One Step Forward, One Step Sideways

As I'm lying here today in bed, wishing my back felt a little better, watching a football game I don't really care about, it took me 5 minutes to write this sentence. Why you ask?

Do I lay in bed? Do I lie in bed? You know I like to get things right when I write...I just had to make sure by visiting Get It Write - http://www.getitwriteonline.com/archive/051402lielay.htm

I know, right. Pray for me. I'm overthinking everything right now.

Even so -
   My sweet husband took us for a quick 20 minute outing yesterday right down the street to get a pumpkin. Ian asked if we could go get a pumpkin and there's a pumpkin patch less than 5 miles away, so why not? This is significant, because it's not something we normally do, but I really wanted to get outside in the gorgeous weather for just a little while.
   Ian enjoyed being the strong man and carrying a pumpkin around. It was amusing to see how many pumpkins were perfect. Then Ian and Woody held the pumpkin up to the mule for approval. The mule was on the other side of an electric fence.

Details...What a fun time.

I Love My Boys

I am a blessed woman. Woody and Ian take care of me physically and look for little ways to bring joy while I can't do much for myself. If you've ever met them, no explanation needed - you know I am a blessed woman.

The past two weeks, they've shown me love in some very tangible ways. Woody knows I love sunflowers, so when he saw a sunflower balloon while grocery shopping, he knew it had to come home with the eggs and milk. No watering required.

When Woody goes to soccer practice or a soccer game, Ian gets the privilege of being in charge and making sure I behave. We decided to try to help daddy out and do some laundry. As is generally the case, Ian found an opportunity to be a comedian and ended up in the dryer. He knows that laughter is medicine and he is hysterical!

I am recovering more slowly than I would like, but I am trying to soak in the opportunity I've been given to slow down and appreciate being loved.

When Life Gives You Apples...

I was thinking earlier today about the saying "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Well right now, I'm not making lemonade, because I have not been given lemons. I am making apple pie, apple crisp, apple braid, baked apples, applesauce, apple butter, caramel apples...hungry yet? I could keep going like Forest Gump on this one. I have been given apples, not lemons.

My surprise visit to Ian's classroom to see his project.

It is difficult to have surgery after surgery and bounce back and recover. It's a little tart. My body has really been put through the ringer over the past year. But I have a great surgeon, and I don't have cancer anymore. I have a precious husband and an adorable son who take such good care of me, allowing me to rest and recover. I live in a place where access to fantastic medical care is a 15 minute drive in any direction. That's sweet. My situation is workable and like an apple pie baking in the oven, the entire house is affected by it. We're all a little stronger, a little more resilient, and a little more understanding.

Right now, I am very much a slowly recovering patient. I still have surgical drains in (if you don't know what those are, you don't want to know) and I spend most of my day sitting in a chair or laying in bed trying to be good and not use my right arm. I have been fortunate to get out of the house twice now for two short trips - I just wore a jacket to cover the drains up. I am better every day and I so appreciate everyone who has brought food, sent cards and texts and checked in on me. We're just taking this one day at a time and being patient. Kind of like waiting for an apple pie to bake. 

In case I got you hungry to make something with apples and you need ideas, 50 Things you can do with Apples - Food Network (Can you guess what I lay in bed and watch on TV?)

Every day is a great day. See you soon.

e