Yes, I know November has come and gone – like December has! – and that 2019 is around the corner.  Before it arrives, and while the memories are still so fresh, I’d like to capture November.

Abby’s birthday is in November, and as soon as the page turned on the calendar, her excited anticipation and planning intensified. She’s been talking about her birthday almost nightly since the spring.  It is so precious to see life through the eyes of children!

As her birthday neared, my overwhelming emotion was thankfulness.  I had frequent flashbacks to early spring starting chemo, when my daily goal was to see the children in the morning before preschool and to tuck them in each night. The first month of chemo was difficult emotionally for both Abby and me.  She did not like “sick mommy” any more than I liked feeling so sick.  Bedtime tuck-ins often came with tears and questions from Abby:

“Mommy, when will you be better?”

“Do you love me, Mommy?  I don’t feel like you really love me.  I haven’t gotten to spend any time with you today.”  (Talk about ripping my heart out!)

Since she brought up her birthday so often, I remember reassuring her frequently that Mommy should be all better by her birthday. And then we’d dream together for a few minutes about her birthday.  What we’d do, what gifts she wanted, what cake we’d make.

As her birthday drew nearer, and I remembered so many of those spring-time conversations, waves of thankfulness washed over me again and again.  I am better! I am well.  I was strong enough to walk out each birthday dream with my girl. We had a ball.  We made her cake together which was quite a production since she wanted a “rainbow cake”,  made homemade ice cream, had a few sweet friends over for a party at our house. She asked to sleep with Gabe & I for her birthday (so precious), and so we did.  It was special.

The best part was that as her birthday ended, we only had another week to wait until we boarded an airplane for Colorado, where we celebrated Thanksgiving with Jill & Brett’s family and my parents.  The airport and plane ride were fun for the whole family!  It has been exactly a year since we’d flown together (Thanksgiving last year was with Anita & Allen and Mom & Dad Chong in Chicago).  The kids were giddy and thrilled with every experience. Sure, it was a little busy and chaotic. It was a 4 hour flight with 4 little kids!  But I enjoyed absolutely every single minute.

It was precious to be strong enough and well enough to travel.  So much of this year, traveling did not appeal to me at all – it took energy I did not have. On the plane, thankfulness continued to wash over me.  I was here and well enough to travel.  I enjoyed the other passengers, who always give such classic reactions to one couple traveling with so many little ones.  I enjoyed talking to the flight attendants.  I enjoyed the kids’ excitement.  And I could not wait to be with the St. Georges!  It had been far too long since we’d seen some of them.  I had not been to visit them yet in Colorado, where they moved at the end of 2017.

We had such a special 9 days with them!  I loved seeing their home, the kids’ schools, hearing about all the latest accomplishments from my amazing nieces and nephews.  We got to see my cousin Cindy and her family, went to Garden of the Gods, Focus on the Family, Jill’s hand doctor, celebrated my Mom’s 70^that The Broadmoor and Mt. Princeton hot springs, and of course, celebrated Thanksgiving.  We played games, cooked, laughed, and shopped (my sister Jill and my husband Gabe, the Deal Master, make quite a combo on Black Friday).  It was sad to leave.

Thank you for praying for Jill’s hand and her second surgery. It is doing so much better!  She has much more mobility, and the doctor feels like the second surgery was a success.

Outside of three rounds of strep back-to-back in Oct & Nov (the first times I’ve ever had strep),  my health has been good.  There are a few pesky things left-over from surgery and radiation that I’m working through with a PT and personal trainer.  And I am still not running at full steam as before cancer.  But I am doing so well.  We are thankful.