Easter

As we get ready to wrap up Spring Break, my first Spring Break in more than a decade, I can't help but be thankful. We got some projects done, we had some days of pure relaxation,  and we had time to hang out as a family. It was glorious!

The kids and I were talking about the Easter story yesterday, and of course it is important,  but what I really wanted to tell them was about some of my favorite Easter memories.  Of course the first year Riley was old enough to hunt for eggs is a favorite because as we were arriving at mom and dad's we came around the corner, and their whole yard was sprinkled with brightly colored eggs. Riley was so excited. It was so fun to watch her run from egg to egg and each one beimg treated as a treasure.
My very favorite though, was when I was a kid. We had done sunrise service, and doughnuts, then full church service. So when we sat down to lunch everyone was hungry.  I cant remember what all was on the table, but it was a late Easter and asparagus was abundant,  so a large asparagus casserole was served. And Alicia just kept asking for more, several adults tried to tell her to take it easy, that the casserole was rich, but she was having none of it, she wanted more. I was probably 7 and she 9. So after lunch we had our egg hunt and the day had warmed nicely, so we talked everyone into going mushroom hunting.  As we all toed our way delicately through a small patch of timber across the road from Papa and Grandma's house, we were all having some success. Then I remember looking over at Jerry, who was near Alicia, and seeing his face as she started throwing up.  Alot. Repeatedly.  I still can't explain why I found this hilarious. But Dad left and took her back to the house while we continued our hunt, giving the asparagus vomit a wide berth, until it cooled off a bit and it was nearly time for dinner. We walk in the house and there Lish is at the table eating asparagus casserole. It made me laugh all over again. I don't know why that day is such a vivid memory for me, but definitely one of my favorite Easters.


I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter and fun with family!

Work life...

As I close the chapter of my work life at the Missouri Department of Agriculture and I prepare to begin a new work chapter, I have mixed feelings. I am good at my job, I enjoy the work that I do, but it is my personal life that fills the well of happiness in my heart. So, with my new job giving me summers off, and breaks throughout the year, I will have more time to fill the well. More time with my family. I can't imagine anything better than that. I am sad to walk away from relationships. I am afraid that my brain won't be used ever again that way that I use it now. But I am hopeful.

And maybe I can use this space more. Maybe I can remember what unfiltered writing feels like. Or maybe you will all just have to read about my kids driving me wonderfully crazy. Or about them making me furiously happy. Or maybe I will just post pictures of the dogs. Probably none of that.

Time

I live my life in numbers. I am 31, my husband is 39, our kids are 7 and 5. It has been 13 years since I was in high school. I have known my husband for 10 years. This is our 9th Christmas as a couple. We have been married 8 years. My half birthday is October 28. I count the hours from arriving at work until I am home again. I count down days and minutes. This week we have 4 days until we go to Silver Dollar City, 9 days until Christmas, 13 days until vacation. Each night I give the kids warning countdowns to bedtime. 9 years ago we got Millie, 3 years ago we got Lizzy. Bo is 20 months old. My sister died 6 months ago.

I think about numbers and the passing of time constantly. And I can’t wrap my head around the fact that it has been 6 months. There are days when Alicia doesn’t cross my mind. There are others when she refuses to leave my thoughts. I worry that I will forget some little detail about her. I hope that some details of her illness I do forget.

I had a lot more to say it seemed like before I started writing this. But now that the words are on the page, I have no more to say. Just that 6 months has never passed so quickly before.

A lot of good

I woke up this morning to a blog comment on the other blog (http://aliciasadvocates.weebly.com/alicias-treatment-blog.html) The comment said that my mention of Julia had lead to several hits on their blog. I can't imagine better news. It confirmed that I can use that platform to help people. And it is just amazing how much people can care for someone they don't know; there truly is a great deal of compassion in our world.

Last night at the Jefferson City v Blair Oaks softball game, it was their annual Pink Out for Breast Cancer Awareness. In addition to wearing pink and giving facts about Breast Cancer throughout the game, they also chose to raise money for the American Cancer Society and JCMG Oncology on behalf of Alicia.

Coach Dey had also asked Riley to be in the dugout with them for the game. And for a softball obsessed little girl, nothing could have meant more. To her their is no difference between Riley Hayes (one of the seniors on the team) and Jennie Finch, or Keilani Ricketts (or for us old ones Dot Richardson and Lisa Fernandez). She has this high school softball team placed high on a pedastal. She said it was one of the best nights of her life.

Davis' Vacation Pictures

Riley's Vacation Pictures