Brooke says it best today...

I just got home from the hospital, where my 99-year-old mom was admitted in the middle of the night Wed night.  For those of you who know me, that means WE'VE been in the hospital since then.  Thank the Lord my bro was  home this time as he has faithfully done "his shift" each morning, permitting me to get some extra sleep and yes, then there's that full time job at IU that needs my attention.  So I was looking for a moment of "feel great" time and knew just where to go...my daughter-in-law's blog at www.thethreeolives.com.

Brooke really says it best in her blog today called "Wishing it away"....difficult times for others makes you realize how quick and fleeting the most joyous of times really are...especially the great times spent with our spouses, kids and grandkids, but also our family and friends as well.

We've had a slew of bad news in the past week just like Brooke and Brian...my mom's illness, a girlfriend who just learned her father has lung cancer, another girlfriend who is struggling hard to juggle moving her mom into assisted living while caring for a granddaughter and her husband's loss of job in the same week, another friend who lost her favorite student really young, the death and funeral of someone we went to church with for years....and that's just been since Wednesday!  Makes a person not want to answer the phone or read their email!

Anyhoo, if you want to really feel great...go read and gaze at the wonderful pictures on Brooke's blog...she says it best!

Another Milestone

Yesterday was a full day for me at Simon Cancer Center, but one filled with great news:

• Mammogram was normal
• Blood work sees nearly all parameters now normalized--white count still a bit low
• I've lost 7 of the 15 lbs I gained last year due to treatment
• My dear surgeon says I don't ever need to see him again...I'll miss him, but what great news
• My Zometa treatment went well with only one needle stick this time, so I actually left without a bruised up arm

It's funny that I looked back at my goal list and thought I was near normal energy last August...how silly of me! I think I had just forgotten what feeling good really felt like. I've had a significant upsurge in energy the last six weeks or so, so I'm beginning to see my old self on the horizon and believe that I may once again get back to her!

What I Did on My Summer Vacation!

Hey there everybody--are you still out there? I feel as though I don't deserve any blog followers anymore as I've let you down...it's been a long, hot, busy summer and I guess the heat sapped my energy for blog writing. Anyhoo, I'm back and anxious to catch you all up on what's been happenin'!

So for starters, no the kitchen's not done yet...can you believe it? We still have trim that's not up, but otherwise we're really enjoying our new cookin' digs...so will post when all is finally done there.

We've had a really blessed summer, although with a very rocky start. I feel like I lost May/June completely as my mother was hospitalized again exactly a month from the first time...this time they did a procedure that has her back in business, though she was shaky at first, returning to the ER a week after her second admission. So needless to say, from May 14th until June 25th or so, I was all caretaker!

The real summer fun started with all our kids and their ladies coming to Indy for Ted's 60th BD and Evan's wedding. It was a glorious weekend filled with partying and great fun. Every weekend in July was packed...Home Group at our house, then our first Camp Mimi with Parker and Finley with us for 4 days, then to northern Indiana for a 60th BD party for Joey intertwined with my college roomie weekend, then back to Stiver's to co-host a shower for their daughter Katie and her hubby to be-Thaddeus, then a drive to a park outside Chicago for my great niece's wedding. The final weekend in July found us hosting both my sisters and their hubbies with concurrent visits from 3 of their kids at some point throughout the weekend. Such fun!

This month finds us just as busy with Game Night and Ted's family reunion last weekend, a drive to St. Louis for the twin's 3rd BD party this weekend and co-hosting our neighborhood's annual picnic next weekend.

Oh yeah...then there was work. I had 3 grants funded...one to co-direct IU's new practice doctoral program for nurses, one to upgrade my health informatics course with Podcasting, and another to work with our large hospital system here called Clarian to help them enhance their employee wellness efforts. Needless to say, I'm sliding into the start of classes on Aug 23rd just barely ready, but it will all get done.

The biggest news of our summer all has to do with our kids/grandkids...Kyle has moved to Toronto (yep, as in Canada!) to follow his love, Casey who will start her plastics/hand surgery practice on Sept 7th. Joel and Jo are doing great and Joel was just given a top leadership award by Google while Jo is getting her program of research really on its way at UCSF. Brian & Brooke continue to thrive with their 3 under 3 (at least until this weekend) and we thrill at the chance to spend time with them all. Harrison is 7 months old now and doing so well..he continues to be such a perfect baby in every way...such a joy! Teddy keeps busy helping us all in various ways and continues to see his days pass quickly.

So that's what I did on my summer vacation. No days lying in a hammock for me!