17 Years and Counting!

Usually, we are counting down until a much anticipated event will happen or a tragic experience will be over. But today I would like to break from the norm and begin counting up. Yes, I have begun to realize over the past year that it is much better to count up! I wake up in the morning and I can thank God that I am given one more day. I meet one more parent of one of my kid's friends, while on the class trip, and I can ask that God will use this as one more opportunity to do His "thing". I celebrate with Stephen today our 17th anniversary and I ask God for a blessing on this wonderful man who has been there in good times and bad, in sickness and in health, and I know that the three of us can walk through whatever life brings together. It generally is much better to count up!

For the past week I was counting the days til the Huron County "Relay for Life." In the afternoon as we walked the girls home from school, Meagan mentioned that she was excited for the walk. I thought that it was the usually things that she looked forward to - playing in the open field with her friend, getting her face painted, having a balloon animal, or staying up til it was dark and seeing all the candles lit around the track. But once again, the words of the girls never cease to be a surprise. She was glad that I was a survivor, so that I could walk in the survivor walk.

Now, I have taken the first steps in an "official" survivors' walk and can begin to count up how many more I will be granted to walk. Here is a little recap of my first "survivor" relay for life and I look forward to adding more to it. It was wonderful to see Meagan running about the mid-field swinging their swords in a mock battle against some unseen beast. She was delighted in all the "free stuff" that was available to take home. How excited she is with the small things in life sometimes. My heart swelled as Nicole was sitting with her school friends cheering me on during the Survivors' Walk. She had rallied her friends in a line right beside the track and told them my name so that they could shout it out. Her encouragement and concern for me easily was felt and projected with the numerous hugs throughout the night. I was delighted to watch Sarah bounce Chantal on the blowup dragon or toss the Frisbee straight toward her unintended target. Her joy in living in the moment is so refreshing. I was choked up by Stephen's thoughtfulness in the littlest things even right down to the extra luminary purchased that night. He was busy capturing as many of the moments as he could, making sure that everyone was caught on film whether they wanted to be or not. His enthusiasm and joy in remembering and celebrating the impact of this event is overwhelming. While I was able to make it through the walk without shedding a tear, it was during the lighting of the luminaries that my eyes glistened. It was at that moment that I realized that this was the second year that there were candles to be lit with my name on it. Even more striking was that I have been added to the growing number of those living with a cancer diagnosis. The track seemed to shine brighter and swell with what I thought were more luminaries than the previous year. I guess here too the counting will just continue.

Tonight, I end with just this one last thought... that while I will continue to count, I will try to only add up the good things. Because it is the blessings that we receive from Above that really count in the end anyways.

It is not always black or white!!!

Sometimes it is a lot more gray than we would like. As promised here are the pictures of the new hair, less a much needed haircut. I must apologize for the not too glamourous look. I have been trying out the new camera and this is only the 25th picture that I had taken in a matter of an hour. It is also not too good of an idea to take a photo of yourself. For one thing, it is a little difficult to determine if you are holding the appertatus at the right angle, if the lighting is good, or if the wrinkles and double chin are more pronounced from your contoured position. May be I should have waited til Stephen came home from his week at Calvin Seminary - oh well, here it is......

Hair Have You Been?

All yesterday I was boosting about the fact that it was one year ago that my hair fell out or I really should have said pulled it out. This year I woke up in the morning and said to myself that I looked like a "mad scientist" - my hair was stiff and sticking straight up - almost an Albert Einstein fashion - not the "bald eagle" look of last year.

I have sported a wide variety of looks this past year and here is a look at my transition over the past year.....







There is a blank space because I was going to include a more recent photo to show off the curls... but our camera is broken and I can't find the cable to connect my cellphone which I was able to take a photo with. I will do a mad search tomorrow morning. For that one you will have to check back at a later time.

When I think about
- how devastated I was at my first glimpse of my baldness in the mirror
- how freakish it was that I scratched my head "just like my dad does"
- how cool it really was to be bald in the hot summer days
- how unfair it is, in my sister Denise's words, "that bald people have such nice shaped heads"
- how concerned I was with head coverings especially for more dressier occasions
- how shocking it was for some the first time I discarded my signature black and white cap
- how fortunate I have been able to experience a whole gamut of hair styles such as straight long hair, baldness, and short curly hair without the aid of a professional hairdresser

I am then reminded of the following verse from Luke 12:7 :
Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. (Luke 12:7)

Once again God demonstrates, in the long and short of it, a lesson well learned. I am loved no matter how many strands of hair were or are hanging from my scalp. I am worth much to God and that counts for every!

Just Me and the Girls

Wow, half of the week has past with just me and the girls. Each day I am blessed to talk to Stephen to see how he is doing back at school. He seems a little more relaxed as each day has passed. Last year he had planned to take a course but there was a dramatic change in our plans that year. I am glad that he is able to take this time away - to rejuvenate, to rest, and to just get away. He has much needed and deserves this somewhat short break. It sounds like he is enjoying it!
We have been busy on the home front. I am glad that I have the energy to keep up with the demands of the home all by myself. (Last month, I would not be so sure that I could handle it.)
The sunnier but not so warm weather has meant that the outside activities are keeping us busy - biking up and down the sidewalk or side street, playing at the Rotary Cove playground at the beach, jumping rope, drawing with the sidewalk chalk, scooting down the lane with the scooters, jumping on the trampoline to name a number of physical activities that draw the girls and a few friends to "hang out."
Each day for the past week and a half the girls have been coming home with note and permission slips for the various class excursions that are planned for this final month. Their school life is busier than ever. My color coded calendar is almost too full with all the events that there is little white space and only a third of the month is over.This week the girls will visit Victoria Public School in order to see where all the town kids will be attending school next year. It is a chance for Meagan to meet her pen pal and Sarah to meet a couple new "friends". Nicole is now packed for the over-nighter at Camp Kintail with the grades 4 and 5 classes. She is so excited I hope that she will be able to sleep tonight and not wake up too early tomorrow morning. For Nicole it will be her first experience at camp. All the activities sound thrilling - archery, talent show, capture the flag, and sleeping in a bunk. Oh, the lack of sleep due to all the giggling and chatting of the eight girls in one cabin, I can only imagine.
For the next two days I have my calendar filled with visits. I must admit that each day this week, except today, was an opportunity for me to make a coffee or tea visit with a friend. It is a nice break to my day to speak with other adult. For me nothing beats a little "girlfriend" time -since Stephen is not around I do need someone to talk to and I am glad there are so many willing "ears" to fill in. I am almost caught up with all the classis work that I need to do. Now I just need to focus on the budget!
Well it is time to slip off to bed... need a good night's sleep to keep up the energy level for the adventures of the next couple of days until Stephen returns!!!