The Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today...
March 30, 2009

Outside my window...
The birds are singing and the sun is shining through a partly cloudy sky. After a cold rain on Saturday, yesterday was a gorgeous spring today. Today promises more of the same.

I am thinking...
I am thinking about Pastor Marty's sermon yesterday. He did part 2 of a 3 part series on The Seasons of Life. I need to download last weeks message since I missed it while I was out of town. For some time I have felt that I am in a winter season and I have hated it. I really didn't realize it was a season - I just thought I was in a "funk" : ) Pastor Marty told us that each season brings the opportunity for challenge, change, and God's blessing.

1. I can't change what season I am in but I can change me in the season. God is in charge of all the seasons - Acts 1:7

^"And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power."

2. I need to work within God's season - the present season I am in, not the season I desire to be in. Proverbs 20:4
"The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing."

3. Do not force season changes - Galatians 6:9
"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not"

4. Prepare for the next season in the present season. - Proverbs 6:6-8
" ⁶Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: ⁷Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, ⁸Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest."

5. My season today is an opportunity, not an obstacle. - Jeremiah 5:24
"Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest."

There's nothing like a fresh new perspective from the Lord!

I am thankful for...
God's blessing in my husband's job, especially in light of the current economic situation of our country!!

From the learning rooms...
back to school after spring break.

From the kitchen...
breakfast...waffles, bacon, fresh strawberries
dinner...broccoli ham ring
hopefully a batch of granola!

I am wearing...
still in pj's. (But I have a good excuse!!!) Lymphedema Therapy is at noon today and I am leaving my arm in the compression wrap as long as possible. I'll unwrap it and shower soon : ) This is my last week of therapy - hallelujah!!!

I am creating...
absolutely nothing. It's been a long 3 weeks of therapy and I have extremely limited use of my left hand while it's wrapped everyday. I decided to try my best to create my daybook entry today because I have really missed blogging!!

I am going...
to therapy, run a couple of errands, take Rachel to ballet tonight, slip in on a cancer support group meeting for a short time, and then finally finish my day at a homeschool support group board meeting. What a Monday!!

I am reading...
a book about Lymphedema

I am hoping...
for a week of nice weather! The sunshine always makes me happier!

I am hearing...
It's pretty quiet around here this morning. Allan is gone to work, then school later. Rachel is preparing to start on her schoolwork.

Around the house...
Rachel and I cleaned the living room Saturday and put out some Easter decorations. I haven't decorated for Easter in 2 years - how sad! I even found a beautiful spring ceramic bowl that I didn't remember having. Someone must have given it to me the Easter before I was sick because it was packed away with the decorations and I haven't decorated since that Easter. I am so thankful that life is resuming normalcy again!!!

One of my favorite things...
Sharing the Easter story using our set of Ressurection Eggs - yes, even with my 15 year old!

A few plans for the rest of the week...
Therapy every day this week, taking Rachel to ballet Mon. - Thur. and again all day Saturday, Rachel's optometrist appt., my dentist appt. (hopefully no cavities this time!!!), and just trying to get back in our normal routine after spring break.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Haley, Rachel, Annie, & Emily at Regional Dance America/Southwest Region Festival
Gala Banquet
March 22, 2009 - Sugar Land, Texas

Haley, Annie & Emily are friends from OU SummerWind Dance Intensive last summer. Their dance company is also a member of RDA/SW so the girls were excited to see one another.

To read more daybook entries, visit Peggy at The Simple Woman's Daybook.

I'm Still Here

Just in case you read my blog and wonder where I am lately - I haven't forgotten my blog or dropped of the face of the earth. I actually have several things I want to blog about; like my MRI results, my trip to Dallas, the YSC Conference, an upcoming trip to Houston to name a few.

First - the MRI and mammogram were CLEAR!! I am free from scans for another six months. I'd hoped for a year but that didn't happen this time as I'd thought. That's okay - six months is good. I still see my oncologist every four months so I'm still under surveillance on a fairly regular basis. That has it's own pros and cons : )

The rest of the posts will have to wait a bit longer. I am somewhat impaired at the moment and it's not easy to type!! I am undergoing a month of physical therapy for lymphedema. Lymphedema is swelling in my arm that is a result of having lymph nodes removed when I had a lumpectomy and node removal in 2006. Not everyone gets this after lymph node removal but for some reason I have it. Thankfully, it isn't too bad but needs to be taken care of so it doesn't cause other problems that can be very serious. I go to therapy every day and then I am wrapped from shoulder to finger joints in a compression wrap until it's time to go the next day. This is not fun!!! I'll try to post more about it when I am finished with therapy but here's a picture of what my arm looks like wrapped: