What a weekend. . .

Okay, here goes. I am still reeling from all the news that this weekend brought about. . .

Well, as is evident from my many entries of the past, I have been sick for a very long time. I would probably guess that the symptoms began in August. . .just a tickling in my throat that turned to a cough that I couldn't ignore that the doctors diagnosed as asthma since February.

I got really sick right before Easter and a couple weeks after I went to the doctor, I found a swollen lymph node on the side of my neck that I decided to point out to my doctor at the next appointment.

That was two weeks ago.

My doctor decided to send me for a cat-scan, partially because of the swollen node and partially because I had just been struggling with asthma for so long and it wasn't getting better.

To make a really long story just long, I ended up scheduling the appointment for last Thursday because Brandon and I wanted to leave for Maryland Thursday night for Katie's college graduation.

I didn't get home from my cat-scan appointment on Thursday until this morning (Monday).

When the cat-scan was over, the radiologist told me they had found something abnormal and wanted to call my doctor right away, so I could just wait for the results. After talking to my doctor, they couldn't tell me why, but they wanted me to go across the hospital complex to the emergency room.

After waiting for some very anxiety-filled time for Brandon to arrive and for the doctors to admit me, my ER doctor informed me that it was very likely from my cat-scans that I had Hodgkin's Lymphoma (cancer). The pictures showed a twelve centimeter mass that had been pushing against my windpipe disguising itself as asthma.

That was a huge shock to me - not something you expect at twenty-four years old.

However, let me interject here that this particular kind of cancer is the most treatable kind of cancer and once treated, there is a ninety percent chance it will never come back. It is an aggressive variety, but for some reason, that makes it more treatable. So, you don't wish to have cancer, but if you did, you would wish for this one.

So I met with a surgeon that was going to do a biopsy of the lymph node in question and the oncologist that would be treating me to a bone marrow biopsy and chemotherapy and it all took place this weekend.

I was admitted to the oncology ward on Thursday night, began my operative procedures on Friday, chemotherapy on Saturday, and stayed for observation until this morning.

We have not even been in St. Louis a year, but I cannot even describe the out-pouring of love we received especially from our church family. Even as I sit here retelling how the visits began while I was still in the emergency room, my eyes are tearing up. Brandon's mom flew in Friday morning to be with us and is staying with us until Friday. It is a blessing to me because in a way it took a lot of the burden off of Brandon.

I am just amazed by all the blessings that God has given us in the midst of this trial. I can't help but feel encouraged in spite of it all. I have a really good oncologist that is really optimistic that chemotherapy and radiation will lick this and it will be over. The whole time I was in the hospital, I had incredible nurses that took really good care of me. And really, they really went on attack mode and didn't waste any time getting my treatment started, which is really amazing. I will most likely be able to work through treatment and of course, I will take it day by day, but I am going to try to go in tomorrow.

I am not sure what more I can say, but I would really appreciate prayer of course. I know I will have bad days and sick days, but I am trying to keep my attitude in the right place and trying to eat right, which is really going to be difficult for me! But maybe this cancer can teach me some good eating habits for life!

Anyway, so that's the news. What a weekend.

Some lovable faces

The adventure before the movie

Now don't laugh, but on Saturday, Brandon and I were wanting to see a movie and decided to go see RV. (You know, that new family movie where Robin Williams rents an RV to spend some time with his very rich family.) Family movies are not usually our choice; however, it did look very funny and we decided to go.

But the real adventure started before the movie.

I had spent Saturday at the outlets trying to find some shorts for Brandon and I and these particular outlets are about an hour away. A few of the shirts I purchased for myself were not quite what I wanted to be wearing outside of the house. It just so happens that the mall where we usually view our movies happens to house some outlet stores as well as some regular retail stores. The two stores where I needed to return shirts were at the Mills!

Why is this an adventure?

Well, we arrived at the mall at 7:34 and the movie was supposed to begin at 7:50. I had to wait in the ticket line with Brandon to get my ticket so that he could save us a seat and some popcorn while I was running around. By the time I had my ticket, it was already 7:40.

Now, in any normal mall, running to two stores in ten minutes might not be a major thing. But if you are familiar with any of the mills establishments (they are all over the country: St Louis Mills, Potomac Mills, Arrundel Mills), you understand my predicament. These malls are divided into neighborhoods which are all like mini-malls. Old Navy and Gap were located at the opposite end of the mills from the movie theater. But I was determined, even if I had to miss my favorite: previews!

I was cruising along at a pretty good speed as soon as I had my ticket in hand and began to cut my way through the children's play area (I will never understand, until I have children, why children are brought to malls). I was just about to round the corner toward my first stop when a man that was ahead of me pushing a stroller decided to cut me off by going closer to the wall. I was already stuck inside of his group of people, so I couldn't go around on the other side. Crisis! Normally in this situation, someone in the group points out that this poor person was trying to get by, but no such luck. Finally, he pointed the stroller opposite the wall and I was able to squeeze past.

Victory: I reached Gap. I was only the second person in line and I had my receipt handy when I reached the front. Perfect: I was out in three minutes flat.

I began flying toward Old Navy with no time to spare, but I just had to see if I could replace the shirts I currently had with the correct size appropriate for a future pastor's wife (and any believer at that). Unfortunately, the shirts were not in the same spot as in the other store and it took me just long enough to get behind two girls in line that were in no hurry at all and showed it by shopping the merchandise that is there in line. There were, of course, only two people working behind the counter. One took care of the two girls that were not only arguing about who was going to pay for the pile of clothes in front of them, but also had some special coupon that was going to take FOR-EV-ER to process.

The woman with the other clerk was on the cell phone with her husband holding up progress because she thought he might want to buy more things or want all different sizes or whatever. Things that OBVIOUSLY couldn't have been solved before she reached the checkout line. (?!)

There was a slight glimmer of hope when another clerk walked behind the counter. I thought for sure he was going to open a drawer and ring me up, but no such luck. He had just shown up to stand behind the counter and do nothing!

During this time, Brandon texts me to tell me where he is located in the theater and I text him back to let him know that the people around me are foiling my perfect plans.

Anyway, as I am most patiently waiting, the woman on the cell phone finishes up her purchases and I am called over to checkout. Just when I thought it would be an even exchange, in and out!, it turns out the tax is higher at this particular mall and I owe Old Navy 19 cents on my even exchange. No problem, just get me out of here!

At this point it is 7:54 and I have about six minutes to get back to the opposite end of the world to see the movie. Of course, on my way back, every slow person in the mills wants to walk right in front of me! AHHH!!!

8:01 rolls around and I manage to slide into my seat next to Brandon in the fifth row up just in time to see the opening credits of RV.

Just a day in the life of a superwife.

PS This movie was hilarious if you want to go out and see a good clean movie. Seriously, hilarious.

Westminster Christian Academy

Westminster Christian Academy is a private school dedicated to educating seventh-twelfth graders and they are currently looking for another Spanish teacher.

Yesterday yours truly sent in her resume and cover letter.

I really want this job!

Sales just is not my forte and I loved teaching last year. Everyday was different and challenging whereas here I feel like I am spinning my wheels and sometimes I am bored to tears. It is time for a change.

I am at a disadvantage perhaps because I have no education degree and only one year experience, taking this past year off from teaching.

My advantages, however, are the glowing recommendations from my last school, my husband plays softball with the other Spanish teacher at the school, and I do have a Spanish degree.

I really do want this job.

Tonight is the first softball game for Brandon's company and I happen to be on the team. I don't know what I was thinking when I signed up for this.

He is risen.

I am determined to read this book. It is a bit slow-going at the moment, but I am decidedly going to read it. I have attempted this feat quite a few times and I am no longer sure why it is so important.

Everyone else has read it already.

That is a little bit of the reason. I loved Narnia and Tolkien was a friend of Lewis. The world of these books, however, seems quite a bit more complex than the Narnian worlds that I grew to adore.

You read too much fluff.

This is sometimes very true. There is nothing I enjoy more than sitting down and reading a mindless book about twenty-somethings like me. Especially with all the traveling I have been doing lately, to sit on a plane and try to get into a book like The Fellowship of the Ring is a little beyond me. And I like fluff! Maybe I am not stretching my university-educated mind enough, but I like it.

I am setting off on this quest to read this overrated trilogy and already my mind is thinking of the Borders gift card burning a hole in my purse and what great fluff book I could buy and read next. I am meeting Brandon for dinner right near Borders. . .

I must say that I had a very enjoyable Resurrection Sunday. We really steered clear of the eggs and chocolate and et cetera. Not really for any particular reason, but I think that I enjoyed the day more because of it. And being in the traditionally liturgical church that we are, there was a Good Friday service. It really put me in the mood for the whole weekend. The whole service was quiet and somber and we exited in silence which was such a change.

I thought that not having a voice around this time of year would be so upsetting because I love to sing and my favorite songs come out of storage. I even tried to croak along a little bit, but when I stopped trying to make notes, I stopped to listen and actually heard the words. Like Luther mused, there is such a balance between singing for the beauty of the music (guilty) and really hearing the message and having a heart of worship.

Covenant had a sunrise service on Sunday and I was so bummed that we didn't know about it, but next year I can guarantee that we will be in attendance! I really thought that giving up the Easter Bunny would be a big sacrifice in our marriage, but (don't tell my mom) I don't miss it!! I really liked having the focus on Christ (it only took me twenty-four years to get in the right frame of mind). And when we have children, I want that to be the theme of the weekend: Christ's sacrificial death and miraculous resurrection.

I have rambled quite a bit and I am unsure that I expressed what I wanted to. Yet, this was more for me than for anyone else and I feel that I have said what was on my mind. If anyone else understands what I am trying to say, it will be a miracle.

He is risen indeed.

California

I have always said that I never had any desire to go to California, however I just returned from such a place. Liguori Publications just send me to the Los Angeles Religious Education conference down the street from Disneyland. I was there a total of six days and I am so very exhausted. I did get to go to Disney one day but just for shopping and lunch on Main Street. The rest of the time I was working, working, working. I sort of got a false view of LA though because I was really in the Disney suburb, not the Los Angeles, I don't think.

The sunrise from the hotel lobby.

I also just got back from Maryland the day before I left for Anaheim. I had so much fun visiting with my family and friends. I was only there three and a half days - not enough!! Here are some Maryland pictures (aka Rachael my favorite niece pictures.)

Birthday presents from Brandon and I - two years already!

I did french braids in her hair if you can see them.

Oh well, it is time for bed. I am bummed because I left my book on the plane.

Good night, moon.

Getting old

I am falling apart before my time. I am only twenty-four years old - I shouldn't be to that point yet!

This twenty-fourth year of my life, I have had sinus infections, developed asthma, and now I just found out I am anemic and something is wrong with my cardiovascular system. I had taken a blood test last week at work and today the nurse alerted me that I need to speak to my doctor immediately about the results. Fortunately, I had already scheduled an appointment for this afternoon, so she is going to fax my blood results so that I can discuss them with my doctor.

I have now been coughing for ten months and it is getting a little old. What is wrong with me?! The doctor seriously needs to figure it out. I annoy everyone around me with my constant hacking and of course, they assume I am germ-ridden and inch their chairs further and further from me as I continue to cough up a lung.

I guess this means I need to eat spinach every day now because I don't like raisins and beets and other such "iron-rich food."

Hopefully when I go today, the doctor will have a sudden epiphany with the help of my blood test results and put the pieces of the puzzle together. Not that I know what is going on with my rapidly deteriorating physique.

Enough about my health - how depressing!

I am very sad that I am reading the last book in the Narnia series. I want it to go on and on! I missed out on these books as a child, but I have thoroughly enjoyed them as an adult. And I like picking out the allegories which I may not have been able to do in my youth. Although, this particular one is making me angry with the false Aslan giving orders to kill the sacred trees and enslave the talking animals. (It's only fiction, Rebecca).

But in a way. . . it's not. People are daily lead astray by the seduction of false gods and leaders that present the way off the narrow path. I guess that's what makes it so sad and frustrating. The truth is presented so obviously, but Satan twists things just a little to lead us astray, as it happened in the garden.

The zoo was so much fun. Katie, the educator, read every little snippet of information, so we came out well-informed. We were engaged to go to an Indian Nite at five o'clock, so at about four-fifteen, we started power-walking to the extreme through the rest of the zoo. We went the absolute wrong way to the primate house, but it was all right because we saw the whole rest of the zoo that we hadn't been to yet that day.

After India Nite, we drove down to the arch and the Mississippi riverfront to walk around a little bit. It was so cold! And poor Brandon wasn't feeling very well, so the three of us didn't last very long. We ended up watching the Johnny Cash movie huddled on the couch.

Yesterday, after morning service, Katie and I head to the Science Center where we spent two hours playing with all the learning toys and science experiments. I must say, we had a good time. Once again, we were engaged to be at evening service at five-thirty (I had to play my flute), so at about five-oh-five, we began power-walking to and subsequently power-driving to our destination. (I am serious about the power-driving. I realized I was not supposed to go as fast as I could anymore, so I had to slow down.)

I am having so much fun with my sis. I can't wait until Wednesday and Thursday when I get off early. . .