Look Up

I haven't updated the blog in awhile because Mike had been doing so well that we've been too busy having fun and I've been making an effort to get more sleep.  No news is good news.

The last five days Mike's appetite has been almost normal. His stomach discomfort and heartburn have continued to improve, his energy has been much better and he has been sleeping at night again.  The bone pain from the G-Csf shots is gone, so Mike has been feeling great.  The boys and I are totally enjoying having Mike back.

Friday was a real highlight for us.  We joined our good friends Curt and Cindy and their baby Logan for a day of camping out at Chilliwack lake.  We would not have been able to pull off such an ambitious outing if it weren't for our good friends and Jamie and Scott.  I stayed up late Thursday night and packed everything.  First thing Friday morning we headed out.  The weather was so warm it felt like summer.  The boys rode bikes, went on nature walks and worked hard digging and filling pales of water at the stunning lake.  Curt and Cindy cooked great food for us and Mike had fun hanging around the camp site with friends.  We finished the day with a campfire and loaded our very sleepy children into the van and headed home for a good night sleep in our own beds.  As we listened to the rain pour down through our bedroom window we were thankful we didn't spend the night. It was the perfect day and unbelievable refreshing for all of us. We came home tired and energized at the same time.

                                                    

Mike's parents arrived the next day to finish off our May long weekend.  We enjoyed their visit so much.  Grandma and Grandpa did crafts, told stories, went swimming and played at the park with our little guys.  We had relaxing visits in the evening;  it was so good to be with family.

Mike starts chemo tomorrow so we are trying to gracefully say goodbye to these fun, vibrant days and prepare ourselves for the beginning of cycle 3 of chemo.  To be completely honest heading into this round of chemo has been the hardest for me.  I think having a glimpse of my healthy husband has made it more difficult to accept the suffering that lies ahead.  While I was sitting on the beach at Chilliwack lake I couldn't take my eyes off the towering white-peaked mountains in front of me.  Their majesty and beauty was mesmorizing against the crystal clear lake.  The verses from Psalm 121 popped into my mind and I knew God was telling me right there how we were going to survive the second half of chemo.

                                                        

 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
   where does my help come from?
 My help comes from the LORD,
   the Maker of heaven and earth.

  He will not let your foot slip—
   he who watches over you will not slumber;
 indeed, he who watches over Israel
   will neither slumber nor sleep.

  The LORD watches over you—
   the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
 the sun will not harm you by day,
   nor the moon by night.

  The LORD will keep you from all harm—
   he will watch over your life;
 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
   both now and forevermore.

 
So right now I'm entering round 3 of chemo holding on to these two words : LOOK UP.