Friends and laughs..........

It's Sunday, so late this afternoon I called Steven again to remind him to pick up the box of stuff for his PCR test tomorrow. "What box?" he asks. "I have a blood test tomorrow. Really?" I laughed! It's wonderful that he forgets... I know that some of the forgetting can be put down to the gleevec fog he suffers from, although I think Laura 'suffers' from it more than he does - having to remind him of things all the time! Him forgetting also tells me that he is not concerned about this all the time, although I know that the time will come when I will hand the reminding over to him and therefore, Laura, to deal with. But for now, its just fine the way it is..... :-)

So he stopped by to pick up that box that lurked in our little fridge in the shop and we had a lovely hour or two just chatting about life and stuff and being totally normal and relaxed. Its wonderful to see the smile that comes to his face when he shares his future plans, his dreams and wishes. He is pushing overtime now too, always keen to volunteer for any extra hours available - it all helps towards plans they have and the dreams they dream. It's SO good to see.

I know I am the luckiest mama on the face of this earth.

On another very exciting note, I have made plans to go out and meet some very important people in my life! This July, I will fly out to meet Gloria in Denver, Debs in Seattle and Penny's sister, Trish in Canada. These are just three of the people that have kept me sane, helped me keep my sense of humor and who I really want to spend a few days with. Although I met all three these amazing ladies though cancer, this is not a 'cancer trip' at all - its a frienship trip and I expect to have an absolute blast with many, many laughs - all 10 days of it. And, another bonus is that Lottie, a truely amazing lady with whom I have been chatting with for a good while now is heading up this way at the end of this month, so we should get to meet as well! She has been an inspiration to me since I heard her cml story and its going to be wonderful to meet her :-)

Except the flying. Flying is unnatural to humans. And I have voluntarily paid for a frightening number of take offs and landings and hours in the air! I must be nuts........ but these three are really worth it! LOL.

Life is really good right now and I treasure each and every moment of it. We are planting vegetables in the garden, babying fruit trees and putting in a wooden fence - all in this unending heat of pre-summer. The computer shop is doing wonderfully, Steven is looking and sounding great, the girls are doing what young mothers, Marines and young wifes do - and looking good too........

I have been thinking about how different people are different things to us in our lives. I never really thought of it before like this but with Steven's diagnosis many thoughts have come to the front of my mind. I have cancer friends and non-cancer friends and then those that are both. Debs is the one that is most able to share my 'scareds' and joys at good results, but cml is definately not the center of all of our communications at all. Each and every one of the people in my life have helped me be who I am this very moment. Just because someone does not understand my fears, or simply does not know how to talk about cancer, or does not want to talk about it - does not mean they are not playing a part in this road we are all walking with cancer. They are the 'normal buttons' in my life. Totally priceless :-) It's also wonderful to see how people that were purely cancer-friends, have now become true friends, way above and beyond cancer.....but without the big c - we would never have met. Life is indeed weird and wonderful.

Frank is my main "normal button'. With him, I can cry, rant and rave or simply not talk about any bit of cancer and or cml at all. He has the ability to stay the same, upbeat person, comforting me through my rough days (there are not too many of those around anymore) and always managing to get me to carry on laughing, to see the good side and to re-instill the hope I know is there. I am 'just me' with him. It's wonderful to have what feels like a rock solid foundation in him.

Just last week I moved the box of tissues away from the side of my bed, and I have a wish for everyone - that your tissue box is faaar away from your pillow! No night-time tears. A sincere wish.

Love and Light
Annie

and a cyber hug for Davo's mom.........