Living a Blessed Life

Two MUST be better! Unless we are talking about colonoscopies! This week I had the unique privilege of having not only one but TWO colonoscopies. Why, you ask? It’s probably because all of the cool people are doing it. Hahaha! Kidding aside, here is the latest on my crazy healthcare journey. I was supposed to have a routine colonoscopy in March, but my oncologist was very kind and through her compassion toward me and all of the testing I have gone through, she said I could push it off a little while. We decided to do it this fall, in hopes that after a clear report I could wait up to 3 years before I needed another. I scheduled the appointment for Thursday of this week, and due to the ‘not-so-clear’ prep last time I had the special privilege of doing what is called a Double Split Prep. This essentially means prepping twice as much as ‘normal’ people do. Let me tell you how much fun that was! Okay, not really. I’ll spare you the details. I completed everything as described, but I fai...

The sunrise was absolutely stunning this morning! I initially took a picture through the window, but that did not do justice to the colors in the sky, so I braved the 24-degree temperature and stepped outside. I think it was worth it! By the time the kids and I left for school the sun was much higher in the sky and the colors had faded. Each morning that I am met with the beauty of the sunrise I can’t help but stop and thank God. I have learned the practice of intentional gratitude which has become a habit. It is easy to get wrapped up in our thoughts and busy lives and miss the simple yet profound messages of peace surrounding us. You may be in a difficult season, but I promise your perspective will change when gratitude becomes a habit. We are entering the season of intentional family time coupled with busy, hurried schedules. Grief feels heavier this time of year. The memories we had have morphed and we are now creating new memories, all the while holding t...

This morning I woke up at 4:30 to let our beagle, Maple, outside and the temperature was 45 degrees!!! What?!?!?! Too soon, Minnesota! Too soon! I do love the change of seasons, and I even enjoy the crisp mornings and cool evenings, as long as it warms up during the day. This has not been the case, however. Our weather did not get the message that Autumn should last at least a month (or two during a good year), and we already feel early winter vibes. The leaves are desperately trying to turn into the beautiful canvas that is Fall, but it seems that few have fully turned, and many are just falling instead. Fall colors are possibly the most enjoyable part of the season, so I am hopeful it warms up just a smidge, and the trees with leaves intact get their act together. Haha! Enough about the weather! Thankfully, we will be enjoying a week in Florida soon and that should bring warmth to our bones and souls. Sunshine has an amazing effect on our psyche and our bodies, and I know we are ...

“ Sorrow may last for the night, but Joy comes with the morning! ” — Psalm 30:5 I am sad. I have been meaning to write this post for over a week but every time I tried to establish a train of thought I felt stuck. I have many things on my mind that I feel led to share with you and my brain is at a tipping point. This afternoon my phone rang. I noticed it on my watch first, as I was in the middle of making supper for Darek and the kids. When I saw the name on the phone I felt a sudden sense of panic and concern. This call was in some ways anticipated, but not yet. I scrambled to find my phone in the kitchen, hoping it was nearby and I would not miss the call before my voicemail picked up. I quickly located my phone and after briefly fumbling it nervously in my hand, I answered it. The voice on the other end of the phone was calm, and with long pauses, I heard the news that a friend of ours had passed away. My eyes welled with tears and my voice quivered as...

Everybody has a story and each story holds a unique value. It is easy to fall into the trap of believing we have nothing to offer because we are not on a stage in front of thousands of people, or we have not been through a life circumstance that in our minds sets us apart from anyone else. I would argue that you DO have a unique story, and it DOES matter . The method you recently found to keep your family fed might just be the thing your neighbor is struggling with. The book you found fascinating might be exactly what your friend needs to help them through a similar situation. The routine you find simple at home could free up time in someone's schedule if they knew enough to try something different. We are good at getting caught up in our day with what we hold as important in the moment and we often fail to step back and see the world around us. I am not sure if it is fear of rejection that keeps us from stepping out and believing that our story is important, or if it is just s...

There is a special sort of excitement that comes with opening a hand-addressed envelope fresh from the mailbox.  I don’t know about you, but now that we receive so much of our communication digitally, I always feel extra special when I open the mailbox to find a card or letter from a friend. There is something in knowing that it took extra time and thought on behalf of the sender. Snail mail is really a simple gesture; an act of kindness with a great reward for both the recipient and the sender. It feels good to do nice things for others. Last year while I was going through all of my surgeries and treatments I received a handful of random cards such as these, from an unknown sender. I have to say that each time I received one of these cards my spirits lifted, and I was once again reminded that I am loved and cared for more deeply than I know. It has been nearly a year now since one of these cards has come my way, but I am still moved by the kindness in th...

Again, and Again, and Again! Empty rooms, undefined spaces, and a garage filled with cardboard boxes quickly enveloped our lives just over a week ago. We moved from a home we loved into a new home that we will love as well, with a great deal of mixed emotions. I am not even sure reality has fully set it in yet. There are moments that I feel like I am on vacation, staying in an AirBnb, with my own furniture and belongings. It is a fun, yet strange feeling. The home we purchased is really a gift to our family and friends. A place we call home, but share with others. We want our home to feel warm, welcoming, and comfortable, and be the place you don't want to leave (or at least do want to return to soon).  Last Saturday we had a generous crew of family and friends swoop in and help us clear out our "old" house, load our lives into a U Haul and other vehicles, and proceed to gently plant us in our new location. During the hust...

Sometimes I feel like a circus act, trying desperately to juggle way too many things at one time. That, my friends, is the current season of life we are in. If you have not heard yet, consider this your formal announcement that we have sold our home and are moving to a new home at the end of this month. Why? Great question! Darek said for many, many years that we would stay in our current home forever. We love our current home. I waited patiently for 12 years before having Cambria Quartz countertops installed in our kitchen. The kitchen remodel is one of my favorite changes that we made to this house. The location and yard are great, but we have finally agreed that we could use more space. Our kids are growing, and as they grow and have friends over it will be nice to have some larger spaces for them all to hang out. We were very intentional in purchasing a home that offered multiple "hang-out" spaces. Like many parents, we want our home to be one that all of the kids a...

“ Everything happens for a reason But you don’t know what you don’t know And you’ll never have peace if you don’t let go of tomorrow ’Cause it ain’t even faith till your plan falls apart But you still choose to follow, If it doesn’t make sense right now, it will when it’s over There will be joy in the morning There will be joy in the morning Giving in to your feelings is like drowning in the shadows Oh, you gotta keep believing Even in the middle of the unknown ’Cause grace will be there When you come to the end of your rope and you let go It may feel like you’re goin’ down now But the story isn’t over ” — Tauren Wells I feel this song so strongly! “It ain't even faith till your plan falls apart but you still choose to follow.” -Tauren Wells Today is especially one of those days that has me swirling in an emotional pool. I woke up this morning to the sound of birds singing, and the sun shining. Darek and the kids showered me with love! I love this ki...

A few weeks ago on a Thursday morning we woke up (thankfully) without our usual alarms​. This may not seem like a problem, however, if you are like us and use the google home services to run routines for things like waking the kids up, it is a big problem. Not only do we depend on wifi to run our morning routines (turning lights on, playing alarms, etc.), we also use wifi for many of our daily processes. For instance, our doorbell and thermostat are both connected to our wifi, as well as most of the lights in our home. This seems like a trivial matter, and in the grand scheme of things, it is. However, when we become used to or dependent on a process working consistently, it throws us for a loop when things stop working. This also happened to be a gross weather week with cold temps and snow in April, meaning we were stuck inside. I figured the wireless router needed a simple re-boot and everything would be fixed. Boy, was I wrong!  The 5G Service was out! Not only did...

Hello there! It has been too long again, and I have had this topic on my mind for a while now. Today I encourage you to meditate on “gratitude” and what it really means to express a grateful attitude every day. An entire week has already passed since Easter, and it was during the time leading up to Easter that this word stuck in my mind. After spending time with my extended family at Easter (who I have not seen in a few YEARS) I felt even more inclined to write on this topic. I love my family dearly and feel fortunate to have the opportunity to spend time with them. I rarely see my grandparents, and spending time with them at Easter was especially sweet. We never know how many of those moments we will have. I go into each and every day thanking God for the absolute gift that the day is to me, and for what is to come that day. I honestly believe that starting the day off with the right attitude and perspective sets the course all that follows. (Even when I don’t feel like it. Let’s b...

Praise the name of Jesus!! “ Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. ” — 2 Chronicles 7:14 On Friday, March 24th I met with my oncologist to go over the latest CT scan and Lab results. I was feeling especially anxious as Darek and I waited in the consultation room. I think I have developed a little PTSD through this process, and I am working diligently to overcome that battle in my mind. There were words used in the report that I did not fully understand, and a finding that was new, but unrelated to anything else. I also had a couple of lab values that were on the lower side, so I was curious to know what that really meant. We waited about for what seemed like an hour (it may as well have been) but was really only 30 minutes and my oncologist cracked the door open. She peeked her head ...

I have never been great at ping pong. Let’s be real here. I have never even been good at ping pong! At least, not the physical game of ping pong. I am, however, a master at the mental game of ping pong, and let me tell you that it is good at stealing my joy. This past Monday I was initially scheduled to have a follow-up PET scan at the University of Minnesota. As the story goes, my insurance denied it because they do not find it medically necessary, so jumping through hoops again landed me a regular CT scan instead. PET scans are very expensive so I do understand why insurance companies do not want to cover them. There could also be the fact that before the scan they inject radioactive sucrose in the patient, and they do not want patients having that repeated frequently. Details, details! I am not 100% sure how they make their decisions. Instead of having to go downtown for my scan, I was able to have the CT at Southdale Hospital, which is much closer and more convenient. The CT w...

The Minnesota Golden Gophers Men’s Basketball team trailed in their game against Rutgers last week, never taking the lead until the game’s final basket. We watched in hopeful anticipation as the point gap widened and the Gophers brought it within six. Then it would widen again and come back within a few points. They just couldn’t seem to jump that hurdle and take the lead. Our family traditionally attends at least one Gophers Men’s Basketball game each season. Basketball (specifically, college basketball) is my all-time favorite sport to watch. I enjoy the NCAA tournament season and sincerely hope that our Gophers will find themselves competing further and further into that bracket challenge one day. We enjoy taking our kids to these games so they can watch, learn, and experience good basketball. Two of our three kiddos play basketball in our community leagues and they are loving it. We enjoy this opportunity to show them the level of accomplishment ava...

Gusty winds blow snow-like clouds through the frigid winter air outside my kitchen bay window. Trees are blanketed with fresh piles of fluffy white snow, yet birds continue singing the promises of Spring. We are in the midst of a late February blizzard, and I am honestly loving having our kids home for the second day in a row. We have had friends here to play (because that is what we do on snow days in MN) and sleepovers! These are the greatest memory-making moments of Winter. The aroma of homemade comfort food fills the air, and we celebrate by declaring pajama parties each day. The snow in our yard is as deep as our dog, Maple, is tall. She bounds through the snow with her head reaching just above the top layer and creates what we refer to as her interstate system through the yard. Watching her attempt to run through this snow is both entertaining and satisfying. If we must endure the looooooong Minnesota winters we deserve a blizzard or two to enjoy. S...