My Heart is Smiling

It's been a good day.

I went shopping with my mom this morning at a big toy warehouse. It sells mostly overstock and last years toys but it's inexpensive, brand name stuff and frankly, my kids don't care if it's last years toy, if they don't have it, it's new.

I managed to get all of my shopping done for everyone except Sean and my own kids. Everyone else is D.O.N.E. and I am stoked about that. This is the earliest I've been able to finish and granted it's out of necessity, my unemployment runs out December 3rd and we're forced to live on Sean's income until  I can go back to work.

I got a package in the mail yesterday from a friend. It was a chemo care package...aka something to make me feel better when I'm feeling like shit (chocolate!!!) but she included things for the kids too, little loot bags with playdough, some popcorn and a movie with a pizza hut gift card for a family movie night. The kids were so overjoyed and I was too. Our family time is already so limited with the kids in school and then with them being sick so often with coughs and colds that I've got them half a room away so I don't catch it and then with me feeling like crap for a week out of every three it's so nice to have something right there for us, family night planned and arranged, all we have to do is call the pizza place. It really made my day.

I gave Connor's kitchen set to some friends for their young daughter and I got to thinking about them today. These friends are the dad and stepmom of one of my former daycare kids. And while I've always really liked this girl's mom and dad and stepmom, I was pleasantly surprised at how they have circled the wagons of support for me since my diagnosis. Between the three of them there has been cards, texts, offers of help, hugs...just a general love and I feel so blessed because as I pointed out in this post I've really learned who my friends are.  And I'm happy to be able to count them as that, rather than just former clients or Mary's friend's parents.

Today was the family celebration for Mary's support group and Hearthplace. It was a group for children who had a loved one diagnosed with cancer. I thought it was important for her to go to because she's a very emotional child and doesn't always know how to appropriately express them. And she's immature for her age and doesn't always understand things for what they are. At any rate, this group was fabulous for her, letting her know that how she feels about this is completely normal (no matter what she feels) and it gave her some good positive ways to express those feelings.  So tonight the families were invited to come for pizza and cake and a little presentation.

Mary gave me a scarf. It's a pink flannel teddy bear scarf but she traced her arm lengths and cut out her hands at the ends so that when I wrap the scarf around me it's a hug. Yeah, that turned me into a puddle. Even now, I'm such a weeny, tearing up thinking about it.  I promised I'd wear it often and I intend to. Especially next week at my next chemo...when I need those hugs the most.

I'm feeling a little better today. No runny nose but the cough and laryngitis is lingering. Sean is off to the Dr again tomorrow so I might tag along and see if I should take anything for it before the dreaded 3rd round of chemo next week. Blah, I don't even want to think about it.

So I won't. Instead, I'll wrap myself in Mary's hug scarf.