miss me????

disclaimer:  sorry if you are reading this for the 2nd time...i posted the same info on my caringbridge site.  but, hey, thanks for being such a loyal follower (mom)!

1st & foremost i want to thank all of my wonderful family & friends for your prayers, visits, flowers, cards, calls, love, & MEALS...you are all a definite representation of Christ's love through others!!!!!  i am truly humbled! i would also like to apologize for those of you who have gotten to see me at my most beautimous!

now to catch you up.  surgery was a little over a week ago & the surgeon informed everyone that things went better than he had expected.  they were able to see all my parathyroid glands & therefore, there were only slight calcium issues after surgery. they removed a lot of lymph nodes & the thyroid & sent things off to pathology.  i was released from the hospital the next day & have been home recuperating (which really hasn't been too bad).  the pain from the surgery was truly minimal!!  the worst part has been the allergic reaction i had after surgery to something used pre-surgery. i have had this reaction before after my wrist surgery & thankfully knew what to look for & we were able to head the nastiness off at the pass.  it is still extremely itchy!!!!  but, thankfully not blistery!

got a call on monday from one of my drs with my pathology results. the cancer was in multiple places & had spread to a number of my lymph nodes.  the likelihood for recurrence is now much higher. therefore, we will be proceeding on to the next step of a radiation treatment in about a month.  i go to see one dr today & one next week & will have a lot more information.

again, thank you all for your prayers...i'll take all i can get! :0) thank you to my in-laws for making the trip up here just so they could be with me on the day of surgery. thank you to my wonderful husband, mother, & children for waiting on me & putting up with me!  ya'll are simply the best!!

blah, blah, blah, blah, wah, wah, wah, wah

blah, blah, blah, bentley...blah, blah, blah, bentley...blah, blah, blah, arrrggghhhh!!!!!  if i never hear that man's name again, it will be too soon.  seriously, ashley?  you sound like charlie brown's teacher to me!!!!


i realize i should actually be catching you up on my surgery, etc, but this just had to be said!!!!

this is the day that the LORD has made!

heading off to surgery in about 10 minutes...hope to update soon!!!!  thank you all for your wonderful prayers!!!!

happy anniversary!!!!!

today we are celebrating 22 years of marriage! boy is he lucky!!! :0)

i loved him @ 19 & i love him more now!!!!  happy anniversary, michael!!!

ever had one of those days?

no, not the sad & depressing kind...but, the go out shopping for a grill & come home with a new stove & trash compactor kind? and no grill! :0) we did! we did!!!! i can't wait!!! if you would've told me when i was a kid that i would be excited about shopping for & purchasing appliances, i would've laughed right in your face. BUT, i did like shopping for them & can't wait until they arrive. i know, sad, huh? what has my life come to??? :0) i can't wait to squash some trash!!! truly, though...i have always disliked this stove that was here when we bought it & despised our trash area. i am not a big fan of gas cooktops...i like the smooth ones. my sister-in-law will probably shun me & shake her head...but, gas appliances are not my fav. now, i get one of those new pretty ones by electrolux (kelly ripa likes 'em) that has a 2nd oven where most warming drawers are...you heard me...a 2nd oven. who's with me???????? anyone? anyone? bueller? oh well, thanks for reading/listening to my ramblings anyway.

surgery is set

michael & i went to see the surgeon yesterday, he let me know that it is stage 1, & set up my surgery. surgery is set for tuesday, 6/21 @ 8:00...after a whirlwind diagnosis & tons of dr's appointments in such a short time (even with the holiday weekend), i now feel like it is coming to a screeching halt. i know, i know...it's not that far away. it is actually for a good reason. my drs want to get my graves disease under control before performing surgery. apparently if the graves disease is still out of control when you try to operate, it can cause a "thyroid storm" which could result in death...sooooo, i think i can be patient, this once. thank you all for your amazing love & prayers!!!

sadly, the "frousins" left today after an awesome week. thankfully, we don't have to wait too long to see them again!!!! we will see them again in just 5 short days! i think they should be able to make it! maybe they can recharge their sleep tanks, cuz i know they are all well past empty!!! they are so fun, i'm glad we had the privilege to keep them...now, i can't wait for their parents to get home so i can hear all about their trip to scotland! i wonder if the hills are alive? oh wait...no, that's austria. i wonder if it is too green? no, no, that's ireland. oh well...can't wait to hear.

monday...not sunday

i absolutely love our small group...we had the best time today!!!!! believe it or not, i didn't take any pictures. i thought about it a lot, but just never did. the kids took full advantage of the sun & warm pool, we moms enjoyed the porch, while the dads did the difficult duty of making/manning the homemade ice cream & playing ladder ball!!!!!! oh my word, fern made the best peanut butter ice cream...i think i'll have pleasant dreams about it tonight! there was one point in the day that i really wish that i would've taken pictures. the boys/men (3 musketeers) took on their dads in basketball...let's just say youth & stamina was a definite necessity!!! it was hysterical...all the dads came in all sweaty & looking totally whooped & when i looked over...the boys were still playing. as we get in bed, michael is still moaning about being tired! :0) our boys are growing up!!! & our other boys are growing old! shhh, you didn't hear that from me!

i've been so confused today thinking it was sunday. i, totally forgot it was actually monday & some fun tv comes on on monday!!! what a happy surprise! after our amazing small group left from an amazingly fun day of swimming, playing, eating, chatting, laughing, fireworks, etc...i had a very pleasant surprise on the dvr.

poor ashley!!! she so desperately wants this whole bachelorette gig to work out! she's already in love & at the altar on her 1st date!! seriously, the dude in the mask is a creepy creeperson & bentley is just a creep! do you think he's a paid actor??? he's gotta be! & have you ever heard so many sad stories from guys on one episode? are they hoping for sympathy roses? or, did they actually pick real people...who just happen to not be hard on the eyes? OR, are they all "mactors" (model/actors). i can't bear the thought that this show is scripted...so i'm going with choice #1. :0) and, i'm still trying to pick out this season's "bunny boiler"...i think the dude in the mask is my front runner! whatcha think?

now, i need to finish my real housewives of new jersey & then off to go night night! woowee...can we say dysfunction?!!! wowzers! i feel so bad when i watch it, but i can't help myself! don't tell anyone!