Busy busy

Why does it feel like this is the last weekend before I will be gone for a long time?  Feels like we have to get a hundred things done in just 2 days.  Well we got 2 1/2 days because everything came to a screeching halt in Nashville around noon Friday due to the storm threat.  Thankfully this one was much ado about not much and the storms passed more or less without incident here. 

I have to say I got a couple care packages and a lot of cards this week.  I just absolutely love mail - cards and packages.  I think maybe that harkens back to my West Point days when sometimes that was the only thing to get excited about or look forward to.  Anyway, thank you so much for my packages.  I treasure them.  And the meals, oh my goodness, are we spoiled.  We have had so much delicious food made for us, its phenomenal.  We feel very very loved and fortunate.  Thank you Aaron & Rebecca, Julie, Rachel, Keith & Robin, Mark & Jillyn, Amber, Joe & Jamie, Angie & Chris, John, Miss Betty, Karen, Rick & Heather, Jack, DeeDee, Kendall's team at Asurion...  I am sure I am forgetting someone but it has been simply overwhelming the people who have either brought or sent us stuff.

Emilia & I went to watch her old Gymini team compete at the Convention Center last night.  It was wonderful to see our friends and witness how much progress the girls are making in their gymnastics.  I continue to be just amazed at what an incredible culture there is at Gymini and it certainly shows in their performance!  Way to go girls!

Today we were busy all day.  Emilia & I went to see my friend Karla this morning in the hospital.  It was wonderful to see her; I'm glad she is getting great care in the hospital & they are getting to the bottom of her episodes.  I know she wants to be home & she misses her family like mad, but she will at least get a bit of rest until they figure things out.

Kendall took Eriana to swimming class this morning where the instructor told him she doesn't need to be in class; she needs to be on the junior swim team.  She was beaming when she got home - so proud!  So I have that on my list to look into.  She went to her friend Garrett's birthday party this afternoon & had the time of her life.  Her friends' parents and her teachers have been so gracious offering to do things with the girls during Spring Break, which is coincidentally my first week of 5 days/6 hours each chemo. 

We also got Emilia & Eriana all set for the summer.  They are going to be busy girls - various camps ranging from sports to cooking to gardening to art plus a couple weeks hopefully in Florida with their cousins and grandparents.  Who's going to take pictures since I won't be there!?

Tonight Emilia & Kendall are at "Hello Dolly", the middle school play at FRA.  Eriana & I are hanging out watching movies & chilling.  Tomorrow we are having some family portraits taken and then some friends of Kendall's are coming for dinner which will be fun!

Monday is hopefully work & then Tuesday, drum roll please, the first day of the rest of my life.  Chemo starts; thankfully Kendall is going with me for Day One (I don't think I'm tough enough to go alone!)...  The port still hurts, especially if I get tired or move the wrong way.  Its definitely better each day but this is CRAZY - its been nearly a week.  I am taking the pain meds only at night now.  I just hope it eases up enough for them to touch it without me screaming Tuesday.

Today's photo therapy is from a trip we made to the circus last spring.  We bought tickets to go and then I got invited to a VIP (ie. sales pitch) event with more tickets so we actually went twice.  And we loved every minute of it.  I know the circus can be a bit questionable in terms of how they treat the animals, but we didn't witness any of that.  I love the first one because it looks like the elephant is smiling.  I took this from the stands during the actual performance & I was so thrilled to get such a great shot.  If you see the original humongous file, you can zoom in & look at the hair on the elephant.  Amazing.  The second one I love because to me it captures the essence of both Eriana and the circus (yes, there are more than one or two similarities!).  And the last one I took on the arena floor before the performance began.  This elephant was painting and we were so close to her it was actually difficult to get a shot, but this one I adore.