New Year Upon Us

           

I just love this tag from Chris. Thank ya, darling!

I`ve been reading lots of journals about this year, the upcoming new year, reminiscing about the past and looking with hope to the future. I suppose I`m no different. I have things I hope to improve on and do better in 2007.

                

The year 2007 should prove to be a year of transition for myself. For one thing, my treatments for leukemia will end. It`s been a long two years. I`m excited about this and something I don`t say much - also a bit nervous about it. In this, as I try to do with all things, I will lift it up to the Lord.

I`ve made some resolutions in 3 areas of my life. All of them will involve some renewed discipline from myself: My commitment to the Lord, my weight, and my finances.

I talked to Corey on the phone today. She`s been so busy on her trip that we haven`t had much time to chat. She`s having a grand time with her group. Already she is talking about summer projects with Campus Crusade For Christ, either stateside or abroad. My shy, quiet, little girl has blossomed into a young woman who is stepping out to reach some dreams! She seems to have really grown and come into her own person these last few years.

I don`t have any big plans for tonight but I am going out to dinner ( Olive Garden here I come! ) with a friend and I may do a little shopping. I have been wanting the Taylor Hicks CD.

I got ambitious today,  (a la pre New -Year- discipline- practicing ) and took my dog for a walk. Geesh, I`m outta shape! And I`m supposed to do this daily, or at the very least several times a week?? Ugh. I mean, er, Yippee!

Can`t wait.

Really.

Is it Bedtime Yet?

                             

I just got home from work and had dinner. I worked from 1:15 to 6:30. Not a long shift. I am beat! For nearly two years now I have been taking meds and been on some sort of chemo, so I forget how it feels to be really normal, but let me tell you, I am just tired.

And I`m tired of being tired.

Right now I am still receiving some disability pay, so financially I can get by. What concerns me is I don`t feel anywhere near being ready to work full time again. Not even close. I pray I won`t have to.

Corey is away for a few days with Campus Crusade For Christ. She will enjoy the fellowship of plenty of other Christian college students. They have a New Year`s Eve celebration and I`m happy for her that she is having fun in such a positive way.

                           

I myself am still feeling blah and I`m not sure why. I`ve just been sort of ho-hum ......

I have to let the puppy play for a while and I plan on going to bed early, esp since I have to be at work at 8:15 tomorrow. Speaking of my dog, she is so cute. She makes sounds that seem just like she wants to talk! Anyone else`s dogs do that? I`m trying to teach her to say MAMA, but no luck as of yet. lol Sometimes she makes a noise that sounds like "muh," other times it`s more like "unh."  She is a strange dog in that she loves me so much, yet she`ll get upset with me about something and show me all her teeth and act fierce. In which case I have to warn her I can still pick her up and spank her if I have to! (Which ofcourse will never happen in a million years and she knows that, too.) But I love that she is fiesty. Not really mean ..... I think it`s a game she plays with me to see if she can get the upper hand.

Upper paw?

                           

Obviously I am very tired to reduce my journal to this level of insanity.

Goodnight!

Post Christmas Blah-g

             

So it`s the day after Christmas and I`m out of holiday mode and ready to move on. Yesterday was a long day. A nice day, but nothing much went on.

Today Corey and I headed to Target for some post-holiday bargains. I bought my Christmas cards for next year. ( half priced, ofcourse! ) I also got some wrapping paper and a couple cute hand towels.

Last year after the decorations were down they all were put away very haphazardly. This year I must label things and have them organized. Drives me nuts!

Corey has a bit of a cold. She took some meds and went to bed. She is leaving in a few days - going on a little new year`s road trip, so I hope she feels better soon.

That`s it for now. Have a good night, everyone!

          

 

 

 

Merry Christmas!

          

Thanks, Donna , for this lovely tag.

 

I was tagged by Sugar to take part in this cute little entry I have seen in many of your journals, so here goes:

Three things I DON`T want for Christmas:

1. A country CD

2. Fruitcake

3. Pneumonia ( like last year! )

Three things I DO want for Christmas:

1. A sewing machine

2. Health for myself and family

3. Christian gentleman

( he keeps making it onto my wish list. Where is  he?? ) 

 

So I worked yesterday from 8-5;30. It was a very long day for my part time schedule, but it went by fairly well. We were busy - swamped! - and most of the customers were in good spirits. Everyone said "Merry Christmas", which I found encouraging , esp since hearing all this garbage in the news how Christmas scenes are being banned, and more people are just replying with Happy Holidays etc. That`s just crap! I think the majority of people don`t want that at all. Almost everyone I know celebrates Christmas in some way. And, okay, if you don`t....then you can still have a nice day and be wished a Happy.... < insert holiday >   I think it`s mostly the media playing up these stories and I find it very sad.

Anyhow.......

Last night the Girlfriendz and I met for dinner. The Girlfriendz are : Patty, Tina, Kim, Don, Deloris, and myself. I have known them  either since grade school, junior high, or high school. We try to get together 2 or 3 times a year, esp during Christmas. We had a lovely dinner at an Italian restaurant and some good conversation. This has been a tradition since we were teenagers. Ofcourse, our gatherings are relatively calm these days....but, back in the day.........!!

So now I must get the house cleaned up and get ready to go out. Corey and I are going grocery shopping. Since it will just be Corey, my mom, and me on Christmas Day, we decided to not cook, but rather to have appetizers, sandwiches, and things like that. Sounds good to me! I have 4 days off now, so I am looking forward to enjoying the holidays.

I`d like to thank these ladies for the Christmas cards I received this week:

Lisa Jo, Barb, and Shermeen!

Have a lovely Christmas, everyone, and remember - Jesus truly is the reason for the season. My prayer for you is that He remains in your hearts and lives all the year long.

Be healthy and well.

Much love,

 

   

 

Christmas Plaid

                  

 

So my Christmas preparations are complete. I like to enjoy Christmas and not be all stressed out. We had a lovely candlelight service at our church on Sunday night. I always look forward to that. Afterwards we met in our fellowship hall for desserts. Everyone brought something. It was a great time. Corey is home from college so she went with me.

                  

Speaking of which, I had asked her to make me a Christmas tote bag. I picked out the plaid fabric, red ribbon and buttons and this is what she came up with. I love it!!

     

 

I thought it would be festive to carry my lunch in to work, or a library book, whatever. :)  Since Corey is going to school for fashion design, she is used to sewing and making things like this. She even wears some of the clothes she has made now.

 

        

 

As I said in my previous entry, my chemo treatment went well on Monday, but whhhoa, I did not feel good that evening!  Stomach cramps and nauseous...ugh. But the next morning when I got up for work I felt great and have felt good ever since.  :0)

 

Tomorrow and Friday I work, and then Friday evening I am supposed to be meeting the Girfriendz for our annual Christmas gathering. More on that later.

Thanks to CHRIS for the adorable puppy tag.

Thanks to JENNY for the beautiful name tag....and also for the lovely Christmas card you sent me!

 

          

Hospitals, Soap, and A Rough Road...

           

 

Today I made my monthly trek to the Cleveland Clinic. Very busy hospital ..... So many sick people. Upon arrival, I usually head to the restroom. As soon as I step in, the smell of the antibacterial soap brings back memories of my lengthy stay there. Funny how a scent can bring back such vivid memories.

 

I was first diagnosed with leukemia in one of our local hospitals. I went from feeling just fine to feeling tired and weak, to feeling sicker than I have ever felt in my entire life - to the point where even standing up was a trial. So after some blood work and a painful bone marrow test, I am told I have leukemia. I wasn`t even sure what exactly leukemia was ( cancer of the blood ), but I knew it wasn`t good.

 

Not good at all.

 

When I was told I would have to be moved to the Cleveland Clinic for better treatment, I was scared. The only people I had ever known who were treated there were very sick people. I was told the condition was treatable, but that I would have a long and rough road ahead of me. I didn`t want a rough road. I wanted smooth pavement that I could travel along at my leisure.

 

So I was taken the hour - long ride by private ambulance, laying on a stretcher..... scared, in my pajamas, feeling very vulnerable and alone. There was an ambulance attendant who sat back there with me and I kid you not, he did not stop talking the entire time. He was one of those people who are just superb at what they do. He gave me no time to dwell on what was happening. Although I was teary - eyed, he just kept on talking about the weather....kids....school....work. Asking me questions about where I was from and so forth. I will never forget his kindness and the calming effect that he had on my nerves. I wish I could thank him.

 

Once I was admitted into my room, though, I was scared and crying. Fortunately at that time I did not know that I would have to endure a few more bone marrow tests and about eight sessions of chemotherapy being shot into my spine. Eventually a doctor came into my room and answered every single question that I had. I`m not sure who he was but I will never forget him either. He sat by my bed and chatted with me for a long time. I started to feel like I might be well one day.

 

I didn`t know that chemotherapy was given through an IV; that I could eat while having it done, or watch tv, or do a crossword puzzle or sleep.

 

Fast forward One Year and Nine Months Later to Today :

 

Today while having chemo administered I chose to just sit back in the recliner and listen to my iPod. I put the songs on shuffle, so each song was a surprise, as I had no idea what order they would follow. It was an odd assortment of artists and songs - Backstreet Boys, Queen, Bowie, Jack`s Mannequin, Johnny Cash, KISS, and Barry Manilow.

 

My bloodwork was very good.  :)

 

I now know everyone, it seems, when I walk into the cancer center. From the parking attendants, to the greeter dressed in a long - tailed red blazer and black top-hat ...... to the receptionist, the cleaning people, nurses and doctors. I am no longer sitting there in a wheelchair with a barf bucket, but strolling through happy and smiling ( with my own real hair on my head! ), hearing these dear people say, " You look great! " and " Merry Christmas! "

 

So, yeah, I`m no longer terrified of going there any more. I look forward to it because these people have become my friends and by the grace of God, they helped to make me well once again.

 

 

                 

Thanks to Donna for the adorable top tag and to Sugar for finding this lovely ornament for me!

Thanks, Chris, for the name tag from last year. Remember?

Thank you,  Sugar  and Sharon for sending me Christmas cards!

 

 

      

                 

Tuesday`s Tidings

    

I have had the past four days off work. I love to have time to do things. I treasure it. I love that I am all caught up with things I needed to get done. ( well, almost )  For years I never ever had enough time ..... always busy, always running, working ..... Now I am single, my daughter is in college, but I do have to spend time helping to care for my mother. This is not easy. For the most part I suppose we get along, but then again we have our moments. We are nothing alike. Night and day! So there are issues. But it`s okay.

                      

Today we went out to lunch and then to a couple stores and then to her doctor appointment. Her eyes have gotten very bad, she`s nearly blind in one eye. She uses a walker. Everything that I`d like for her to remember she`s forgotten, and things that I wish she`d never bring up again from twenty years ago she still talks about! In some ways she acts very childish. I suppose anyone reading this who helps care for an aging parent knows what I mean. But she raised me and cared for me so now it`s my turn to do my share.

                       

I had made a doctor`s appointment for myself today as well for this cold/sinus/throat thing that I`ve had going on. But I felt fine today so I canceled! :0)

Starting tomorrow I`m going to be busy. I`m working Wednesday through Saturday and I`m picking up my daughter on Thusday from college after work. She`s two hours away. Thank God she`s not any further away than that! It seems like I`m driving there quite often. Not that I`m complaining!

Thereare just so many wonderful tag journals here in J-land now!! Especially with the winter/ Christmas season upon us. If I saved every single graphic that I liked I`d probably have enough to last me through several Christmas seasons. LOL

Thanks to Cab's Creations ( Chris ) for the top tag.....  D's Designs ( Donna ) for the bells ...... and   Roxy's Links and Graphics ( Shelly ) for the sig tag. You ladies ROCK!

Love & God bless,