My 8/11

Last night once I fell asleep, which wasn't easy, even with the Ativan, I slept the night away, which is a rare and lovely thing for me.

Last August 11th I was up all night playing with the marble I found in my left breast and waiting for David to wake up so I could show him and see if he thought it was anything to worry about. And thus began the merry-go-round that has been this past year and will stop sometime around December 21 (my last chemo) at which point I will jump off and hopefully never ride a merry-go-round again.

It is an anniversary of sorts, I suppose. But not really the kind I've felt like celebrating. Mostly I have been just looking forward getting through this week in my memory, and getting to some dates I don't mind seeing in my rear-view mirror. Like August 29th, the one-year anniversary of me being cancer-free. That will be way more fun. The best part being, that it is in the rear-view mirror, and that I get to drive on. Life, take II.

I did keep myself busy yesterday, instead of sitting around all day thinking about it. I spent the day with my boys, taking them school shopping. I have always loved taking the kids school shopping. They do not share my enthusiasm for getting new pencils and cool notebooks, but they have, at least, always indulged me. They are sweet like that. Mikey even let himself act a little excited about the new Zebra mechanical pencils we found yesterday, which I know was a lot for him, but meant a lot to this pencil pusher. Especially since, as it is our last year of homeschooling, it was our last year of homeschool shopping. You can't buy those kind of moments. It was practically a Mastercard commercial. It made me so happy I almost bought two packs, even though I am more of a traditionalist when it comes to pencils. I like real pencils. But don't get me started down that rabbit trail. It's a long one that could end us all up in a Hookah Bar if we're not careful. But I digress.

So after I dropped off the boys from our Mother-Sons Homeschool Supplies Shopping Event, which, btw, I gave them both A's for, I went out with a group of friends, fellow homeschool mums. We went to see Julie and Julia and then out to dinner on the Levy. Good flick. Good popcorn (with lots of butter! Julia would be proud.)Good food. Good company. Good conversation. I give the evening an A, and gave them all an A for hanging out with me last night, and especially for helping me hang in there this past year. Some of these women prayed with me every Chemo Monday as I went from Co-op class to chemo, which really meant a lot to me. So it was fitting, and poetic to me, that they prayed over me last night before we all went home. A perfect night-cap.

When I got home I did not think of marbles. I just went upstairs and lay me down to sleep. And slept. Didn't even dream of marbles. I'd give myself an A for that, but can you really give yourself an A and get away with it?

Anyway, it's a really beautiful day outside, so I'm off to take in a long walk. After all, I'm in training now, for Cincy's Race for the Cure 2009, which is exactly a month from today. Feel free to join our Team Evanshire and/or walk with us.