Counting Today's Blessings

First of all, I got to go to Ogden today and go to lunch with my friend Michelle (1).  Many of you know her, she attended our ward for a time.  It's been a few weeks since I've seen her, so it was great to get together with her.  She showed me her new computer, which she is very proud of!  She hasn't used a computer in about 15 years and is taking classes to learn all that good stuff and even has internet access.  Esther took the kids for me today (2) so I could go and not have the "baby" worry.  McKinley's awesome and I love her dearly, but has progressed passed the "sit there and play with a toy for an hour" (or better yet "sleep through lunch!") stages.  Thanks Esther, you truly are a blessing!

I called my oncology nurse to ask her about my next treatment.  I have really felt great this week and wanted to ask her what I can expect from my next treatment (as I consider the kids needs next week).  I don't have to take the steroid that made me unbelievably tired last week (3) and she said the biggest problems people have with Taxol is constipation and bone aches (4).  REALLY?!  I can handle that!  I don't want to say this too loud, but I think the last half of chemo will be easier than the first half.  I can't tell you how happy I am about that!  Shhh.

I got a call from my gardening friend, Jenny, this afternoon.  She wondered if she could come and help with a few more things in my yard (5).  She even brought her two youngest who helped out too and played with Brooklyn.  She brought some thyme plugs from her yard to add to my peiced-together concrete pathway down the side of the house.  And we moved around a few more plants, because that is what gardeners do!  I even got the lawn in the front raked and cleaned up.  I felt fantastic about what we got accomplished.  Jenny, you are another of our blessings!  I was tired when they left, but felt good enough to pull out the lawn mower.  I decided that if I didn't have to work to hard to get it started up, I'd attempt it.  After a long, cold winter, it started on the FIRST pull (6)!  I was giddy.  I got the lawn mowed (7), then I was completely exhausted.  But I felt good, just getting some things done after feeling yucky for so long!  I am a list person.  I like to get stuff done and cross it off my list, so today was awesome!   : )   And then I went to the gym and did my thing (8).  Man, I am happy today.