Rock Star!

Yesterday I did probably one of the worst things that, as a cancer mom, you can do on a cloudy, grey, already depressing-looking day. I get email updates from Caring Bridge about some of the kids that I keep up with. I don’t know most of them personally, but like you do for Peyton, I go to the website to see how their treatments are going and how their families are hanging in. Most are like us, tired of it all, ready for life to not revolve around medicine and hospital, and taking everything life throws at them in stride. Many are lifting up their child to God's power, and there are some that there is no word of His great strength in their lives, and that has to be an impossible feeling.

Most days, it’s just a matter of reading on what’s been happening, leaving a message of encouragement and support (those are vital on some days, welcome on any day) and saying a special prayer in my heart. But yesterday?? Oh, it was a 15 hanky alarm day. Caring Bridge is an amazing network of people, and sometimes a name will jump out at me and I’ll go to the site and just read up on a new child.

The first site I go to is for a little girl who passed away from a brain tumor on the 20th. Her site is just filled with names of her friends with cancer who’ve also gone to the Lord in the past few months. So, of course, I had to go and leave my sympathy and prayers on those sites as well. It’s like giving myself an emotional paper cut.

So, to bolster my mood, Peter sent me out to play poker. We have an outstanding group of friends who meet up every other week to have an informal poker tournament and it’s always a relaxing good time. Suffice it to say that I’m glad it’s a relaxing good time, because I never win…in fact, I’ve never even placed in the top three….I just go for fun. Pete wins occasionally, but me? Never. Pete decides I need to get out and have some fun, and he has to work anyways, so I should go to poker and have fun. So, I went. And let me just say, I am a rock star!

I had the most amazing hand I have ever seen played in poker history. Now, this has nothing to do with cancer, Peyton, treatment, ANYTHING…this has everything to do with me bragging about the most amazing poker hand in history! And of course, my husband not being there to witness my moment of poker glory! I was losing, on my way out of the game, and I put all my chips in on a last desperate hand, before the cards were even dealt. My neighbor Greg stays in the hand so it’s just me and him, facing off….to the death!….well, not death, but at least a lot of smack talk rights….I have an Ace and a two, and Greg has a pair of jacks. For anyone who knows Texas Hold’em, you know that at that point, I mentally started to put on my jacket and head home…..but the flop…oh the glorious flop!!….a two….and Greg snorts….and then another two….and everyone freaks out….then the third two flops, giving me a four-of-a-kind, and I flipped! The last two cards were inconsequential, it was a fantabulous poker moment for me. Greg ended up winning that game, but that hand was MINE!! Ahhhhh, the things you’ll remember to tell your grandkids someday, the day old granny got flopped quad deuces….I AM a rock star.

Anyway.

Today, we went to a Spring Festival put on by the Tampa Junior League and Children’s Cancer Center. Yesterday was a cold, rainy, cloudy, stay-in-bed-with-a-book-and-hot-cocoa kind of day. Today was gorgeous, breezy, sunny day and it was perfect for this event.

We got to spend the day with lots of wonderful people who volunteer time, energy, and funds to bring some happiness into the lives of so many and that’s just awesome.

There was a cakewalk with 70 cakes, Adelaine’s mom Angela and I felt like we had walk miles to get a cake, and we only had to knock down 10-12 kids, but we finally got a cake! Angela told me a special secret that cakes have no calories if they’re free, so I was all about getting one of those cakes!

Notice the hair that's growing back, abundantly!!

The kids got to play games, decorate their own hats and cookies, fly around in those big bounce houses and so many other things it was crazy.

Peyton was a little creeped out by the clowns, but the rest of the kids were captivated. Rachael got her face painted again, that girl does love her facial glitter.

They were all so tired when we left, they ran themselves ragged and we’re always up for kids so tired they can barely walk. However, they still had enough energy to bicker, so we sent them to bed. Oh, did I say the kids were the only ones who enjoyed the bouncy things?

I’m considering going to nursing school. One would think I will have had enough of nurses, doctors and hospitals in my lifetime. In fact, if Peyton sees me in scrubs she might totally freak out on me. Pray for guidance in this decision. It’s not an easy one to make and I have some time to consider the options and see if it’s really a calling for me.