So Sorry!

It's been quite a while since I last posted. Updates on last information:

• Our dear friend with breast cancer is doing well. She is so positive and relying on her faith and prayers. She's had two sessions of chemotherapy and her hair has fallen out. Sometimes we see her with "Sally" (the wig) on and sometimes a cute bandanna. Her cancer is softening up a bit, so that's good. Two treatments down and four to go, for this phase. Thank you for all your kind thoughts and prayers for her!
  
• The Bible Study is going well. I am thoroughly enjoying the learning I'm doing, about the Bible and about myself.
• My parents are on their way here (hopefully safely through some slick weather!) And we take off tomorrow for a week's vacation with them. The weather where we're headed isn't supposed to be great, but should be fun, nonetheless. We haven't done a trip longer than 2-3 days with them since I've been married (13 1/2 years!)
• Still no scrapbooking and not much running since the last post. Hoping to remedy the latter on the trip!
• No subbing jobs since the longterm, because of the spring break vacation coming. I do have one for the Friday after the kids return from break.

I received an email from a high school classmate: 15 year reunion is being planned for this summer. Hardly seems like it's been 15 years. Interesting, though, how some things haven't changed....
I have appreciated catching up on fellow bloggers' posts! I'm sorry I haven't updated until now!
I will post more when we return from our trip. I have also updated links and my photo, tonight, but have to rest as we leave at 3am for our long drive Southward tomorrow. Fingers crossed that the kids do well!! :)
Thanks again for all your comments and well-wishes. They are greatly appreciated!
Happy Easter!

Randomness and lots of it!

I have a lot to catch up on! It's been almost a month since I posted. I apologize to the regular readers. Been a lot happening here. My husband says I need to break things up into small posts so people can find info better, but... I don't. :)
First, I'm still subbing. My job has been extended until March 7. The teacher who has breast cancer is doing great, but still tired, and the kiddos wear you out, so she needs to get more strength before she comes back. I am definitely still enjoying my job!
Other things I have enjoyed:

• Church: We have been greeters in the mornings (for all of February). I like starting other people's day off with a smile and warmth. Also, I have been attending a Beth Moore Bible Study on Tuesday nights. It is called Jesus the One and Only. It has been pretty good so far. It has daily homework, which has been hard to keep on, but the study has been good! We have also started a life group (the hubby and I) where we meet with 7 other adults and talk about the week's sermon. Our church is encouraging this study through Lent.
• Speaking of Lent, our church did an Ash Wednesday service, even though it's not a Catholic Church. It was a very reverent evening with much peace. I felt very moved throughout the evening.
• Deciding on my "one little word". I chose Faith. I need to have faith in myself as a teacher. I need to work on my relationship with God to grow my faith, I have to have faith in His decisions... You get the idea. Faith is my word for the year. I got a charm from Etsy that says "FAITH" on it a while back as inspiration, also. Any of the regular readers choose a word?

Things I haven't enjoyed:

• Let's start with the easy things...Running... well, I did a nice three mile with my daughter and dog and it was great-no soreness, although the lungs were tired at the end...and that's it. Sad, hmmm?
• The hubby went on a business trip last week. Everytime he goes somewhere the kids get sick; our oldest got the flu. Yuck! Luckily none of us got it, other than her. Also, he went somewhere warm and we were stuck in the winter storms, which made it tough for all of us to appreciate. :)
• I haven't done any scrapbooking, either. Just not enough time, although I'd love to! :)
• I had two moles removed on Martin Luther King, Jr. day and they came back pre-pre-cancerous so I had to go back today and have more, deeper outer lying areas removed, too. Ouch. They said to prevent my moles getting worse, wear long sleeved, shirts, hats (even when I run), 50SPF sunscreen every hour when I'm out between 11am and 3pm, and gt check-ups every 6 months.
• However, I can't do too much complaining about simple moles. Our worst news is that one of my dear friends found out last Monday that she has breast cancer (invasive ductal carcinoma). Long list of details, but she started chemotherapy today to shrink the tumor. Then they'll do surgery (after 6 sessions of chemo-one every three weeks) and then radiation. Her oldest daughter is my youngest daughter's best friend, which is how I got to know her. She's been on my mind, heart and prayer list and hopefully things will go positively. Keep her in your prayer, as well, if you can.

That's all from here, from the minimal to the scary. I hope all of you, readers, have had a good weekend and a good start to your week.

My Baby Girl

Thirteen years ago today our first little girl was born. The Friday before she was born the husband and I went to see a movie (Sinbad's Houseguest, which caused me to decide that I'd never see another Sinbad movie, ever.) The seats were uncomfortable and by the time the evening was over I was not feeling too well. We went home and I was ill. I was so ill I thought I might need to go to the hospital... but a new Star Trek series was starting so the hubby said, "Try to sleep, and if you still don't feel well when this show is over I will take you to the emergency room." My due date was still two weeks away, so we didn't think we needed to rush. After the show, I was still quite ill and we headed to the hospital. We found out I was severely dehydrated and had the flu, so I was staying for observation. At about 1:30 the next afternoon my contractions started. I got a bit nervous: my "hospital bag" that I'd packed was at home, and we didn't have a boy's name picked out! I had felt sure it was a girl, and we had a girl's name picked out, but what if it wasn't?? The husband was stuck on Indiana... yes, like Indiana Jones and the state we lived in at the time. I vetoed and prayed it was a girl! My muscles were so weak from the flu the day before that it took quite a long time to deliver our girl: 18 hours of actual labor. After she was delivered my husband stood between her and I. He said "Ten fingers, ten toes and she looks like E.T.!" I was mortified and had to see our beautiful girl for myself. My brother in law came and was the first to hold her, after us. There was only one other family, an Amish family, delivering that weekend, and they left the next morning, so I had the nurses at my beck and call. :) We took her home two days later and found out she had jaundice, so she was pretty yellow! She got a special light-her glow worm blanket we called it-and it worked within two days.
She has been a joy ever since. Wonderful girl. I can't believe I have a teenager! She started out as a 6 lb. 8 ounce baby and is now two inches taller than me! She is sweet, smart, beautiful, caring, nurturing to little kids, hard working at school and running, faithful and prayerful. She is empathetic and polite, and I'm not just saying that because I'm biased. ;) She stopped in to see the class I'm subbing in today. They asked if she was my sister, if she could drive (how did she get here, then? She walked from her nearby middle school.) and she helped zip up coats, book bags and putting on scarves and mittens while they got ready to go. She is very good with little ones.
Well, that's all. I just wanted to celebrate my girl by thinking back all those years to when she brought us the beginning of our parental joy.
(My oldest is a teenager, now, too, Momo! :))

Quick Post

I am about to head off to substitute teach. I love the job, the kids are a joy and I know I definitely want to be a full time teacher. :) I'm tired out, and staying up later than I should, but caffeine helps! :)
My parents came this weekend and my dad helped remove the carpet in our downstairs and put in laminate flooring. I'm really happy with the way it looks-no more dog stained carpet! :) It was great to have a little longer weekend visit with my parents as they all had Martin Luther King, Jr. day off, as well.
I have narrowed down my one little word search to 5...Hopefully I'm down to one by February 1st!

1. Faith
2. Grace
3. Joy
4. Legacy
5. Peace

I did write letters last week. Some to my daughters, some to family and friends. Was a good thing for me, hopefully to the recipients, too!

Running has been virtually nonexistent... I will be working towards a half marathon in April, I think...

I start a Beth Moore Bible Study tonight, as well, which will give me "homework", but I look forward to getting back to daily Bible readings.

Hope you are well!! And getting through the cold weather and snow, if you're receiving it!

One More...

I was listening to my ipod tonight and heard a song that's been a favorite of mine since I saw it in concert/heard it for the first time. Legacy by Nichole Nordeman. This song moves me each time I hear it, sometimes to tears. I got to thinking that Legacy might be a good word... is everything I do going to leave a positive legacy? In other people's hearts and minds...More importantly to God?? Just a thought... Now, I'm up to twelve words. :) Hmm, I'm supposed to be narrowing down. oops. :) Here are the lyrics:

Legacy

I don't mind if you've got something nice to say about me
And I enjoy an accolade like the rest
You could take my picture and hang it in a gallery
Of all who's who and so-n-so's that used to be the best
At such'n'such ... it wouldn't matter much

I won't lie, it feels alright to see your name in lights
We all need an 'Atta boy' or 'Atta girl'
But in the end I'd like to hang my hat on more besides
The temporary trappings of this world

I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love? Did I point to You enough
To make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who
blessed your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy

I don't have to look too far or too long awhile
To make a lengthly list of all that I enjoy
It's an accumulating trinket and a treasure pile
Where moth and rust, thieves and such will soon enough destroy

Not well traveled, not well read, not well-to-do or well bred
Just want to hear instead, "Well Done" good and faithful one...

I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love? Did I point to You enough
To make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who
blessed your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy

I don't mind if you've got something nice to say about me..."

Well, now I'm off to write my letter(s) for today! Good night!