Another year older...

is my devoted partner in life today.  Happy Birthday Baby!!!  I promise, one of these years I won't be bed-ridden or deathly ill (last year I planned a surprise party only to be in the midst of my sickest chemo month... who knew??).  However, we are going to make the very best of it with a Gene Wenger hamloaf (one of those vestiges of Lancaster County that we cling to and share among our Pittsburgh friends...), Parker's debut at the Consol Energy Center (he promised to skate over the "big penguin" for me...) and the RMU/Air Force game immediately following.  Now, I won't be present for all of that, but it sure sounds like a good time.  I'm going to try to make it through PJ's performance and get some pictures (they are missed, eh??) but Audrey is going to have to stand in (ha ha, no pun intended... she'll actually get to sit) for me after that.

As I write this today, I have just finished listening to Rock's latest sermon online, read a little Sarah Young (more on that later) and am listening to Brandon Heath ("I'm not who I was"... this is a song that I really identify with... U.Steve, he reminds me a lot of the type of music that you play...).  The weather is beautiful and I AM BLESSED.  Today I read in Jesus Calling: 

"If you must consider upcoming events, follow these rules: 1) Do not linger in the future, because anxieties sprout up like mushrooms when you wander there..."

What amazing imagery!  And... how true.  I am in touch with the one who holds the future and He's got it all figured out.  I'm along for the ride and what a ride it is!

We're looking at a new week and feeling some improvement.  HOORAY.  I don't want to get too excited since this is the timeframe that they initially warned me about.  I guess that the risks to the incision (believe it or not there are parts that have held together up to now) are greatest at about this point in the healing process.  So, I'll still be taking it easy and doing a lot of lounging but we are finally headed in the right direction.  Mom left yesterday afternoon after spending several days with us and Audrey will be back on helping duty.  It has been like a dream come true for the kids to have them around so much.  At dinner the other night, Dryden prayed about how thankful he was that "all" his family was together again.  So sweet...  We are so overwhelmed with thankfulness for our mothers' devotion to our family.  Thank you, thank you!  We do know that you have better things to do... things that are less demanding and more fun (although, who doesn't want to play Candyland 85 times a day, play legos or listen to Parker read "Origami Yoda" for the 5th time?), but you have sacrificed for us yet again and we love you for it!!