"It's Gettin' Hot In Here....

Those words sound familiar.  A song perhaps. Ha! ha! ha!

It's somewhere in the 80's here, and oh my goodness, it slipped my mind how the heat and I get along.  Not so good after a blood draw and running errands!!!!!  I'm shaky, my tummy is unhappy, I'm not breathing well, and Pedialyte is on the menu.  Yahoooooooooo!

My brother in law's parents are coming here to visit.  In fact, they should be here any moment.  Speaking of my brother in law, he's being promoted to  Lieutenant Colonel.  Yesterday, there was a "cocktail party", (that's sarcasm if you didn't know) at the Ritz Carolton, in DC for all those that are up for promotion. I heard it was fabulous.  Barb attended, so did my aunt and uncle.  But me, I'm still here in South Carolina. However in four days, I will be in DC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ohhh this isn't about me. I forgot. SORRY!!  :)

My brother in law, David is awesome for more reasons than I can count. Congratulations Dave!!  YOU ROCK!!  :)

I had yet another perfect moment yesterday.  The evening was beautiful.  I sat on the back porch with Mom and Dad and Cassie (my doggie) listening to the birds, watching the sun set, and just enjoying the time with my parents.  Life is amazingly good!!!!!!!

Before I say good night, I want you to read something my sister forwarded to me.  If you notice, I always ask for prayers for Nathan,  He's the son of my sister's friend...and he has Stage 4 Neuroblastoma.  He is the constant reminder to me, that our cancer does not and should not define us.

I love y'all very much.  Please keep reading below....

In February, Nathan was nominated for The Young Heroes Award, and won.  Rachel sent some pictures and the story thatwas written in the newspaper covering the event.

We all fight battles in our lives, for me, this story was a reminder that I should fight believing I'm going to win, and while I'm fighting take time to be joyful in every event that will bring me to my victory.

Get out your tissues. 

I love you all,

Pamela

                         

                           Bug Spray, Banquets and Blessings

                                  By Jenna Leitnaker

The first time I met him, all I saw initially was one blinking brown eye. Our doorbell rang and through the tempered glass I saw a small person peering inside. Mildly irritated, but a little curious, I opened the door to find him standing there expectantly. "Hello, I'm Nathan. Do you think you could come out and play?" Looking down at my sock feet he suggested, "You might want to put shoes on." Without waiting for a response, he darted off around the corner of the house, leaving me no choice but to hop after him, tying my shoes and smiling in spite of myself.

He got sick the summer we met. When he lost his hair it was still warm outside. We slathered bug spray on in the evenings and he would remind me, "Don't forget my head!" I should confess that I'm not one of "those people" who areenviablygraceful and empathic in the face of illness. If I am unwittingly insensitive, he finds it funnier than he does offensive, and corrects me just as he would my mispronunciation of a paleontology term. We collect rocks, sword fight with sticks, discuss our favorite dinosaurs, and laugh at the silliness of our mothers. We eat cookie dough, jump in leaf piles, throw snowballs, and when we read he curls in the crook of my arm and whispers along with the books he knows by heart.

In February, Nathan was nominated for a Young Heroes award and he asked me to be his date. In the back seat of the family minivan I confessed I was glad his parents were driving, not being a very good driver myself. He commiserated, "Yeah, me neither! My feet don't even reach the pedals. Maybe when I'm five though." When he stoically shook the hand of a four star general after receiving a medal for his continuing courage in the face of seemingly insurmountable illness, I was proud to know him.

On the ride home, we shivered under my coat until the car warmed up debating whose hands and nose were colder. He asked, "Jenna, did you know you're my best friend?" When I said "Nathan, you're mine too," I meant it. As we pulled into my driveway he gave me a carnation, and his little lips collided with my cheek in an exaggerated kissing sound. Stamping my feet in the entryway I watched the van pull away and I thought about the unpredictable nature of love. It is real and unbelievably resilient, it is humorous and also heartbreaking, and for me, it arrived on my front porch peering persistently through my window in the form of a four year old named Nathan.

 

*** Please keep  Nathan ("They found zero Neuroblastomacells in his sample.  This would mean his bone marrow is clear."  YEAH!!!!!!) , Ms Bobby (she had a second biopsy, and has not started any treatment yet.), Ms Pammy, and Trish in your prayers. They are fighting the battle with cancer too .

*** Prayers for Tom and his family.

*** Prayers for Ms Cathie andMr Don.

*** Prayers for Heather and Izzy in her tummy.  Baby Izzy needs to fatten up before she arrives in May!!!!!!!

*** A Very Special Congrats to FC for getting the job!!  I'm proud of you!!

 

If this is your first time reading my journal, PLEASE go back to my first entry on 11-15-06 to read about the title MEET ME AT THE BREAKFAST TABLE!! Thanks!