Living a Blessed Life

My daughter snuck towards me in the dark, as she was supposed to be in bed waiting to be tucked in for the night. “ Mom,” she whispered into my ear. “I can’t find my glasses. I put them in the case and now they are not there!” She tends to whisper when she knows she might end up in trouble. She was making sure her school uniform was set out and everything else was ready for the morning when she shockingly realized that her brand-new glasses were missing. This may not seem like a big deal, and in the grand scheme of things it probably is not, however, she has only had glasses for 3 months, and one of those months they were at the eye doctor’s office awaiting new lenses (with a prescription adjustment) and new frames. You see, her lenses came in and I received a call stating that they could not install them because both hinges on her frame were broken! Gah! We just paid for this new pair of glasses, which were ALREADY broken beyond repair. (Thankfully, they come with a one-time f...

“ But Jesus looked at them and said, “With people [as far as it depends on them] it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” ” — Matthew 16:26 AMP Last week Darek and I took a trip to Vero Beach, Florida for 4 days. We planned this trip last fall as a celebration of my completion of Chemotherapy and healing from cancer. Based on previous experience we know that the warm sunshine and sounds of ocean waves are both healing and relaxing. Darek had the foresight to plan a relaxing trip that would help our hearts heal from the tumultuous previous 9 months and provide focused time to re-connect and talk about our hopes and dreams. There are many moments throughout the course of treatment when enormous goals for the future pause, and short term goals become the focus. We become very aware of the possible finality of each and every moment. I determined for myself that I would be present for my children, husband, and friends, at every single event that I c...

My journey with colon cancer began on March 26th, 2020. At that time it seemed that our entire world started spinning in a different direction. COVID became a household term. Fear and panic struck the hearts of many, but we were merely trying to grapple with a different life-threatening disease. Cancer. I know God’s timing is always perfect, but it was difficult to see how this could be so. In my mind this scenario was far from perfect! How do we find our way through these murky waters when the world is literally shutting down? Hindsight is always 20/20 I can now look back and see the many, many, many ways God was working this for my good. GI clinics were not taking routine cases, so my case was expedited as emergent in order to gain approval for my first colonoscopy. (WooHoo, right?) I definitely was not excited for this, but I am grateful that I was able to get in within a week. Once I was diagnosed, I met with a surgeon. Finding available appointment times ...

Today was supposed to be the day that we received the “GOOD NEWS” of a clear PET scan. Darek and I were ready for this appointment, armed with positive thoughts and expectations. I picked Darek up from work and we journeyed on toward the Oncologist office. We checked in and were called back within a couple of minutes. I was greeted by a nurse I have had previously who has a son he same age as Toby. We discussed baseball, as her son plays too, and he has played against Toby’s team. It was great having such a friendly person start our visit. Shortly after she left the room my Oncologist (Dr. L.) came in. She was friendly and pleasant as usual, but she got right to the point this time. Typically the results from tests and scans appear in the MyChart app as soon as they are read by the Radiologist. This time the PET scan results were not there so I didn’t even have the opportunity to nervously read through them ahead of time. I believe this was by design. Dr. L informed us that the tw...

We are on day number two of, “Snow Day!! - NO SCHOOL!!” I made a paper snowflake and slipped it under Toby’s door while he was still asleep, to alert him of the fun day ahead today. The kids are thrilled to have another cozy day at home, sleeping in, eating pancakes, doing puzzles, and shoveling / playing in the snow. This snow is DEEP ! It seems that no matter how many times I shovel a path for our beagle, Maple, she insists on pouncing through the deep, and playing in it. I am thankful that she enjoys it, and does not resist going outside no matter how cold it gets here. She brings the entertainment in our backyard. I honestly have no idea how many inches have fallen at this point, but it feels like we are over 12” so far between yesterday and this morning, with snow continuing until tomorrow morning. I found myself looking at the radar this morning, and instead of a typical storm system that moves through, it is swirling in place! :) It sure is beautiful...

It has been a couple of weeks and we are approaching the new year with anxious anticipation. Setting goals, making resolutions, and committing to a “Word of the year” are on the minds of millions of people! A great deal of money is spent on new exercise equipment and programs, as well as health coaches, trainers, and diet plans. Whatever your focus may be, I encourage you to keep your TOP focus on the most important things. My Top Focus: Intentionally spending time with God through devotions, books, prayer, and journaling. Being present for my husband and children. Sometimes this means putting my phone away for a concentrated amount of time and engaging in conversation without interruption. Other times it means making a special treat, or simply preparing a nutritious, homemade meal. Making time for friends, in any fashion. Grabbing a treat together, chatting at a sports event, taking a walk, or even (gasp) talking on the phone ! We had a very nice Christmas with family, and I hea...

Toby’s Snow Family - welcoming all passersby. Snow has been falling for the past two days and at times it truly feels like we are living in a snowglobe. The beauty of the white blanket on the ground and the flocked trees brings all of the feels of Christmas! Living in Minnesota, many people naturally assume that we always have snow for Christmas, but that is not the case. I was recently looking at a map of snow trends over the past 50 years, and our region seems to have a brown Christmas every 3rd year, give or take. The White Christmas lends some sort of magical, peaceful feeling to our families and communities. I liken it to the effect that flowers have on mental health. Visual beauty, particularly in colorful plants and flowers, improves mental health. I wonder if there are any studies showing a correlation between snow cover and mood. Left up to me, I would hypothesize that there is an increase in mood when nature is beautiful! Maybe I should take a poll and write a paper ...