Saturday's Scribbles

Good Saturday afternoon to you from cold and snowy Iowa! A place that's only going to get colder in the days ahead. In fact it is forecast for our temperature to be -30 by Tuesday with wind chills between 40 and 50 below!  This is not okay. I cannot remember the last time we experienced this kind of cold weather in Iowa OR Minnesota. Thankful for the furnace and the gas fireplace and my wool socks and all the blankets I can bundle up under!

It has been a quiet week here with no doctor appointments.  I have enjoyed reading this week and watching too much TV, I'm sure.My energy is not where it was before surgery, but it is much better!  I am dealing with some stomach issues and pain that is pretty intense.  Sigh.  The pelvic pain ( also a side effect of the drugs) makes it hard for me to walk.....I have been trying to build up my strength, but that is on hold once again.  My body is working hard to tolerate the drugs and eliminate the cancer.  Just need to remember that each day is a gift, right? 

Speaking of gifts, last Tuesday we opened up a Christmas gift from our son and daughter-in-law and discovered a Roomba. Joel is delighted since he does the floors here at home and "hates it".  Now he can program "Nora" as we call her, and the cleaning is done for him.  I am happy because I sometimes had to wait weeks for Joel to muster up a positive attitude to do the floors!  It is a win-win situation.  Why do we call the Roomba Nora?  Well, when we lived in the Philippines everyone in the military had maids.......our maid we had the second year we were there was named Nora!  Nora not only kept the house clean but often cooked and watched the kids.  Yeah, we were pretty spoined.

Speaking of spoiled, I am so grateful for all Joel does for me.  The shopping, laundry, cooking, caretaking, etc.  And working.  I am able to help out some again, and hope to do so more and more.  He keeps telling me, you are "on chemo", you are fighting cancer and other issues, you are actively resting to give your body what it needs.  And God, in His goodness has given me what I need body, soul, and spirit......a truly amazing hubby.

I was thinking about my mom and how we used to talk every week on the phone.  It was weekly because of the cost then!  No cell phones.......just a house phone with a long cord and a long distance plan.   I would try to keep her updated on all that was going on, and send her letters and pictures of the grandkids.  I think she would have loved technology today.....like texting!  I love getting a text from my kids and photos and videos of the grands.  It helps us feel like we are more of a part of their lives, especially now.  And it comes instantly.  Amazing!

Joel and I have been long time readers of Guideposts magazine.  This year they added a devotional that comes every two months where the daily readings are connected to nature.  "All God's Creatures" is a daily devotional for animal lovers and we are enjoying it very much!  All God's creatures!

Hope you are having a great weekend.  Stay warm!  Stay safe!  Stay connected with those you love!