Blessing

What I am thankful for today - a day to work-at-home.  This is a new thing for me. It was just recently decided that I could work from  home one day a week.  I would love for it to be 2 days a week, but I'll take what I can get.  :)

What many people don't understand is that when I say I'm working from home ... I'm actually WORKING while I'm at home.  Yes, I'm able to get a lot of things done around the house and I can take the time to go to the doctor or run some errands, but I actually get a ton of work done on my work from home days - more than I do in the office.  With my kids at school it is a very RARE opportunity for me to have some QUIET time to myself.  I can't tell you how much I need this time to myself.  I can't tell you how much I look forward to my Wednesdays.  I need my Wednesdays.  I love my Wednesdays.

Get the picture?

November 2 Blessing

I forgot to post this yesterday, but I wanted to fill in anyway.

My blessing on November 2 is that I am thankful for living in the home of the free and the land of the brave.  I am thankful for the sacrifice of the many men and women (including both of my grandfathers, two of my uncles, and my father-in-law) who lay their lives on the line so that I can live in this great country and exercise my right to vote.

God Bless America.

Blessings

With Thanksgiving coming up I thought it was time to resurrect my "Blessings" posts.  I lost site of them a bit after the craziness of the summer.  So here we go. 

• I am so thankful for my mom.  I don't know what I would do without her right now.  She not only takes great care of me - she takes great care of my kids.  She is not only a great mom - she is a great friend.

Sunday Musings

I went to church this morning.  I really needed it.  The first song the praise band was singing was one of my all time favorite songs "Blessed Be Your Name"

 

  

My favorite words are

 

"Blessed be Your Name
On the Road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed Be Your Name".

I am reminded again and again that God never promised any of us an easy life - He only promised He would be with us in the midst of it if we asked Him to.  So yeah - cancer - still dealing with that.  Don't like that word - don't like what it means.  And not really having the best time the past few days with all that having a kidney removed from your body entails.  But I look at these words and I am reminded of many who have gone before me dealing with much more than this and how they continue to Bless the name of the Lord.  And so even though there may be pain in the offering - I offer up my praise.  You give and take away, but my heart will choose to say Blessed be Your Name.

So ... back to what I'm thankful for and what I am blessed with:

1. I was diagnosed with cancer - but it was caught in an early stage and removed from my body in it's entirety.  So kiss my lilly white butt Big C!
2. I have a really great mom who is really great at taking care of me and I am so fortunate that she is so close by!  :)  I am sure this will come back to bite me in the butt at some point.  But that is what family is for, right?  :)
3. I have some really great friends who are also really good at taking care of me - not just physically - but spiritually and emotionally.  Friends I have had for ages that never leave my side even though they are miles away - and friends that God has deemed to put in my path just recently.  Friends I know more about than I should - and friends that I hardly know at all.
4. Apparently I needed some time to lay low.  I'm not great at that, but it is needed.  I have a great job that allows me the opportunity to do so.  I may complain about a lot of things at my job (I'm sure they will all come back to me just as soon as I go back to work), but having a full time job with good benefits is truly a God-send during times like this.  And I truly love most (wink, wink) of the people I work with.  They are a fantastic group of people.

Monday is coming!  I better go prepare for that onslaught.

Holding Pattern

I know - I was a blogging fool there for a hot minute and then kind of dropped off the face of the earth for a few days.  I am just in a holding pattern.  It's driving me crazy.  I know there's a lesson in here for me somewhere, but I have yet to discover it.  Just waiting for the surgery - waiting to evict Elvira - waiting for more unknown.

And while I am consumed by this - I find myself utterly sick of discussing it - and yet at the same time - unable to discuss anything else.

I took advantage of some of the extra time by cleaning my house.  Of course, with 3 kids, a husband, and 2 dogs - I will just have to do it again before the 15th.  :)

I am still trying to focus on my blessings through all of this - so here goes.

• Friends - coming out of the wood-work - to love on me, pray for me, support me and my family through this.  I am constantly amazed by how truly blessed I am in this department.
• School is out!  I am enjoying a somewhat slower pace of life with the kids - not having to worry about homework or reports or projects that are due.  June keeps the kids pretty busy with various mini camps and VBS and I'm hoping that will be helpful when surgery comes up - to keep them pre-occupied with other things and not really having to deal with mom having another surgery.
• I know that something good will come of all of this - even this holding pattern that I am loathing at the moment.  God has something in it for me and for my family.

Hump Day Blessings

So here are my blessings for today:

1. A neighbor - who I hardly know at this point mind you - friended me on Facebook after hearing of my recent troubles.  She sent me a lovely note and I really appreciated it.  But on top of that - today she dropped by with baked ziti and fresh salad for my family for dinner!  What a huge blessing! And hopefully the start to a great new friendship.
2. My upper endoscopy went on without a hitch!  I did not wake up - I got a great nap and even dreamed.  I can't remember what about for the life of me - but I do remember I was enjoying it.
3. The anesthesiologist at the endoscopy center was a huge blessing to my life today.  Very kind and compassionate and took a moment to pray over me.  He even came back around after the endoscopy to see me and let me know that he would be thinking of me and praying for me and was sure I would do just fine with all that is ahead of me.  The kindness of strangers has been huge in my life today.
4. My surgery is scheduled.  It is not as quickly as I would like it to be - but it is scheduled.  And now I can get on with making plans for that time, etc...
5. And while I have been on the war path regarding scheduling my surgery - I have to say - I love my doctors.  They have taken time out of their very busy days to make personal phone calls to me and my husband and have helped to re-assure us and console us.  Not many doctors really care that much.  Mine do.  I am blessed.

Birthday Blessings

In the midst of all this ....  well it's not appropriate for me to use the words I am really thinking at the moment to describe what all "this" is ... but in the midst of all of it - here are my blessings.

1. Have I mentioned the great team of doctors I have?  Dr. Bloom, Dr. Jalkut, and Dr. Hutzenbuhler.  I think I hit the jackpot here.
2. Have I mentioned that I have some really kick ass friends?  RAMP in particular - you know who you are.  As Rebecca has said - I need RAMP time like I need air.  But it's not just RAMP - I have some great friends who lift me up in prayer, lift me up with encouragement, just lift me up in general.  Some old - some new.
3. My family - I am fortunate enough to have my parents living in my yard. Their support and encouragement is tremendous.  Then there's my sweet husband.  It's all OK.  We'll get through this together.  And my children - who keep me grounded and humble above all else.
4. I have been told by each one of my doctors to be thankful for the chest pain I have been having.  So as annoying as it is - I am thankful for it.  It led them to discover Elvira and she had been very quietly just waiting in the wings for her chance to shine.  I would still like to find out the source of the chest pain - cause it's still there.  Listening more to the theory that it's anxiety than I had before.  It may be that my body is anxious and my head has not caught up yet.  :)
5. Facebook.  Yes, I'm addicted.  But I'm also thankful for it - for a way to reach out to those in my life - past and present.  And also a way for them to reach out to me.  The words of encouragement that I have received the past few days have been like a salve to my soul.

So I am focusing on my blessings today.  Happy Birthday to me.

Fridayatitis

Fridayatits - I have it in a major way today.  :)

Better late than never - here are my blessings for today.

1. I absolutely love my primary care physician and family doctor.  Dr. Josh Bloom of Carolina Family Practice and Sports Medicine has got to be the best doctor I have ever had - period - hands down - end of discussion.  He is a wonderful man and cares for my family like no other.
2. I have a new GI doc - Dr. Angela Hutzenbuhler.  She is also - quite literally - the bomb.  So is her nurse, Janet.
3. At the risk of being repetative - I am extremely thankful for good health insurance.  I know what it's like not to have any or to have such crap insurance that I may as well not have any. 

I realize there seems to be a theme today.  :)  Let's just go with that for now.

Today's Blessings

Today's Blessings

1. I know I've said this before - but I have to say it again ... School is almost over!!!  YIPEE!!!!
2. Very little traffic on the way to work this morning - that is always a nice surprise.
3. Great co-workers ... for the most part anyway.  :) 

So post back with your blessings for today!

Blessings of the day

So here are my blessings of the day.

1. Good health insurance.  I think y'all know me well enough to know I need this.  I'm running out of "spare parts" to be rid of.  :)  My family could go broke just on meds each month alone.
2. School is almost over.  We are so ready for a slower pace of life in our house.
3. A somewhat slower pace at work - for the time being.  It's not as frantic as it has been - though I don't expect it to last very long - I want to enjoy it while it does last.

More Blessings

So, my co-worker, Cindy, just came over to my desk to give me grief over not keeping up with my "blessings" posts.  Thank you, Cindy!  Here's today's blessings ...

1. I started running again - got 5 miles in on Saturday.  It was hot and I was slow, but it feels good to get back to my running.
2. I have one fantastic mother.  I am fortunate to have her living in my yard.  :)
3. I got to see Wicked this past weekend.  PHENOMENAL.  And that feeds my next blessing ...
4. My friends.  There are many fantastic songs in Wicked - but one in particular moved me to tears.  It's called "For Good".  Here are some of the lyrics ...

(Glinda) I've heard it said

That people come into our lives for a reason

Bringing something we must learn

And we are led

To those who help us most to grow

If we let them

And we help them in return

Well, I don't know if I believe that's true

But I know I'm who I am today

Because I knew you

Like a comet pulled from orbit

As it passes a sun

Like a stream that meets a boulder

Halfway through the wood

Who can say if I've been changed for the better?

But because I knew you

I have been changed for good

(Elphaba) It well may be

That we will never meet again

In this lifetime

So let me say before we part

So much of me

Is made of what I learned from you

You'll be with me

Like a handprint on my heart

And now whatever way our stories end

I know you have re-written mine

By being my friend...

Like a ship blown from its mooring

By a wind off the sea

Like a seed dropped by a skybird

In a distant wood

Who can say if I've been changed for the better?

But because I knew you

(Glinda) Because I knew you

(Both) I have been changed for good

I have so many friends that I could point to in this moment.  Friends that encouraged me - friends who are there to listen to me - friends who have challenged me to do and be better.  Because I knew you I have been changed for good.

Wednesday's Blessings

Here are my blessings today:

1. My kids go to a fantastic school with fantastic teachers who love them and care for them and truly want the best for them.
2. My husband turns 39 today.  We have our share of ups and downs, but he is truly the love of my life and I am glad to be his wife and the mother of his children.
3. I feel blessed to have been able to have gastric bypass surgery and be down 115 pounds.

What are you blessed with today?

Blessings

I have decided to be very mindful about identifying the blessings in my life.  It is very easy for me to focus on what is wrong in my life and dwell on that - so I have decided that each day I will identify 3 blessings.  They could be as simple as "no traffic on the way to work today" or "Caleb told me he loved me" to "I got good news from the doctor today" or "I didn't have a heart attack!" (that won't be funny to those of you who don't know me well - those of you who do - laugh on).

So I am not sure how successful I will be at getting my blessings on here each and every day - but I'm going to try.  Here goes my first one:

1. I was able to get an appointment with a new GI doc for this coming Monday - yeah for not having to wait a month.
2. My husband and I made up after having a fight.
3. I got paid yesterday. (I tend to focus on how it's not as much as I would like it to be - I need to remember that in today's economy I am lucky to be getting the pay check that I do.)

Feel free to add your blessings in the comments below.  :)