360 degrees

Another amazing couple of days are happening now! This weekend our two oldest girls are attending a state wide Christian Conference! I'm so excited that they are there that I'm busting at the seams! It just so happens that my kids youth minister and my current church minster use to be in a band that performed at the VA Christian teen convention that I went to as a teen! How crazy is that??!!!! Talk about your life doing a 360! I have a bootleg copy of that Convention CD that I got from my best friend; mentioned in the previous post! I'm sure I told her at the time, "Hey, buy this CD and I'll give you some money!", and I never did! Opps! Hopefully during our 17 years of friendship I've paid up, maybe not in money but in laughs or friendship! :) So leading up to this weekend I've been praying for the girls to grow in their relationship with Christ and to form great friendships, either with each other and/or someone else. I mean who knew, in another state, that I would later attend church and help with setting up a new church with people I met as a teenager?! Our church just celebrated our 5 year anniversary and on our way to a permenanent building! Our church has been in several locations during this 5 year span, which is kind of a new concept for Eastern NC to have a "church" not be in a "sanctuary". Coming from the Hampton Roads area of VA it was nothing for me to see a church pop up here and there in movie theaters and in gyms. It truly was a blessing when we found our church because we had been looking for awhile for the right "fit" since me and my husband got married. We would either like the church and the girls just felt uncomfortable with the teen setting, or visa versa. I truly couldn't tell you how many we attended. I felt all kinds of emotions during that time, such as, well maybe we shouldn't go because if God wanted us at one we would know by now, to "what's wrong with me?! It's no about me, us, you... it's about God." Anyways my best friend contacted me during this time and said "Hey remember the guys from the band at VCTC? They are setting up a church in your area?" My response, "What? Here?!" I said, "Ok, where, when, how... we're ready!" The rest is history and now the girls are away at their own teen conference! Craziness! 

Also, I got my jewelry in today and can now start selling away! I'm so very excited and my youngest is parading around the house saying "$5 dollar, $5 dollar!" I also got to join my husband at his work conference he is in charge of. The food was "Amazing" with all kinds of fresh aquaculture. Oysters, talipa, beer battered catfish, prong... That's just to name a few. I was stuffed but most importantly got to put faces to names of people who have donated leave to me during my illness and who especially think highly of my husband. It brings me so much joy for people to reaffirm what I already know. Also, his girls were missing him some kind of bad this week. All three are "Daddy's' Girls" and truly needed a detailed internary for his absence.  My reassurance of "He's at work" was not enough info for them. 

When I got home from work, out on my front porch, was my packaged jewelry and then a fairly large rectangular box from FedEx. My immediate thought was "oh, No! What did I order??!!!" "I don't remember ordering anything that would be in a package like that?!!!" I rushed to find a pair of scissors and destroyed the box! Inside was a canvas print of me with my husbands sisters, my sisters in laws, from a St. Patricks Day spent in Atlanta. This picture holds sooooo much sentinmental value. This was the first time I met his sisters, the first and only picture I believe of all three of us and my first and last time drinking Gusiness, lol! When I first started talking to my husband, within the first month, he made me talk to his oldest sister. At the time, I was working a hour from home, and talked to her the full length of time plus more. From the moment I left work, from the time I pulled into my parents driveway. I still remember the spot I picked up the phone to talk to her and pass by it on the way "home" from NC to VA. I didn't have a chance to spend much time with her because cancer took her way too soon. But the moments I do remember, the way she talked about her brother and threatening me if I hurt him and his kids, listening to hard rock Irish music and cruising the Atalanta highways on St. Patricks Day ( she was mad at me :) ), drinking hott Gusiness at 8am before they would allow us into the bar, her kissing and "eating" Madison's toes when she was a baby and walking the Relay for Life Race with my husband pushing her in the wheelchair (my Dad still talks about her til this day about how upbeat you were)!  Thank you for the surprise canvas ( you know who you are) because I was just thinking to myself "I need some St. Patricks Day decorations" and now that picture fills the void and more! 

#100happydays

I already wrote this blog post once a couple nights ago but when I went to add photos it deleted it. Ughh, trying to overachieve!  So maybe it wasn't meant to be and this is the post that everyone shall enjoy. Well I have had some spectular days thirst past days. Actually it all started a week ago. Wow, time sure does fly when you are having fun! 

First let's start off with my bestfriend from 7th grade came down and we went out to dinner with our husbands and kids. When we got back we were both on our cell phones sitting on the couch. I think the key to a good friendship is enjoying eachother even in the quiet moments. But at 11pm, all is fair game and we turn into giggly school girls. We have played matchmakers with our school yearbooks, made up song lyrics and drummed to Ozzy to name a few. On Saturday, we went to Myrtle Beach and on the way down it was chilly and rainy. As soon as we stepped out of the car and started walking to the outlets the sun came out and we were both happy. #100happydays I smiled and sent up a thanks to God for letting the weather clear up so we could enjoy some shopping. We checked into the hotel room before dinner and prepared our bellies for a 15 course meal of different meats! We ate at Rioz, a Brazilain steakhouse, where they keep bringing various meats out unitil you flip over your red chip to signal you are about to bust! We took this as a challenge and our own version of the Winter Olympics. We made it through all 15 meats and even ate from the salad bar. Hey don't judge there was fresh shrimp on there! #100happydays
When we got back from dinner we opened up the sliding glass door and the view looking down was breathtaking! (Picture below) We left the sliding glass door open and cranked up the heat for sweet dreams. #100happydays

Here comes late night giggles... The lamp  made a shadow of an eye and we started making shadow puppets! Another sent up "thanks to God" for my best friend and being able to just enjoy the little moments and for great husbands allowing us to go. On Sunday, we packed up and headed home under sunny skies and warmer weather...Ahhh! #100happydays.

I worked that following Monday and then my office was closed Tuesday and Wednesday! Why you ask?.......SNOW!!! I admit I'm a snowholic and there's just never enough snow for me! I just keep wanting more! I will say the state has bursted my snow bubble a little bit because we have to either take vacation or make it up. At least they give us the option of making it up because using vacation days is not an option for me due to cancer. No pity party here! Just now I can save money and extra calories by not going home for lunch. Anyways, the snow was gorgeous and I've never seen it snow hard for so long before. In total we got 7" and I got a lot done at the house. I skyped with my cousin in NJ and got to see her baby who was born in December! I was so happy to be able to see the baby because I was crushed when things did not work out to surprise her for baby shower. I was sick and being on chemo at the time made me more susceptible to getting more sick. Plus 8 hours in the car was just not doable at the time. So thank you, thank you for Skype and making it possible to see that precious baby! I also skyped with my SIL, niece and nephew! #100happydays Another thanks to God sent up. 

Onto Thursday I got my results from my CT scan I got on Tuesday! My cancer is "stable" and my oncologist thinks he has it beaten down! He even said my liver shows a slight improvement. If you are just now reading my blog you need to go back a few blog posts and catch up. :) With any scans/treatments along comes bills. However, I'm doing so well now that I can get by with a CT scan every 3 months, which is quicker and cheaper! #100happydays

I'm very thankful that while going through treatment I have been able to work and my husband has as well. I was looking for a way to offset the costs of medical bills and came across Paparazzi Accessories. Selling $5 jewelry! I thought long and hard about it because I'm not one to just throw myself out there and am reserved around people until I know them. But I figured this would be something positive to do, to focus my energy on and do something with the girls! So my business manager, AKA husband, came up with my "business name" Charmed for the Cure! I'm surrounded by beautiful women inside and out daily and now they can be real charmers! :)  I receive my jewelry on Friday and can't wait to hit the ground running! Well maybe not running but a face pace walk! My husband created my Charmed for the Cure Facebook page and I've exceeded 100 likes already and it has only been up for 2 days! So here's to #100happydays and a #100happycustomers!