Happy start of Summer! Woo Hoo! It has felt like July the last few days with our 90 degree temps. Feels good for now but by July I will have had enough. Hoping we can still have some more 75-80 degree days before then. Pretty please Mother Nature. I really have no place to complain at all because we did have a really great spring and I know many did not.
I am working this holiday weekend because on Monday afternoon Ellie and I will be heading to St. Jude for her 6 month scans. Not the ideal way I wanted to spend our first weekend of summer but I am grateful she survived her cancer and she still can go and have check-ups and to go to a wonderful hospital like St. Jude. Speaking of St. Jude. How wonderful is John Rich? He won Celebrity Apprentice, mentioned St. Jude about a gazillion times on air and then presented the hospital with a 1.3 million dollar check. He is kind of sexy too, for a cowboy. Emma and I watched the entire season and we were so thrilled he won. Emma loves his side kick, rapper, little Jon. I actually like him too. Who knew. I don't find him sexy though. Just clarifying that.
So flying off to St. Jude on Monday, with a Friday afternoon return, means that I have to pretty much clear my work board with orders. I have lots of them too so in between sips of margaritas and bites of hot dogs, I will be working most of the weekend. Our neighborhood pool opens today so Steven will take Ellie for a while. She loves, loves loves the pool. Emma will probably stay home and stare at her new phone all day. Her phone met and early and untimely death. I cannot recall what type of phone it was. A touch screen of some sort but it did not have internet capabilities. So because we have phone insurance, (like any good parent of a teenager should) they replaced it. The company that does this did not have any more similar phones to give her so they sent her a droid phone of some sort. A smart phone. One that has apps and can get her online. Oi Vhey! She is thrilled - but me not so much as my phone bill has increased by $20.00 a month. At least I can sweat $20.00 worth of new chores out of her each month. That's a bonus. So, yeah, she will be lovingly gazing at her phone with a smile spread from ear to ear this weekend. Because, you know, it completes her.
Back to St. Jude. I wish we never had to go back again. I want a doctor to come out and tell us, 'Guess what Ellie, you are cancer free, you will continue to live your life without cancer, you will have no side effects and we never want to see you again.' Wouldn't that be nice. Wishful thinking on my part because I feel like we will never be out from this cloud. For the most part the skies are sunny and we live our lives but when it is scan time, we revert back to nervous balls of energy trying to stay positive but letting in the darkness of recurrence sneak in. I know what we have seen. I know how strong and healthy Ellie is. I know that the presence of God is and was with us every step of the way, like He is with all his children and I know He is in control. Whatever that outcome may be. So this scan is out of my control and we just have to pray for the best news. Ellie's MRI is Tuesday morning so if you are inclined to say a prayer of healing, please do. (pretty please!)
I have been so consumed with work that I haven't taken too many photos but I do have a few. I took a quick walk to the lake after dropping Ellie at school one morning so here are the shots from that. Like I mentioned we have had a beautiful Spring. Great weather, sunny skies, rain at night...it was all good. Here's for the trend to continue into the summer months.
Thanks for your prayers!
Starting off with beautiful Ellie. After everything she has been through and she looks like this. Melts my heart. ♥
A shot of our lake in the morning haze.
Babies at the lake. Guess these are more like teenagers by now but I loved seeing them.
Caught this little guy sunning on a rock. The reflection is wonderful and the peek through the reeds at him is sweet.
My neighbor has bluebirds in her mailbox. (Sounds like a disease)
The proud parents take a rest on my mailbox post before heading off to feed the kids.
Off goes dad...
Love the sign-age at their place.
