we went to a Memorial Service for a man neither Norm and I have never met.  I have become friends with his wife over this past year and Norm works with his daughter-in-law.  It was different than any other service we had been to.  It was held in the funeral home, but the place was packed out.  There was no minister speaking however various members of the family stood up and talked about his life after a brief video slideshow.  However we were much impressed with what was being said about this man.  Between the packed house and the inspiring stories of all this man had done for the community we left there wishing we had known him.  He did not go to church or associate himself with any denomination but he lived his life in a way that was a real testament to his faith.  It just got me to thinking, if I died, how would people remember me?  Would they get together and laugh over the goofy stuff I had done, would they remember what I had done for others?  Would someone be so inspired by my story that they would blog about it?  How do I want to be  remembered?  

When I ponder that the verse from 2 Corinthians 4:18 comes to mind.  So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.  I hope they remember me for the things that matter like trying to educate others about Ovarian cancer symptoms, encouraging others in their cancer journey and trying to promote literacy both through our church library and through my daughter's school.  Our pastor once said that he did not think that if anyone ever came into a lot of money, they would think only on what they would get and haven't thought about how they would give back.   That is not true for me.  There are so many things I would love to do for our community.  I would love to get them a nice library.  I would love to have an old fashioned soda fountain as a safe place for kids to hang out at with Christian music playing in the background.  I would love to have a large park for families to hang out.  These are things that i think about when I think about my legacy.  They are dreams that I hold and wish I could bring to past.  

I leave you with this video called Legacy by Nichole Nordeman with the lyrics below.........

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I don't mind if you've got something nice to say about me
And I enjoy an accolade like the rest
You could take my picture and hang it in a gallery
Of all the who's who and so-n-so's that used to be the best
At such 'n such...it wouldn't matter much

I won't lie, it feels alright to see your name in lights
We all need an "Atta boy" or "Atta girl"
But in the end I'd like to hang my hat on more besides
the temporary trappings of this world

Chorus:
I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love?
Did I point to you enough to make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who blessed Your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy

I don't have to look too far or too long awhile
To make a lengthy list of all that I enjoy
It's an accumulating trinket and a treasure pile
Where moth and rust, thieves and such will soon destroy

Chorus

Not well traveled, not well read, not well-to-do or well bred
Just want to hear instead, "Well done" good and faithful one

Chorus

February Freeze

Last week it was beautiful. The weather was back in the fifties again and it was so sunny and warm. Today we are back in the icebox. Brrr! They are expecting more ice/snow tomorrow although I believe that is more north of us. However, the youth group is traveling home and so I will be grateful when they are safely home.

I had been having some issues with neuropathy but my doctor has increased my medication and I have been using splints at night and I am happy to report that I have been able to feel the difference.  I am trying to go without the splints to see if it is just from the meds and if I can stop using the splints.

In 2-3 weeks Nicole will be performing in Bye-Bye Birdie as Mae Peterson.  I am looking forward to going and seeing it.  Her part promises to be a humorous look at an overindulgent mother.

WInter Wonderland

We've been getting quite a lot of snow and now ice in my neck of the woods.  During the one snow we had almost a foot.  I built the kids a snow ramp in the back yard.  My husband also took them to the school he works at to do some more sledding.  Today they also have off because of icing.  In the Midwest this same storm is dumping a couple of feet of snow.  Unfortunately, since I also work for the district that also means I don't work.  Norm does, but he is helping to clear snow.

Calamity in a Small Town......

     On Sunday, January 16 four of our football players lost their lives in a tragic accident.  This has brought our high school to it's knees.  The viewing is tomorrow night and the Memorial Service is on Friday night.  We had a Prayer Vigil and our church on Monday and packed the facility.  We also offered our church for anyone who needed counseling or just to hang out....no strings attached.  Our faculty and staff are all wearing ribbons to remember the lives lost.  It was supposed to be Finals week but the school district suspended finals because they knew no one would be up for it anyway.  School Districts throughout the county are stepping up to be there for us as well.  They chose to wear our colors all week as well as hold fundraisers to raise money for the grieving families.  This fatal accident follows a string of calamities our town has had to endure as we lost another football player over the summer as well as 5 Motorcyclists.  Please keep our town in your prayers.

Happy New Year!

Christmas was pretty nice.  We opened our presents in the morning and had a pancake breakfast.  Later we went to Norm's family.  I have some highlights below.

On New Year's Day we met with my family where Lexi FINALLY got her Pillow Pet she has been bugging for for several months.




I was ill over my birthday, so not much happened there. I was thrilled to find over 50 people wished me a Happy Birthday on Facebook. There is nothing like a Facebook birthday.

I am hoping to get started on my weight loss. To inspire me, I signed up through Isabella's Journey to lose weight to help raise money. Isabella is a three year old little girl who was diagnosed with a rare childhood cancer called Neuroblastoma.  A local gentleman pledged to run a mile for every fifteen pounds pledges lose.