Summer's End

In my last post, I stole, I mean, borrowed a "no whining" sign from a blogging friend. I'm trying to hold to it.

The only REALLY good thing about the end of summer is that autum arrives with all her beauty and bounty; and we can eat apples and things made of apples (which includes drinking cider.)
And we can make/eat pumpkin pies, eat pumpkin cheese cake and decorate with pumpkins.

Another pretty good thing is I get to substitute in my favorite schools, again; and get paid for it, too!

Being able to take a walk in the fields or in the woods without sweating is another good feature but it takes me awhile to get used to wearing long pants again. With all the eating I mentioned above, I better get to it.

But this autumn has been different. I am preoccupied by finding a lump in my breast and though I have prayed, had tests, had my surgeon think it was not cancer; had a biopsy (yesterday) and should have the results today, I find myself with a sick stomach and a headache. I waited until after 1pm to call the surgeon's office for the results but they are not in, yet. So I am writing to pass some time and vent some thoughts.

Finding this lump to begin with was a bit strange and almost humorous: I tried on my new "body shaper" and put it on backwards ... yes, you may laugh! When I tried to get it off, it got stuck and squashed "the girls" like nothing I had felt before except a mammogram!! Well, I managed to get out of it, spin it around and put it on correctly. Trying to take it off again, resulted in more squashing but I finally figured out how to w/o any further discomfort. (I was suddenly reminded of my mom wearing girdles.)

Anyhow, the next morning, during my shower I discovered this lump. I had checked just two weeks earlier and found nothing so this was a complete and frightening surprise. I scheduled a mammogram and ulstrasound through my GP who thought it was a cyst. The mammogram did not show anything! The ultrasound showed something but was not definitive.

It's biopsy time. Honestly, it took longer for the paperwork to be done than it did for the prep and surgery! First off, the hopital had me down for the wrong breast.... uh... no, it's my RIGHT one; the one with the lump in it!! Happily, the Dr's info was all correct so the red faced nurses corrected all the wrong info and it went all the way to the top. A very nice hospital staff, though and friendly, calming (also humorous) nurses in the OR.

And guess what? Halfway through I realzed I could see a reflection of my surgery in a small area of the overhead light!!! I watched him poke around, wipe away some moisture, (no blood because they had already cauterized the little vessels) and then suture it! When I could feel the tugging, I decided to stop watching but that was it! In and out!

I'm hoping and praying this is it; that there is no need for further tests. I've been this route before and each time I wonder if "this" time it is the big "C"... My God knows, and he has been my ultimate source of comfort during this time. It's is amazing how and when he chooses to send me "special" comfort! Passages of Scriputre that come to mind, hymns sung in church and some that just float into my head; friends contact me out of the blue; family members need a baby sitter for the weekend (really took my mind off of it!)

The worst so far, though, is that I had to be without my husband for all of this time, but God carried me through. My blood pressure didn't even go sky high! Bill was in training in New Hampshire all while I had my mammogram/ulstrasound and first visit to the surgeon; but he was with me for the biopsy and he's here with me, now. Actually, he's always with me... even when he was 5 hours away. That is the kind of relationship we have and I'm going to give God ALL the glory! Some day I'll post how He brought us together...such a cute and wonderful story!

Well, I need to get laundry done, biopsy results in or not. I'm waiting until @3 to call them back. I think I can do that.

Needing to end on a humorous note and not being able to think of anything, God just allowed my husband to turn to me and say: "We are entering the Snapdragon phase of our lives." I said nothing, but looked at him with raised eyebrows. He continued, "Part of us has snapped and other parts are dragon." HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!! If you identify with this statement, please leave me a comment!!!

Well, it sure was a quick summer, if you can call it that! Just two weeks of hot weather was not enough for me. I really needed more swimming time and the vegetable garden was just too wet. I'm sure in a few years, when we need the rain, I'll think back on this summer.

Fall fell quickly. The colors were not as brilliant this time around, but beautiful nonetheless. It's been

quite rainy and I'll try hard not to complain but I can't help wondering if all of this precipation continues into winter; the cold, COLD winter, what will winter be like? :-)

Bill and I are enjoying our retirement to the max. I'm subbing where I want, when I want and am just thrilled to help out old friends, meet new ones and see "my" kids from yesteryear as they grow through the grades at the other schools.

We enjoy cooking and have showed off a bit: Bill with his Blueberry Grunt and me with my Apple Pie which took 3rd place at a contest.

At church I am volunteering a few times a week, sing in choir, am on the music committee and head up the Drama team. Once a week I get to play with our granddaughter, Isabella, which helps out her mommy as she bathes their show dogs, works on her painting and other things that need attention from grown up fingers, not little ones!

Bill is now on the board of dirctors at Sacandaga Bible Conference where he has been voluteering this past summer. He's working P/T with the Montgomery Co. Sherrif's Office, still and continues to help out at SBC.

We managed to sneak away at the beginning of fall ... to find the last vestiges of summer down in NJ, DE and MD.

Bill and Julie are busy at work in New Jersey, but come up very often to help out at Sacandaga Bible Conference as the cooks. Granddaughter, Erika and granddoggie, Dito sometimes come to spend the nights with us. This makes Grammy and Papa very happy!

We were able to purchase another 12 acres of land attached to ours which will give us a measure of privacy as the Avery's begin to sell off their Christmas Tree farm here in Meco. Bill has been clearing out some of the overgrowth in a few areas and we should have some nice little trees of our own. This clearing out has given us fuel for some bonfires in the back yard. Mmmm S'mores!

It's been a quiet time of life for us and we really like it this way! Family, friends, a little work a little play ... a lot of God who sustains us in all we do.