Seriously, thank you so much for all of you who have emailed wondering how I am doing. The simple answer is better. The complicated answer is that I'm still reeling from an incredibly rough patch.

The Presidents' Day holiday was lovely...we spent it walking around "Dinoworld" with my sister, her husband, and my dino-fanatic nephew (and his cute little brother). I noticed that I was tired, and that I had some funky mouth sores and an upset stomach, but chalked it up to being a week post-chemo and went to bed early. My husband sent out an email update to our friends that day that was pretty upbeat, an action we would later view with deep irony.

Tuesday the little guy started throwing up...and throwing up...and throwing up. In a Holy Spirit-inspired moment, my father-in-law called and offered to come and clean vomit off of the couch and get my son to soccer that afternoon. I immediately took him up on it. He got there just in time--throughout the day, I had moments where I was so weak I could barely muster up the energy to cry! By that evening, I realized that I was showing symptoms of anemia (again). My husband drove me to the cancer center where I had a transfusion and we arrived home around 4am.

Wednesday, I noticed that the transfusion was NOT working its usual magic. Dad had stayed to take care of the kids (hooray Dad!)and I spent most of the day in bed or dragging around trying to help, as we had decided maybe a few days at Grandma's would be good for our "littles" while Mom got better. The car was packed, but I began to run a fever. Back to the hospital--this time I was admitted for low white counts.

Thursday I was informed I "could not" go home until my white counts were up. I was NOT prepared for this, and was not a happy camper (especially since I was feeling better after hydration and a few bags of antibiotics!). Thursday evening my husband called and let me know we were experiencing a first in our eleven years of parenting--we had a child with a broken bone and he was calling from the Urgent Care Center. Yes, our daredevil almost-2 year old was at it again and had a "toddler fracture" of his right tibia! Now, the mother bear was really pacing in her cage!

Friday, I informed the resident that I was going home TODAY, even if I had to check myself out and wear a mask at home! Thankfully, they were and my mom and I beat it home to Orlando in time for me to go and be with the daredevil while he was casted.

Saturday was soccer and the little guy's birthday. Sunday was a big family party. Monday and Tuesday we tried to catch up from our disaster week, and from Wednesday on, my father was here to visit. Saturday was all day soccer and the arrival of my friend Laurie (hooray!) and her son (double hooray!) and Sunday was church and sending my husband off to California for the week.

So, where have I been? Honesty, laying low and trying to process it all. In the end analysis, for every "bump" in the road, God had a blessing waitng, but it's easier to wallow sometimes and be negative...

There are lots of blogs percolating in my head. Maybe this is the first step in setting them free.

And thanks again for checking in...it helps me remember just how loved I am.