thankful (twelve)

on this twelfth day of the month, i am thankful for:

+++ the great news that sharon got today -- her tumor markers looked good and she got a great report. woohoo!! woohoo!! woohoo!!!! super, super thankful for that update! her and i are on quite the roll and we intend to keep it that way:) thanks for all of the prayers, mojo, and love you sent her way today - it worked (as usual)!
+++ the work day ending (let's just assume from now on that i am thankful for that every single day, because i will be. trust me, the days aren't getting any easier. ugh.)
+++ getting to pick out the birthday cake for malena's party with her - so fun to see her get so excited. picking out a cake. it was that simple. that much happiness. these are the moments i was so hoping to have. i am so thankful to be having them come true just as i had imagined them.
+++ target. seriously, who isn't thankful for target? i know, we all are.
+++ costco having a couple pairs left of the pajamas that i got malena last week that i have not been able to get her out of. you wouldn't get me out of them either considering they are super soft and have a hoodie (i heart hoodies, i am wearing one as i type this). i was a little worried when we walked in and they weren't where they were when i bought them. i was sweating it because i thought we might be headed for a costco pajama meltdown. you know, when you are "those parents" with "that kid" that is screaming that everyone is looking at but pretending like they aren't looking at. yep, those people. but costco came through, and two more pairs of pj's made their way home tonight. whew. hoodie pajama crisis averted. we can all sleep a little easier tonight.
+++ sweet potatoes.
+++ hugs and kisses at bedtime.
+++ potato chips that give me my salt fix.
+++ the excitement that was on malena's face when we walked in to target and the $1 aisle (so in love with those) was filled with "one direction" swag. it was like santa just walked in and gave her all that she hoped for and more (taylor, you would have probably almost passed out;). two "one directions" pens for $1. thank you target, you made her night (and mine by association).

hump day. the half way point. i can kind of see friday over the horizon, and from what i can see, it is looking good. especially when it is 5pm (refer to the second item on the list above). xo

thankful (seven to eleven) + for sharon

the last couple of days have been a bit of whirlwind and so it feels good to come back to this space.

over the last five days, i have been thankful for:

+++ the seattle pinball museum, it is amazing, and for $13 you can play pinball as long as you want. great time.
+++ tamarind tree restaurant in the international district. seriously, some of the best food i have ever had. so, so good. if you live anywhere near seattle, you must go. today. right now. you will thank me. you are welcome.
+++ cold hard apple cider, because some days, you just need one (or two).
+++ girl time.
+++ work days ending. couldn't happen soon enough.
+++ my parents staying with us for a couple of days and helping out in a bunch of ways (as they always do)
+++ our favorite coffee shop on a saturday morning.
+++ a trip to our favorite resort and over 24 hours for barrett and i to catch up on life and make some plans for the future.
+++ down time, drinking some green tea, reading a magazine, and putting my feet up.
+++ sleeping in.
+++ having a little time to do some dreaming about what i would like to do in the future.
+++ the thought that if my scans come back good in january, my oncologist will think that we are good to go to a six month scan interval. six months. to be honest, the thought of going without a scan for six months scares the hell out of me. don't get me wrong, the three month cycle is rough, there is no doubt about that. six months. a lot can go wrong in six months. i feel like melanoma can't get a big head start on me in three months (that is the story that i tell myself to bring me some comfort). so even if given the chance for six months, i don't know if i could bring myself to take it. but, we will see. what an amazing choice that would be for me to have.
+++ all of the men and women that have served, and those that are serving, for our country including my family members that are currently in the military. we love you and we thank you.
+++ malena hanging out with me today downtown as i had to be in the office. it was great to have lunch with her, to have her do some "work" and just be together. it wasn't the day that i had planned for us (not by a long shot), but it was a day we spent together, so it was a good one nonetheless.
+++ finding a sweater that i love. on sale. which makes me love it even more.
+++ watching malena at gymnastics, jumping, rolling, running, smiling. perfect monday night, every single time.

i am also thankful for my friend sharon, and tomorrow is the day that she gets her results on her tumor markers. so it is time to kick up the prayers, mojo and good vibes for sharon. i just know that tomorrow i will have good results from her appointment to be thankful for.

i just know it.

happy tuesday all -- i hope that it is a good one. xo

thankful (six)

on this sixth day of the month, i am thankful for:

+++ the minute i was able to leave the office (it is that kind of week)
+++ coordinating with friends on some fun plans
+++ opening my mailbox and seeing happy mail
+++ tickle fights
+++ malena saying "momma, remember that one time that you carried me and tickled me when we came downstairs?" as if it was a year ago, and it was actually just this morning
+++ music
+++ 20 minutes in my craft room, it is amazing how calm i become when i enter that room
+++ my favorite blanket (thank you sasha, still my favorite after all these years)
+++ the fact that we are over half way through the work week (refer to the first thing that i was thankful for today)
+++ disney putting lifeguards at the family pools on their cruise ships (though i would be even more thankful had the update never had to include chase or any other kid), per this update from chase's family today:

"(10:32 a.m. EDT) -- Disney Cruise Line quietly became the first major cruise line to have lifeguards onboard its ships in late September when it began stationing them at its family pools on Disney Dream and Disney Magic. Disney Fantasy and Disney Wonder will get lifeguards by mid-November.

The lifeguards are always on duty, so long as the family pool is open. The pool is closed at night, and sometimes closed during bad weather or special events.

Disney said it regularly evaluates onboard practices and makes changes when necessary. Like at most hotels and resort, cruise ships do not employ lifeguards at their pools.

The move comes six months after a four-year-old boy nearly drowned just hours after getting on Disney Fantasy. Two weeks ago a six-year-old boy drowned onboard a Carnival cruise ship.

 

--by Dori Saltzman, News Editor"

 

 

happy thursday, hope it brings you a lot to be thankful for. xo

thankful (five)

on this fifth day of november, i am thankful for:

+++ a ton of laughs with malena in the morning before school
+++ the grueling (and i mean grueling) work day coming to an end - finally - it could not have come soon enough
+++ leftover pizza that was really good the second time around
+++ green tea, my favorite go to drink (diet coke -- i do really miss you, i hope you miss me too)
+++ good catch up session with a friend on my way home
+++ talking with my sister while sitting on the dream couch - a win win for me
+++ candyland, and watching malena stack the deck so that she got the popsicle to move closer to the finish without her thinking that i was paying attention
+++ fish tacos
+++ mango salsa
+++ dark chocolate
+++ listening to malena read cinderella
+++ having malena tell me that i am the best mom ever (seriously, could it get better than that? i don't think so)
+++ a good update on chase that i have included below
+++ all of the people that have sent the "fun mail" that is referenced in the chase update, the kids love it and we have a done great job of sending them mail every week this year since april (and will continue to do through december)

"Completely Compleat :)                               
Have you ever seen the movie Captain America? We had a family movie night this weekend and watched it. I have seen the Avengers and got a glimpse of Captain America, but never knew what he was about or his story. After watching the movie, I can see why he was Chasers favorite super hero, he definitely picked the best one of the bunch! Captain America was a weak, small man, who had nothing to offer but his courage and his determination to serve and defend our country. He was chosen by the Gov't for an experiment, that amplifies his qualities to become the perfect soldier. Great Flick!
Chaser has been off of pain meds for eight days now, we have noticed a big difference in his alertness. He is handling it well, with a few apparent side affects of its abstance. His muscle tone has become more tense and he has had a few fairly long spells of obvious discomfort. Aside from the couple of not so positive side effects, we feel Chase is much better off without these meds. He seems to be more attentive in therapy and working even harder-doing a lot of rolling over and working on the sitting position.......... and his eye movement, wow!- He is moving his eyes much more, and his eye seem to be more focused, and intense as well. We have noticed several times while he is sleeping, he moves his head, arms and toes in a fluid motion. It is really cool to watch- his limbs move like they did prior to the accident. Im not sure whats causing it, but I know that I like seeing it! We have transitioned him over to Compleat formula- although Lisa is not a big fan of its smell, its nice to know we are giving him natural food, and not something made in a lab that we add water too!
Lisa and Chase returned home from Rochester tonight, just in time to watch the white stuff fall down. Chaser had a couple of appointments today at Mayo with the PT and OT Drs. They went well. The doctors were a little concerned about his muscle tone, and scheduled Botox injections for the 19th- the day after his follow-up on his Nissen procedure. We are hoping that these will ease his discomfort and keep the forward progress going. Aside from his tone, they advised Lisa to keep doing what we are doing. We have also added another swallow study on the 19th. He has progressed nicely in that dept and we want to see how far he has come or if there has been an change. Cross your fingers!!!!
Tanner and Ava are doing Great! Tanner is flow blown into his hockey season, but taking this weekend off to join me in the hunt for the 30 point Buck on deer opener - we will see if one can survive without the Clash of Clans ipad game for a day or two! :) Ava survived a B-Day party and sleepover this weekend for her 8th B-day party. She is still making up dance routines, when not at practice, and makes sure mom and dad watch them all. Although the music is different for each one, the appear very similiar. She assures me that they are all different :)
We have been receiving the packages of goodies (fun mail)for the kids each week, and the kids LOVE them! Thank you all for your kindness and generosity! We all played one of the games tonight while Chaser took a rester next to us- ( I am not sure how he slept through that noise, wish I had the ability to do that!)- Have a great week.

God is Good!"

happy hump day peeps, make it a good one. xo

thankful (four)

on this fourth day of november, i am thankful for:

+++ all of the love that surrounded little baby burton as he took flight to the sky, and for the geese that flew over his house showing him the way. i thank all of you that have lit candles, sent prayers, and love to baby burton and his mom and dad. please continue to do so as they move through these days without having him to snuggle on each day. i also want to share the poem they shared. can you hear the pieces clinking from where you are? i am sure you can, they sound absolutely deafening to me.

Wild Geese

By Mary Oliver

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about your despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting --
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

 

+++ all of the good vibes, prayers and mojo that you have sent to sharon. it is time to fire up the mojo again as she heads back in tomorrow for blood work to check in on her tumor markers. her follow up appointment is on the 12th, so let's kick the mojo into overdrive for the next week. please and thank you.

+++ i will also quietly say my thanks for all of the parts of my day that i am thankful for by tucking them into my memory and my heart and saying my thanks for another day.

 

xo 

thankful (one/two/three)

hello november, you are looking so good.

a month to really dig in and focus on all of the things that i have to be thankful for.

like last november (can i just say that it makes me pretty happy to be able to refer to posts that i wrote a year ago? damn, that feels good. another year.), my posts this month are going go focus on what i am thankful for each day with other random things that i want to add mixed in along the way.

so here we go...on this first/second/third day of november, i am thankful for:

+++ my dad happily chauffering my mom and i around the eastside to complete about a million errands on friday
+++ laughter
+++ completing a special project for malena (i will blog about it later this week)
+++ my mom's good cooking
+++ starting to get into the holiday mode by finding some perfect christmas presents
+++ our friend alexis turning a happy and healthy 4 years old
+++ an unexpected movie/popcorn/hello kitty date at our friend's house
+++ the utility workers that worked through the day/night in cold weather to get our power back on at 3am after it was out for 16 hours
+++ malena sleeping in until 10:30am today - no clue why - but meant some extra sleep for mom. you know i loved that.
+++ a great run with blue sky and crispy leaves under my feet, and finishing just as the rain started to fall
+++ the excitement on her face when i tell her which of her friends are going to be able to make it to her first friends birthday party
+++ malena wanting to address her birthday invitations all by herself, sitting next to her and being so happy that she will turn a happy and healthy 5 years old this month and i will be here to see it. i will be here to see it. i.will.be.here.to.see.it. i am overjoyed.
+++ fruit and green smoothies
+++ hearing "momma, do you want to come and play with me?" yes, yes i do.
+++ watching her fall asleep and her little arm resting across me. i could stay there in that moment forever.

here are a few things that i have come across that i kind of loved, and so you might too:
+++ i kind of think this chin up buttercup sign would be great to have in every room of my house and in my office at work
+++ i am a sucker for a good pad to write to do's on - and this make things happen pad is right up my alley
+++ this dentalvention story made me laugh, and i will take laughter any time i can get it
+++ i thought this article on the one thing you must do was right on the mark
+++ this post will remind you that there are so many good people in the world who are doing good things for others
+++ i love the you can do anything but not everything desktop wallpaper
+++ i really liked reading lessons learned from a year of staying in the picture - like the original article, a great reminder to get in the picture which i try to now do as much as possible
+++ i would be pretty thrilled with any of these mulberry press mousepads but i think that the "good things happen to those who hustle" is my favorite

happy monday peeps -- hope it is the start of a good week for all of you. xo

hello friday

we had a great thursday, loved it. just like i had hoped for.

celebrated my mom's birthday all day with breakfast at portage bay cafe (yum!), hitting a craft store to get tons of ideas for fun things to make, shopping in historic snohomish (amazing), and a party last night with good food and wishes made as the candles were blown out. although i am pretty sure that my mom's wish was granted on wednesday, she might have made it a dual wish for three months from now as well.

our little snow white went trick or treating and got 29 pieces of candy, she counted them out as soon as she got home - just like her mom used to do, the apple does not fall far from the tree;)

this morning we are going to head to starbucks for our usual friday morning starbucks date before school. our weekend is looking good. some more holiday shopping, bestie's birthday party, swim lessons, catching up on photos, relaxing, christmas list-making, and getting an extra hour of sleep (yes!) on saturday night. as much as i love the extra hour of sleep, i do not love it getting dark at 3pm each afternoon.

i have started to go into my total exhaustion phase which is when the stress of the last month catches up with me and i feel like my legs weigh about 100 pounds each and it takes a lot of effort to move. as my friend crystal said, you never realize just how much stress you are under until the weight is lifted and you finally understand how much weight you had actually been carrying for so long.

i hope that your weekend is a good one. make the most of it. enjoy it. do something fun.

say your thanks.

i know i will.

xoxo