8/12/10 – sisters
I haven’t had a chance to write about my sisters’ visit. They both came from out of town on July 16-18. Ivia from Maryland is a breast cancer survivor and was interested in seeing the facilities where I get my treatments. The staff was happy to give her a tour. Christine came from Orlando. She brought me several flower pots and 2 beautiful flowers called “Crown of thorns”(see picture). They are covered with thick succulent leaves with tiny 4-petaled coral red flowers with yellow centers. And what an appropriate name for a healing garden plant! Crown of thorns refers to what Jesus wore on his head when he was crucified to save us. Now these plants looked like they had just come from an upscale nursery, but it turned out they were ones she had for awhile. She didn’t do anything but water them once in a while, and let them sit by the doorstep, and they flourished! WOW, does she have a dark green thumb! I am almost afraid to care for them! I might do more harm than good, like burn them up with too much fertilizer!
July 16 was my 2nd chemo treatment and my 2nd radiation treatment. As I was tired, we didn’t do much. We didn’t even cook; we sent Al out for barbeque, and he did the dishes, so we 3 sisters had a wonderful time just visiting, being together, and enjoying each other’s company. Thank you God for their safe travel, and thank you Al, for doing all the housework while they were here! We watched the movie UP, which has an excellent theme relevant to my situation now - enjoy life in the present, your life adventure is going on around you right this very minute!!!! It’s not waiting for you in a once in a lifetime vacation you have been planning for years – it’s in the here and now!
Ivia and I went to bed early so we could get up and spend time in the garden before the sun gets too hot. We set the alarm for 6:00. I heard her iphone quacking duck alarm go off at 6:30; we went out to the garden and sat on the bench while drinking coffee and eating continental breakfast. We also watched the rotating sculpture she had given me last year. It rotates in different patterns according to the wind, and it represents change to me (see video below).Then Christine got up and joined us. Later that day Ivia and Christine took me shopping for turbans, hats and scarves. We found a great sale at Kohl’s, 60-70 % off and Christine had another 20% off with her discount card. I got the turbans for 4 dollars apiece. My sisters helped me pick out 12, for less than the cost of a wig ordered through the American Cancer Society. Dorothy came over and showed her aunts her lavender Celtic wedding dress on line. They loved it and thought it was perfect! Yes, you read that right. Dorothy is having a Celtic-themed wedding and will wear lavender dress (more about that in a later posting).
I got up early the next day to see my sisters off while they walked through the garden for the last time. I waved goodbye as they were fastening their seatbelts. Ivia remarked that she hoped they had filled my house with positive energy and I replied, “Yes, it’s so happy it looks like the balloon house in UP, ready to rise into the sky with joy!”
They drove off and I sat I on the garden bench with warm happy thoughts about their visit. We had basked in the love of each other! We did not cook or clean, we let the dishes pile up in the sink all day Saturday and Al washed them after his nightly trip to Starbucks. Thank you God for their safe travel, and thank you, Al, for doing all the housework while they were here!
I haven’t had a chance to write about my sisters’ visit. They both came from out of town on July 16-18. Ivia from Maryland is a breast cancer survivor and was interested in seeing the facilities where I get my treatments. The staff was happy to give her a tour. Christine came from Orlando. She brought me several flower pots and 2 beautiful flowers called “Crown of thorns”(see picture). They are covered with thick succulent leaves with tiny 4-petaled coral red flowers with yellow centers. And what an appropriate name for a healing garden plant! Crown of thorns refers to what Jesus wore on his head when he was crucified to save us. Now these plants looked like they had just come from an upscale nursery, but it turned out they were ones she had for awhile. She didn’t do anything but water them once in a while, and let them sit by the doorstep, and they flourished! WOW, does she have a dark green thumb! I am almost afraid to care for them! I might do more harm than good, like burn them up with too much fertilizer!
July 16 was my 2nd chemo treatment and my 2nd radiation treatment. As I was tired, we didn’t do much. We didn’t even cook; we sent Al out for barbeque, and he did the dishes, so we 3 sisters had a wonderful time just visiting, being together, and enjoying each other’s company. Thank you God for their safe travel, and thank you Al, for doing all the housework while they were here! We watched the movie UP, which has an excellent theme relevant to my situation now - enjoy life in the present, your life adventure is going on around you right this very minute!!!! It’s not waiting for you in a once in a lifetime vacation you have been planning for years – it’s in the here and now!
Ivia and I went to bed early so we could get up and spend time in the garden before the sun gets too hot. We set the alarm for 6:00. I heard her iphone quacking duck alarm go off at 6:30; we went out to the garden and sat on the bench while drinking coffee and eating continental breakfast. We also watched the rotating sculpture she had given me last year. It rotates in different patterns according to the wind, and it represents change to me (see video below).Then Christine got up and joined us. Later that day Ivia and Christine took me shopping for turbans, hats and scarves. We found a great sale at Kohl’s, 60-70 % off and Christine had another 20% off with her discount card. I got the turbans for 4 dollars apiece. My sisters helped me pick out 12, for less than the cost of a wig ordered through the American Cancer Society. Dorothy came over and showed her aunts her lavender Celtic wedding dress on line. They loved it and thought it was perfect! Yes, you read that right. Dorothy is having a Celtic-themed wedding and will wear lavender dress (more about that in a later posting).
I got up early the next day to see my sisters off while they walked through the garden for the last time. I waved goodbye as they were fastening their seatbelts. Ivia remarked that she hoped they had filled my house with positive energy and I replied, “Yes, it’s so happy it looks like the balloon house in UP, ready to rise into the sky with joy!”
They drove off and I sat I on the garden bench with warm happy thoughts about their visit. We had basked in the love of each other! We did not cook or clean, we let the dishes pile up in the sink all day Saturday and Al washed them after his nightly trip to Starbucks. Thank you God for their safe travel, and thank you, Al, for doing all the housework while they were here!
Love the video Mom! Great story to about your sisters coming to visit.
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