Purposefully Planted Palms
I know I said today was going to be about working out while pregnant but since it’s Friday and I have had a day full of pregnancy brain errors (yes, it’s a real thing) I am going to opt for something a little more simple.
I was also thinking since it’s November and the month of Thanksgiving, every Friday I would write about what I am thankful for. We all know I am thankful for my family, friends, good health, future child, yadda yadda yadda. So, I am going to try and look harder for things to be thankful for.
Today, I am thankful for the lack of palm trees on Litchfield Rd. Ever since I moved here, the sparsely planted King Palms lining Litchfield Rd. has really bothered me. It honestly looks like someone quit halfway through planting them. I also love palm trees so to see them so carelessly planted annoyed me. Until Monday morning.
My husband, friend, and the two pups went for a hike in a nearby mountain park. It was a beautiful morning and we were headed home.
Hiking in the White Tanks!
Driving back to base, actually talking about how the sparsely planted trees looked so bad, when my husband saw a car coming straight at us. In our lane. He swerved the car onto the shoulder and so did the oncoming car. There was no way not to hit the oncoming car straight on except to go between the palm trees – where, thankfully, they were planted so far apart, we had plenty of room.
We safely (but quickly) swerved off the road, into dust, between palm trees where we stopped. The car flew past us, in our lane.
It was a good reminder that sometimes even the things that bother us serve a purpose – to help us, sharpen us, build us up, and even sometimes, to save our lives.
In Like A Lion
Today is the last day of March. I hate March. I know, being from Chicago that’s probably some kind of sin but let’s be honest – March hates me. Last March, my best friend almost died in a car accident in the middle of the month. This year, March didn’t wait around to start kicking my but. With a cancer diagnosis on the first of the month and news of my parents divorce on the fourth of the month, we were off to a great start. BUT, today is the last day of the worst month and I am so excited.
Even though March has tried to get me down, I am still here to see April 1 tomorrow, so I win. And, a lot of good things happened in March. I wanted to share with you some things that I am incredibly thankful for during this horrible, no good, very bad month.
In no particular order:
- My mom, brother and future sister in law coming in this weekend.
- My new home to host them in.
- My husband’s improving health.
- My husband’s radiologist being featured in Phoenix magazine as the top radiologist in the region.
- Opening insurance bills to see “amount due: $0.00″.
- Tax free food and appliances on base.
- Phone calls from friends at JUST the right time (lookin at you Liz Reising)
- Phone calls from friends at ANY time.
- An increase in my running mileage over the past month
- An increased focus on nutrition because of my husband’s treatments
- Seeing two old friends from home who were out here on Spring Break.
- Spring Training.
- Thunderbirds Air Show.
- A safe 28 hour drive to Phoenix under very stressful conditions. The same drive that claimed the life of a friend and almost the life of another.
- Our friend’s fruit trees in her backyard.
- Family resources and job flexibility to fly out here as needed.
And, in a weird way, I am thankful for March. I know that I am stronger for surviving this month. And that April will be MUCH better. So, today, we are celebrating and thanking March for coming in like a lion, transforming me in the process, but also staying true to its word, and leaving like a lamb.
For As Long As We Have Voices
Elizabeth Gilbert, author of “Eat, Pray, Love” wrote, ”In the end, though, maybe we must all give up trying to pay back the people in this world who sustain our lives. In the end, maybe it’s wiser to surrender before the miraculous scope of human generosity and to just keep saying thank you, forever and sincerely, for as long as we have voices.”
Through this whole horrible experience, we have seen the best in people. We have been surrounded with angels. From emails to phone calls, we have felt loved.
There are three people in particular who came over Tuesday night, packed us, fed us, cleaned our apartment, planned our trip, found hotels on the route, cancelled our internet and are still collecting our mail. We met them two weeks ago. When I told my sister in law of their kindness, she asked me how you can ever repay someone for doing that.
I think the answer is that you can’t. And that’s okay. You just have to remember it and give of yourself just as freely as they have given to you.
Major Rewrite
The last 36 hours have rocked our world and changed our life. Because all of our family knows, now you can too.
I am sure I will have more to write about this as my mind clears but here’s a brief update.
Yesterday at 8 am my husband was diagnosed with testicular cancer. At 4 pm we learned the medical staff thought it best if we head over to Phoenix ASAP instead of waiting for our originally planned trip in late April. The reasoning is so that his treatment can be consistent instead of having to switch doctors mid treatment.
We hit the road this morning and plan to arrive in Phoenix on Friday afternoon. We did learn good news today that the cancer appears not to have spread.
That’s the very short version of the story.
I should say that we are eternally grateful for the amazing friends, family and military community that are carrying us through this. We had friends we had met for only a few weeks packing us up late into the night and even cleaning our bathroom!
We believe that everything happens for a reason and we know that we will be stronger from this. In the process and always, we covet your prayers and thoughts.
For more information on testicular cancer please visit www.laf.org
Still Unwritten
