Wednesday One Word

I know that on Wednesday, it's suppose to be Hodgepodge Day, but Joyce had some excuse about travelling, house cleaning, getting together with friends and being generally busy with life.  She gave herself a "Snow Day" and so there is no Hodgepodge.  The perfect  time to type up my One Word post on Joy.

I have Joy in the husband of my youth. Come July 1st we will have been married for 41 years.  We are High School Sweethearts and we still act that way. We still hold hands in public and often show Public Displays of affection.  I still light up when he calls my name and my nick name, SWMBO. It stands for "She Who Must Be Obeyed."  He has been the care giver to me in the past and he does not leave when the going gets hard.  He sticks close by and takes over. I cannot imagine going through this alone.  How do people do that?? He has given me over 41 years of Joy.  He is my rock.

I have Joy in my doctors.  Dr. Shah has said to us more than once that he doesn't treat lab results but he treats the whole person.  Do they have fight still in them? How do they look? How do they sound?  He decided to continue with Chemo even though I have a kidney infection and am on antibiotics for it.  I'm so glad that he did that.  This whole Chemo thing is exhausting and the thought of posponing it for a week was depressing.  I'm glad he opted to keep on target and press on.

I also have Joy in my Primary Care Physician, Dr. Nguyen, who keeps looking for problems that may come up but problems that I can't feel.  He is the one who found the kidney infection and got me on the antibioticis. He explained that with my current compromised immune system, I cannot tell if I'm sick, so that is now his job.  We have a plan for me to call him if I suspect something is wrong and it's his job to find it.  He has a very strong accent but I must say I am learning to love this man.

I have Joy in our oncology nurse Lisa. What a ray of sunshine she is!! She tells me I'm not nuts when I ask her if my Chemo Port (called Pebbles becasue she is one bump in the road to recovery) can pop out of my skin and be rejected by my body.  She told me no, it does move however as I stretch and bend and that can make it feel like my body is rejecting it.  She always laughs and teases us.  She is kind, loving, and remembers what we like and need from week to week and gets us answers when she doesn't know the answer right away. She is a must in this walk through Multiple Myeloma Cancer.

And most importanly I have Joy in Our Heavenly Father - God!  He put all these wonderful people in our path. We trust Him, so we trust those He sent us to.  He is with us every step of the way and although I have some days of depression, anger, frustration and pain, I Know that I am in good hands.
On those days when I'm feeling down, I remind myself of these things and I find my JOY again.


 

WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE & One Word for 201

Thank you once again Joyce for the questions this month.  Good ones!! Also my one word for 2013 is under my random thought.  

1. May is National Blood Pressure Month...what sends yours soaring, either literally or figuratively? What calms you down? When did you last have your bp checked?

I'm lucky to have normally low blood pressure (90/60) and it was checked yesterday. I will say that my blood pressure goes up every time I hear about Dr. Kermit Gosnell.  The facts of what he did to those babies makes my blood boil!  He was found guilty but may NOT get the death penalty also soars my blood pressure.  He should not only be found guilty but should then be taken from the court room, down the hall to a closet, and have his spinal cord cut without benefit of drugs to relieve him of pain!! Let him feel what those precious babies felt!! With out care, with out a chance to plead for their life.  

2. You just found $1-what do you spend it on? How about 10$ 100?

A dollar will not go too far so it may just go into the pocket UNLESS I saw who dropped it, then I would run up to them and return it.

If I found $10 or $100. I would do my best to find it's owner. Money is tight all around and that may have been someone ones money for a Rx refill, or doctor visit.  I would feel terrible if I lost that much so I would do my best to find the owner.  If I couldn't then I would give it to the church where is would do some good for someone.

3. Mandatory labeling of genetically engineered (GE) food has been proposed, but not enacted in the US. How much attention do you give food labels before you buy? Are you in favor of labeling if it means an increase in food prices? Is this an issue you've been following and feel strongly about, or is this the first you've heard of the controversy?

I've heard about the controversy and would want my food labeled even if meant an increase in food prices.  It's important to know what is going into your body because I really do feel strongly about the connection between the food we eat now and all the health issues we find ourselves having. I do look at labels before I buy anything. It's amazing what gets hidden in our food.

4. May 15th marks the birthdate of Frank Baum, author of The Wizard of Oz. At this point in time, are you more in need of brains, courage, heart, or a trip back home? Explain.

Today I would say I need a brain. Mine is so full of stuff that I find I forget stuff. I even forgot today was Hodgepodge day!  My wonderful husband remembered and copied the questions for me - the answers are completely mine.  I just have a lot of balls up in the air, a lot on my plate as it were and wish my brain was bigger, faster or something to keep up with it all.

5. "There's no place like home" is an oft repeated line from Baum's book. When was the last time you felt the truth of that statement?

I love being home!  I love cuddling with my husband, watching TV. I love having the grand kids over playing in the doll house, or cooking on the play stove.  I love it here. So I feel the truth of that statement all the time, but I do believe it was originally meant in a more negative way as in Home is never the same once you move away.  However, I believe HOME is wherever your heart is and since my heart and Hubby's heart are one, we are home as long as we are together. Not the answer you were looking for.....?

6.  Steak...yes please or no thank you? What cut do you prefer and how do you like yours cooked? Sauce or no sauce? Besides your own kitchen, where's a place you like to go to get a great steak? 

 I do like a good steak every once in a while. The Outback Restaurant has some good ones.  I like Sirloin steak cooked very well done without all the sauces that they sometimes offer.  

7. When was the last time you were in a genuine hurry?

I tend to leave in plenty of time to get to where I'm going so I really can't remember the last time I was running late and in a hurry.  I don't like driving stressed and I like to have time for the sometimes crazy traffic we will have up here.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

JOY within me.

   I've been keeping a secret from just about all of you.  Today I am letting the secret out. Eleven months ago I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, a type of blood cancer that affects the plasma in my blood. I was told it was "Smoldering" which meant it was not doing anything, just sitting in my blood.  So we didn't do anything except tell our kids and a few close friends.  They became my Prayer Warriors and together we have kept the illness at bay.  

   Every month I saw a doctor, either my Primary Care Doctor or our Oncologist, for blood tests. Every month I was told I was healthy.  Then in early April the blood test showed that the cancer was growing. More tests showed it was growing at a faster rate, so on May 3rd I had a Chemo Port implanted in my chest (we named her Pebbles, as in a little bump in the road to better health) and on Tuesday the 14th I had my first Chemo Treatment.  

   In all I will have 16 treatments, one every week. 2 different Chemo drugs and a steroid for side affects as well as taking a anti-viral pill 2 times a day for the next 4 months.  This is a grueling treatment, but I feel strong, not sick at all and we are ready to fight.  I am also a good canadate for a stem cell bone marrow transplant sometime in the future.  

   It's time to let the cat out of the bag as it were so if you don't see me blogging it's most likely because I under the weather or that this illness does take up a lot of space on the calendar.  I have a lot to do to get well and so the Joy within me is that I'm healthy enough to do what the doctors want me to do and I have Prayer Warriors that have been bringing me before God for eleven months now.  Best of all I have Hubby, who has taken up a lot of extra duties since this thing started.  He is the best and I'm so glad to have him by my side.  Good thing he's retired right?

Ok you're turn, how would you answer these questions?

Weekend Review filled with JOY

The weekend didn't start off filled with joy, but is sure did end that way.  I love when God takes me from feeling down to up on top of a mountain in just a few days.  It makes my heart light.

Friday we were told to expect 2-4 inches of snow. I was sure not happy about that. Instead we got an inch of ice and sleet. That turned out to be far worse!  There were cars off the road and a lot of spin outs.  We took our time getting home after work and I was very glad to be home safe.

Saturday it all starting to defrost and melt. I went out with the dogs to work on raking around the snow piles.  The ground is still frozen but there is about a 1/4 inch of soft ground so the leaves are coming up and it's getting easier to rake.

All of the snow in the front and both sides are gone, this is all I have for snow at the moment so of course we have to start taking out the summer things.

We started to take out the grand kids toys

And also started to take out August's agility toys

Best of all, we had some flowers pop open to greet us!

Sunday, was the best day EVER.  Our normal preacher is away on vacation and he asked Hubby to give the sermon.  Hubby agreed and prayed and studied and wrote his sermon and rewrote his sermon and on Sunday morning, he got up and delivered his sermon.  I am so proud of him! He was nervous and the room was full but he did it. He gave a sermon that was logical, spiritual, and scripturally sound. Well Done!

God took me from sadness over sleet and ice to gladness getting to watch my husband preach the word of God to our congregation. 

My One Word for 2013- JOY

Joy is my word for the year. It’s about feeling joy within and without. The outer joy is pretty easy, what makes me smile, what makes me laugh, what makes me feel safe and loved. Those things are easy to see.

I married my Joy!

 We were high school friends before we became man and wife. Did I ever tell you that he proposed three times before I said Yes? He really did!

The first time he asked, I figured no one in their right mind would want to be married to me and the family that would come with that choice. So I said no.

The second time he asked, I figured that we were too young and stupid to ever make it work, after all who was I??? (I had low self-esteem issues back then). We were not even 18 years old yet after all!

I had a list of reasons why it would never work. I’m right handed, he’s left handed. I’m ALWAYS cold; he’s hot most of the time. I love the summer, he loves fall. I’m the crazy morning person who wakes up at 4:30 most mornings WITHOUT AN ALARM CLOCK. He’s still sleeping at 10 am if he could. I would be asleep in the chair by 10pm (that is MUCH earlier now) and he could be up until 2 AM.. He is wonderful at saying clichés and I have never been able to say them right – a condition known as malapropism (who knew there was a word for it). How could 2 such different people make it work??

But by the time he asked the 3rd time, I decided that I always liked nuts, and he always treated me so nicely and treated his family nicely as well. More importantly, I knew that I loved him with all my heart, so I said YES.

Our Senior prom photo, I got my ring that night

We chose to elope because my parents were not going to make any wedding easy to have and I was stressed over it all. I decided a long marriage was far better than a big expensive showy wedding. So we blew off the plans and gathered only a few people and went off to a Justice of the Peace and got married, then told my parents…. Their reaction?????Oh that is such another story…

Our Wedding Photo

He is all the things I told you about, left handed, late sleeper, a hot blooded person and more. He is the extra 4 inches I always wanted to have to be able to reach the top of cabinets. He is the spell checker who never judges me, he is the cliché king that I can’t ever be.

At his retirement party

He makes me feel safe! He taught me how to shoot a gun and I will tell you proudly, I’m darn good at it too!!!  SO DON'T MESS WITH THIS LADY... Oh, and yet another story……

He also let me know, he would put up with my family because he loves me but he didn’t marry them and they were no longer allowed to hurt me. He kept his promise on that one too.....

Holding the granddaughters stroller and blanket for her.

YUP JOY in a large left handed, late riser, hot blooded, type B personality, with a knack to make me laugh every day and feel JOY always that I  made the right choice and said Yes finally. He is my rock, my friend, my lover, my husband, my partner in life. God sure knew what He was doing when He put us two together! 

Next month Joy without!!!

One Word - JOY

Funny how when you only concentrate on one word, you find lots of examples of that one word.  It also makes you focus outside of yourself and see others. Each of these things is a good thing.

This has truly been a month of JOY.   My first and best earthly JOY is my husband.

After staying up most of the night when Nemo hit to be ready to get the generator started if we lost power, he shoveled the deck just for the dogs. He shoveled a path down the steps and around them to allow the dogs to get out, down and under the deck to go answer the call of nature.  He shoveled more again every few hours to keep up with the falling snow followed by the blowing snow.

It's funny but a lot of people would ask me if I was sick of him being home now that he is retired.  I find it funny because I have waited for him to be home for 30 years.  

As a retired police officer's wife I spent many a "Nemo" digging out alone because he was on duty-caring for others-who otherwise cuss at him-and call him all sorts of names-and then, when they are in trouble-call him. AND HE ALWAYS SHOWED UP.

I married my best friend, we were then, we are now. He still brings me JOY.

I have other JOYS in my life. Two of them have 4 legs. Their names are August Rush and Integrity Starbeck.

August has short legs but boy do they move fast. He loves to sit ontop of the toy chest looking out the window and often barks at whatever moves.

Becke has longer legs and they don't move as fast anymore, but she is my nurse when I'm sick, my body guard when she is in my office. She makes me laugh when she runs like a puppy and cry when I remember she is 13 years old.  

I have JOY in 2 children who are now married and have each given us 2 grandchildren.

Our son and his wife have given us 2 grandsons.  We don't get to see them much but there is SKYPE and that brings us JOY.We get lots of Smilebox's and photos from them.

Our daughter, and her husband have given us 2 granddaughters.  We see them a lot more often and I love when they hug my legs and tell me I'm the best Grannie EVER!!

I have JOY in creating cards for people who I love. I love matching the papers and embellishments that I add to them.

I have JOY with my friends who laugh with me, cry with me and pray with me AND for me. I love them all and some are close by and I get to hug them often and others are far away and I get to send them cards.

I work at a dog/cat activity center where the staff, ALL the staff, are there for the dogs and cats in our care. I often hear them talking in the halls about the pets in their care and how they can make the day better for them. When emergencies do happen, they all jump into action and do what they have been trained to do, protect and save the pet.  What a crew!!!

Yes, when I concentrate on Just One Word, I find it everywhere.  How about you?

One Word: Finding Joy

Today is the first of 12 blog entries about my One Word.  Joy has been easy to see around me this past week.
Warmer temperatures melted just about all the snow that covered our yard - that was joyous to me.
Warmer temperatures reminded me that Spring is is just weeks away when the earth "wakes up" from the slumber it has been under.
The air is cleaner, the sun is warmer, and although when I wake up in the morning, it's still dark, I know that the days are getting longer.
All this is Joy to me.
I find Joy in the everyday things; coffee in the morning, conversation with Hubby as I go to work in the morning.  Happy co-workers, happy dogs; Friends to visit, good health, a warm home, hot food, a blanket made for me by a friend to cuddle under while watching TV at night and
an electric blanket and clean sheets to  allow me to drift off to sleep at night.

This was the blanket made for me to cuddle up under. I love the  combination of colors.

I know that sometimes this year, Joy may be harder to find. I understand that life gets in the way and the business of hurried days may cover up joy. But for today, for this past week- I feel joy.

How about you? Did you find whatever your One Word was?  Why not join us over at Only A Breath and see how the others are doing.

One Word 2013

Last year I saw that some people were picking one word to concentrate on. Maybe their word was "Love", or "Grace" or "Family" but whatever the one word was, it was the focus of their thoughts for the year. So much easier to focus on one word than a "To Do List" of resolutions to work on, most of which I will forget about in no time. 

I liked the idea so much so that I went to One Word Three Sixty Five this year to sign up. I jumped on board. To make this even easier to join, over at Only a Breath you can recieve your free blog button in 2 different sizes to use and all you have to do is "like back" your word post to her. Then on the 15th of each month, join the community as we talk about what our One Word has taught us over the month.
Thank you so much Melanie.

So my one word is  

This year I choose to seek out and find joy in everyday things.  We've had such bad news as a nation last year didn't we?  We start to see all the negativity in the world and we become cynical about life in general.

Yet life is full of 

I choose to focus on Joy.  The joy of simple things like relaxing in a bubble bath with no distractons. The joy of climbing into a warm bed (thanks to the electric blanket) and clean sheets to drift off to the land of nod.
The Joy of a hot cup of coffee on a cold morning
The joy of a dog's cold nose right up againt your face
The joy of holding the hand of the one I love most on this earth.

All of these joys remind me that even in the midst of troubles (and we all have troubles) there is joy, if we only look for it. 

So my one word for 2013 is

Do you have one word for 2013?

Have a wonderful and Joyous weekend.