Merry and Bright

Sometimes we forget to look around and see all the happiness we have in our lives. Often we forget to share our light.  In reality, we all have so much to be thankful for.

 I had chemotherapy last week. I have chemotherapy treatments every 4 weeks.  This is fantastic!  It gives me three whole weeks feeling somewhat normal and functional. I was sitting in the chair all hooked up and could feel the coldness as the saline and medicine rushed into my veins.  I started thinking about our last few Christmas celebrations.  I found myself not being able to remember a lot of details.  In 2012, my brain was still recovering from whole brain radiation.  In 2013, I was having chemotherapy every 2 weeks.  I had a  serious case of chemo brain. It felt so foggy and it was hard to focus.   It bothered me.  I remembered a little here and there.  I wondered if my children noticed by mental absence.  I can go through motions, pretend I'm feeling great and just keep going.  Buy when if comes to remembering, I just can't come up with details.  The special times we had together and the conversations we had about Christ and his birth are what I want to remember.  

This year, I feel so much better mentally and physically.  I don't feel the burden of the unknown with the question that every stage 4 cancer patient has.  When will this drug stop working?  What will be next?  What happens when we can't find another solution?  How are we going to financially do this again? This year I have been more focused on finding peace and making this little thing called cancer allow me to become who our Heavenly Father knows I can be.  Only he knows my plan.  I am okay with that now.  I have so much more faith and peace then I have ever had.  I hope that my children will see what faith and prayer can do.  Miracles present themselves in so many ways.

Yesterday I got a call.  Our family had been nominated to have our house decorated with Christmas lights from a local business called Christmas Decor.  We were chosen.  Tears flowed as I was trying to make appointments for them to come take a look at our house and make necessary plans.  They will be back next Wednesday.  I think our house may look like the "Griswalds". How exciting is that!  Hopefully Uncle Eddie will not show up in is RV. I told the children last night and they were so excited.  Thank you to the people who nominated our family for such a special Christmas season.

It is fun to be out and about in the Holiday bustle.  But we need to remember what the first gift of Christmas was.  It was Christ our Savior.  For that I will be eternally thankful for.

As we make memories with those we love this Holiday Season, let's make sure we treasure them.  May we make the season Merry and Bright for those whom we associate with. Someone special has made our holiday Bright.  For this I am grateful. I will always remember this special Christmas.