Better Days

It has been over a month since my last post! It has been so busy around here lately. I finished radiation on December 3rd. It is so nice to have that time back to myself! I had a big ol' party to celebrate the end of treatment and the official kicking of cancer's butt! We called it the Hat's Off Party. Chris hired a caterer to bring finger foods so that we could enjoy ourselves and we didn't even have to clean up . . . which is good because wine goes straight to my head! Lots of my good friends were able to come and we had a really good time.

I decided to change my blog a little bit. I am moving on from "my journal about breast cancer" to just a journal. I know that I will never fully leave the world of pink ribbons for I am forever a breast cancer survivor and supporter, especially of my support group, Beyond Boobs. I have been trying my best to help out by participating in the calendar signings and going to group meetings, but my life has settled back into it's hectic schedule of school functions, Scout meetings, church activities and the general chasing of kids and management of hearth and home. It's amazing how that happens. I do have a much different perspective on life and what's important and that helps me stay sane.


Alex turned 10 this year. He is so amazing. I can't believe my little bundle of joy has turned into a tween. For boys, I'm not exactly sure what this is going to turn into, but for now it's the idea that he is definitely smarter than his parents, especially his mother and he does NOT want to talk about girls. We figure this means he likes them because if we bring them up he immediately turns beet red and says, "Stop It!". He is truly amazing with legos and has developed a new hobby of stop-action photography. Chris introduced the kids to this over the summer when he took a week off and instead of going on a trip, he designed "Camp Davis" during which we did all kinds of activities together as a family. It was really fun. I didn't participate as much as I wanted to, but it was so fun to watch them get excited to do creative activities and have fun as a family. We even had a NO TV for about 3 weeks. It was neat to see them find ways to entertain themselves besides plopping down in front of the visual tranquilizer (it is good for a babysitter when you need to make dinner though!) Back to Alex, he also likes to read books about spies, history of wars, survival and Harry Potter. He has decided he wants to be a Marine and has been practicing by gathering the neighborhood boys and "training" them most evenings. He has a virtual arsenal of long arm rifles and helmets in the garage and the boys stream in and out getting equipment and running out into the field to spy or have a battle. He is very tenacious, too. He received a Ripstick for his birthday which if you haven't seen one is a very strange looking skateboard that is very hard to ride. He was out in the cul-de-sac every day before school practicing until he figured it out. It took him several days, but never did I hear him cry or complain. He just kept trying. I love that about him!

Rebecca is a little tween wannabe. She has stopped wearing dresses :( except to church. Only jeans and shirts for her! In her dreams, she'd really like to look like Hannah Montana, even though she's never really watched those shows (they annoy me!). She wants sparkly everything. She asked for an ipod for Christmas primarily because she sees teenagers using them. She is our gamer of the family. She loves to play games on the computer, especially Webkinz! and can beat her brother at most Wii games. She is a pro at puzzles and card games. Her favorites are Apples to Apples and Sleeping Queens.

Mary is a hoot. She probably got her fiesty-ness from me. I'm afraid of what this holds for the future (teenage years!). She has grown so much this year. She has been through a lot watching me go through BC and I realize it has affected her more than I knew at the time. She loves school and can't wait to go every day and learn from her awesome teachers, Mrs. Carol and Mrs. Fred. Mary spent the spring and summer being a defiant little fart. She fought me about EVERYTHING! From crying about wearing shoes to buckling into her carseat. She even cried one day when I offered her a cookie. I knew then that it was all just for my sake. She would go from being a little tyrant to loving and hugging and cuddling me into submission. By the beginning of the school year, she suddenly became a sweetheart. Now, she is mostly compliant (she still fights about wearing a coat!) and very thoughtful, loving and tenderhearted. All I have to do is look at her sadly when she says something ugly and she will immediately apologize and run to hug me (or whomever she's wronged). She is constantly making pictures for people and leaving them on their pillows or stuffing them in envelopes and asking me to mail them. For the past several days she has spent hours making elaborate pictures and making me help her wrap them and put bows on them and place them under the tree. She even made one for Santa Claus!!

Chris is awesome. He wouldn't like it if he knew I wrote that about him. He is so humble, but since he doesn't read this, I can write whatever I want! He is awesome! I am so glad I have him for a husband AND best friend. Through whatever I am struggling with, he is there with just the right words or even no words if that is what I need.

My next challenge will be to get back in shape!!! I gained quite a bit of weight and body fat over the last few months due to steroids, lack of exercise and chemo-induced menopause. Not to mention eating like a pig! I know I need to get healthy and fit again. I feel like an old lady! I am starting a new diet and workout plan called Body For Life. I am even going to take a before pictures which will probably scare me straight! It should help me eat better since my biggest problem is laziness. I either don't eat or eat whatever happens to be lying around like the kids' leftover PB and J. It's sad. I WILL do better though.