Made me laugh

Back in Edina... #mnmonday

I headed back to Edina this morning to check on my Mama.  To my surprise she was standing in the kitchen to welcome me. Back to her normal welcome spot. She looked amazing. Dressed and smiling and standing.  She's so strong. I'm so proud of her.

Spent the day here with her...Dad ran some errands.  Some of Mom's friends came by. Mike, Cara and kids came after school for a bit. My cousin Tommy and his wife Michelle brought dinner...

So nice to just be here...close to Mom. To see for my own eyes how much stronger she is already. Keep praying for her. We meet with oncology Dr in 2 weeks to come up with the treatment plan. That's a big deal. 

Again so grateful for my team at home that cheers me on so I can be here...thanks most of all to my Love. 

The prayer quilt I brought Mom...made by the women in our church, prayed over by them and given to my dear friend Ruth as she went through chemo and beat cancer...now it's Mom's until she beats cancer.  

Ruth and Max after getting soaked at Costco. This is Ruth whom I love...who loves our Max, who is caring for him during the day so I can be here...I think Max kind of loves her. 

Mom's best friend Dottie stopped by with her husband. She's suffering from Alzheimer's...but adores my Mom to no end. 

Charlie and Alice wanted to play a board game. 

Helping Grandma open and read cards...

Some girl snuggle time ❤️

Prom

Tommy had Prom on Friday night...sigh growing up so fast.  And every time I say that he rolls his eyes at me....think he is tired of me sighing so much.

He took his friend Ebby Prewitt to prom, someone he has known for years and years.  Church friends and school friends.  It was her first official dance with a date, and only Tommy's second.  Tommy called her Dad 2 nights before prom to run over the plans...he was nervous but made it through the conversation.   As her Dad later told Scott, he really appreciated the call and he was glad Tommy was a little nervous, not too much, but just the right balance.  It's a BIG deal to take someone's daughter on a date.   We picked up the tux the next day...the plans were made, flowers picked up and it was time...

It was so sweet...we arrived at her house on Friday around 4:15 and Tommy's first words to Ebby were, "Hey Ebby, you really look beautiful"....sigh.  She did look beautiful.  We work and work on being a gentleman and it was SO much fun to see him in action.  Opening doors, allowing her to walk in front of him, carrying her bag to the car for "After Prom"...be still my heart,

 Can I point out how pretty corsages can be these days, you can get pretty bracelets instead of simply elastic..look at the rhinestones.  It's the details that matter.

 Ebby looked like beautiful and Tommy so handsome.

 Peprah is an exchange student that lives with the Prewitts, 

he is a senior so we had to get some with him in as well.

Yes pretending it's Prom 2020

Jack and Moriah

 Their entire Prom group downtown taking photos...

Scott and I were asked to stop at the Rollins Mansion to check out prom and the decorations...since Tommy heads it up next year.  It was fun to get dressed up for a bit ourselves and to see all of the beautiful dresses and handsome boys...oh and sneak a few pics myself.  

 They had this fun car outside to pose by.

And now for some pictures from my phone from the night...

 Possibly one of my favorites.  We wanted to share Prom with Mom and Dad so we Face Timed from Ebby's house.  LOVE love LOVE Ebby's expression as she is pointing to their oldest grandson.   So cute...loved this memory

 And yes, even after a long week I somehow pulled together getting dolled up.  Think my eyes look pretty tired, and perhaps the desserts from so many well wishers of my Mom's are on my hips here but guess what?  Such is life right now.  And I loved an evening with my Love.  And the opportunity to get to go to Prom again...

 If you take a picture at the right angle, as a selfie, with the right filter, you almost look like you are NOT tired, you have not just gained 5 pound in 6 days....

 And my favorite part of this dress...sight...the bottom.  Cannot wait to wear it again.

 We also were invited to stop at "After Prom" at school.  We stopped there around 11:30.  It was fun to see it so decorated.  Such a fun evening for the kids.

And these...were on the Des Moines Register Newspaper website today.  So much fun... Note he is on the dance floor...I have never personally seen him dance, but he must have.

He had a terrific evening.  Got to sleep around 4 am I believe and then up at 7:00 for a golf match in Panorama which is about an hour away...he wasn't home until 5:30 pm Saturday and fell asleep on the couch until we woke him at 8:00 am for church.  

Home

I got home yesterday, in time to pick up Jack and Drew from school and Max from my friend Ruth's house. I was so happy to see all of them.

Drew commented how it's so different when I'm gone. How they were fine but that there are a lot of little things I do that he misses when I'm gone. He mentioned the blog post our friend Steve wrote in Costa Rica called "The power of a mother" and how he really realized how much of a difference it is to not have a Mom around. Blessed my heart that he noticed and shared that with me. 

Max said this...

Which I loved for several reasons. I love that he sees Scott's love for me when I'm gone. 

Jack was happy I brought home chocolate desserts from mn. And Tommy told me he missed me and was happy I was home. All made me smile. Hugging Tommy makes me wonder if he grew an inch while I was away. He is getting tall.  

Scott left for St Louis at 6 am so I haven't seen him yet. Tomorrow night. ❤️ 

I'm grateful that they are independent enough to make themselves breakfast, lunches, drop Max off at friends on the way to school...do laundry if needed. They certainly love having me home but they can do it without me. 

They all had a million questions about Grandma. Lots of concerns for them there. Answered all of those and reminded them we have to trust God a lot right now. 

Grateful for the friends that helped and the food that was made for our family. We are so blessed. 

It's good to be home.  It was good to be with my Mom. It's a balance I need to master....being a Mom and a daughter. Both are very important to me. 

I was thrown right back into mom reality...

Max and mommy after I got home. 

Jacks first baseball game of the season. 

Playing catcher. 

Face timing Grandma this morning.

Long morning nap today. It's like he's been at camp for a week being juggles between friends. He was tired.

Pretty much our morning. Watching a movie snuggling. 

Blessed this afternoon to have our friend Ashley come over and play with Max...gave me some time to fold laundry and run to the store. 

And as I put my coat on to run to the store I found an Easter Egg in my pocket. hello kitty of course. Filled with candy. That Easter bunny loves me and I love him. 

Going Home... #mnmonday

Tomorrow I'm heading home to my boys.  Sadly my Love won't be there, he's headed out of town. But my others will be.  Can't wait to see them. It's been a full week away.

It's going to be hard to leave here.  I love caring for my Mom.  I truly do.  She's my Mom. I'll never be able to return half the love and care she's given me. But I cannot live here. I need to find the balance. 

Pathology came back today. Ovarian cancer...it's official. We weren't surprised.  I really don't like cancer.  But I'm trusting in my Jesus. I'm trusting that this is the path that's been planned and designed for us. Sometimes during the day I really have to remind myself in that. I keep hearing the old hymn ...

1. ’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
   Just to take Him at His Word;
   Just to rest upon His promise,
   And to know, “Thus saith the Lord!”
   • Refrain:
     Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
     How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er;
     Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
     Oh, for grace to trust Him more!
2. Oh, how sweet to trust in Jesus,
   Just to trust His cleansing blood;
   And in simple faith to plunge me
   ’Neath the healing, cleansing flood!
3. Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
   Just from sin and self to cease;
   Just from Jesus simply taking
   Life and rest, and joy and peace.
4. I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,
   Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
   And I know that Thou art with me,
   Wilt be with me to the end.

It goes through my head over and over.  Oh for grace to trust HIM more. 

Laying in bed together today.  After I'd had a good cry. Calling mom's hairdresser to tell her what's going on. Asking her to come to the house to do her hair this week. Telling her about the chemo...it was almost too much. So I crawled into bed with my mom after I had a good hard cry.  

Thanks for the prayers. This is the hard stuff in life.  Really really hard.  

Room #3561

Another day in room 3561. Mom is resting. Snoring actually.  It's funny how I find myself just watching her sleep.  Hours and hours of it. I never tire if it. 

She has a big day ahead of her getting off this epidural, or trying too. Yesterday did not go so well. Today praying it's better for her. 

As I sat holding her hand yesterday when she was in so much pain in our first attempt, I was crying. She felt the tears on her hands as I was praying and crying. And like any great mom she started to re assure me everything would be okay.  Yep that's my Mom. A pain level of 10 on a scale of 1-10 and she's trying to make ME feel better. 

And I cannot express how grateful my heart is for my beloved Scott. He has a lot going on for work and a lot going on caring for our boys and the house and all that goes with it....yet he's 100% behind my being here with my Mom. Continually reassures me that I am right where I need to be.  Not to worry about home. I fall deeper in love with him every day. 

Thanks for the prayers...

My heart is full. 

Room 3561

Good morning from room 3561 at Abbott.  Mom is sleeping. I am watching her sleep. It makes me think of all of the hours she's watched me sleep. As a baby, a sick toddler, tired teenager, new mom, after my surgeries last summer.  The roles are reversed right now. I am okay with that. It's how things are and should be for today. 

She's having a hard time getting strength to walk. And not getting faint and dizzy. Same thing as I have after surgeries.  Guess we are that much alike. 

I'm having moments of tears today which I did not have yesterday.  Sometimes I think she's just healing from surgery then I remember what we have ahead and I cry. This isn't just a surgery. They found cancer.  It's more complicated. There is wig shopping to do, spring flowers to plant at the cabin for her, meals to coordinate, hats to buy....and then there is the fact that I live 3.5 hours away and have a busy life there.  Talk about feeling torn. 

Scott has been great. He tells me to stay as long as I'm needed here. But reminds me too of how much I'm needed at home. How things don't run the same without Mom home.  Max got on FaceTime today and told me he loved me and misses me.  Ugh. Through my heart. 

I will remain here until Tuesday. Mom probably won't get home until tomorrow or Sunday. Easter baskets will be watched on FaceTime. I know I'll cry. 

I'll need to come back here soon. To do the stuff only daughters can do with their Mama's.  I'm privileged to do so. I'm trusting in Gods healing power. I'm trusting the Dr when he says this is curable. I'm about to purchase teal clothes for the first time in my life. 

I love my mama....I love being a mama. 

This is love.

Over the past 24 hours I've felt your prayers. My parents have been covered in them. We had 3 pastors here yesterday praying. All family friends. Such a rich history of love for our family.  

Our boys are being loved well at home. Friends are helping. Meals have come. Toilet paper even placed on our front porch since we were running out. 

Texts exchanged. Bible verses sent. Emails of encouragement and truth. 

Thank you.  From the very bottom of my heart thank you.  It's been an emotional ride. We are resting today. Praying for moms healing before we head down the treatment and chemo path.  But weare smiling and laughing, loving and trusting.   It's what we do. 

Some photos off my camera of the love I have seen.