Happy Birthday Michelle!

This sweet little angel came into my life

34 years ago today,

my middle child

my daughter

my Michelle

I have seen this very same look on Megan many many times.

I wonder if she will be like her mommy.

I hope so.

I hope she has Michelle's independence,

confidence,

and strength.

I hope she brings as much love and joy into Michelle's life

as Michelle has brought to mine.

and wisdom...
I hope Megan has her mommy's wisdom
for Michelle has taught me so much about
life, faith, and endurance.
I love how she sees things with so much depth and clarity.
I admire how she turns to God for guidance
and how she listens and trusts.
I am forever grateful that He allowed me to be her mother.
I didn't think she and I could get any closer than we already were...
like milk and cookies
yogi and booboo
bert and ernie
macaroni and cheese
rain and puddles
toast and jam

~but this year we did~

Happy Birthday Michelle!

I love you,

Momma

+: )

Summer

Summer in Arizona means it's swimming weather!
It's good to be home.
As beautiful as the weather is in Southern California this time of year (where I have spent half of my summer), I do enjoy our hot weather... so I can get in the pool. Being the wimp that I am I wait until the pool water is above 88 degrees. p e r f e c t !

and this is what I had waiting for me at home...

I am surrounded by love*

I so enjoyed my time with them. I love when they come over and we catch up and grill and laugh and eat and swim. Good family time. I love each and every one of them! The ones in Arizona and the ones in California.

Tomorrow is Michelle's birthday and I will be there for her birthday!

Yep, I'm going back and I get to give her a birthday hug in person!

So much love*

So much to be thankful for*

The rest of July

~Lots went on in AZ during my July stay at Michelle's.

~It got hot.

~Our AC unit stopped working.

~Mikey started a new job.

~Gil and Linda had a beautiful 40 yr wedding anniversary celebration.

~Gil had knee replacement surgery with complications that made his hospital stay too long. He is home and enjoying his physical therapy sessions, right brother? : )

~Grandson Marty did not achieve the backflip he was hoping for in the pool and hit his head. Made this nana's heart stop beating when Michelle took the phone call. He braved through the staples in the back of his head. Thank God you are okay my little Marty!

~David found 2 baby snakes in our house. Luckily there were dead.

Before I knew it July was over and I was headed home with such mixed feelings. How do you leave behind a daughter who has been fighting cancer and gone through chemo and surgery? How do you leave behind her little ones who have given me so many lovees? I have been with them 24/7 and even though I miss home and everyone there, it is so hard to leave.

In the last six months, I have been up here a lot!

and my dear sweet David drove there every single weekend that I was there.
Bless his heart +: )

At the end of July, I drove back home with him. Can I really unpack and put my suitcase away?

I have such mixed feelings. I can't wait to see the rest of the family! And I can't wait to visit Michelle again!

We saw this on our way home...

I think it's a good sign.

"The voice of the Lord is over the waters;

the voice of the Lord is Powerful;

the voice of the Lord is Majestic"

Psalm 29:3

Beach Bonfire!

Finally, my very first bonfire on the beach!!

next post: going home

Breakfast in Bed

Megan

+cheerios
+milk

+ her animal friends

equals

breakfast in bed

: )

next post: beach bonfire

Is July really over??

I've been at Michelle's since July 2nd and it's now July 27! Where did the month go? Well lots has happened so here goes...

Before her surgery on the 5th we had to cram some fun time in. Like having dinner on Balboa Island, and then taking the ferry back...

say cheese...

okay say cheese...

c'mon you sillies, say cheese...

CHEESE!

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We celebrated July 4th with a picnic in the park, grilling, playing games, playing ball, watching the kids, water balloons...

and a fireworks show!

Happy Belated 4th of July!

The very next day Michelle had her surgery. She is doing really good, not to say it was a breeze. It wasn't.

Her recovery has been painful, but she no longer has the 2 tubes dangling out of her with the bags that needed to be emptied twice a day. We really should have given them some cute names but we just called them bag 1 and bag 2...not very humorous!
Maybe a good thing since it hurt her to laugh.

I am not having to help her up to a sitting position, which hurt so bad she would cry (and me too).

She is no longer walking bent over looking like an old lady.

She can raise her arm straight ahead and is doing her excercises with less pain.

She can shower.

She is hardly taking any pain meds.

She is no longer sleeping in a sitting position.

She is driving short distances.

She is back in the kitchen helping me cook.

She is back to planning activities for the kids.

You've come a long way baby, you've come a long way!

"Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done. Sing to Him, sing praise to Him; tell of all His wonderful acts. Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and His strength, seek His face always. Remember the wonders He has done, His miracles, and the judgments He pronounced." 1 Chronicles 16:8-13

Next post... breakfast in bed : )

Michelle's Surgery

Click here for Michelle's surgery update.