Eight weeks of Chemo have passed so that means the number of the day is 4. Four weeks of chemo and 4 girls is the theme for this post! The picture to the left is the four girls a couple of years ago. We haven’t taken pictures yet this year, and last year we just did one group shot. So…a couple of years ago will have to do.
Beautiful was blessed to have all four at our home today, albeit not at the same time. We woke up to the the normal routine of getting the kids off to school so Curly Girly and Bright Eyes (middle left and right respectively) were part of the primary focus to get things rolling. Curly Girly can turn anything into a task 10 times longer than you thought humanly possible, but she is also the first to volunteer to help. It is a unique combination. If the task is for her, she will take all day (e.g. 20 minutes to eat a child’s yogurt – what are you chewing? there is nothing to chew in plain yogurt!?). If it is helping someone else, she will shift gears and move faster than I am usually ready for. Bright Eyes must share an exciting story with you that will include copious amounts of detail that might cover such important aspects as what type of braid was in the ponies mane, but it is not a normal braid it is a braid that wraps around other braids and it makes a braid out of braids and it shakes when the pony canters and each braid had a different color bow …(well you get the idea). But the story will also be delivered in rapid fire (and a little bit monotone) so you better be on your toes because she KNOWS when you are not listening and feedback is always required.
Sweetness (far right) is Coco’s bride and brought over the grandchildren for Beautiful to enjoy (I of course benefited as well – it was great to be able to see them without competition). What a treat to be able to share the day with all of them. We get to enjoy hearing about what is happening in her, equally large family, and visit with the little people all at the same time. Princess (far left) came and joined us for a bit and it rapidly became a little impromptu party. They all love Aunty Guh and of course we all always happy to have a visit from any of the kids, but Princess always bring the sunshine with her.
Back to my bride. Beautiful is definitely feeling the affects of her Chemo. Her hair is almost completely gone now and that has created some funny scenarios. I don’t want to say she worries about things, but she sure puts a lot of thought into situations that never even register with me. For instance, she actually put thought into what she would do if she were pulled over. To her, the wig doesn’t look like her license (although most people can’t tell it isn’t her hair) so she was concerned that a police officer might think she were disguising herself. She was trying to decide if she should remove her wig to show she was going through Chemo. I had to gauge my response very carefully. I wasn’t sure if I was being punk’d or if I was dealing with “Chemo brain” (yes that is a real thing). I took the safe course and just asked what she decided. She hadn’t so I guess we will cross that particular bridge if we find it in our way.
We had a little extra help this week. Thanks to the 5th grade Moms at Wake Christian Academy. They made a bunch of freezer meals so we are well prepared for impromptu dinners when Beautiful is not up to it. My meal repertoire is limited to about 4 and is very heavy in the meat and bread departments. That would get old in a hurry.
We are looking forward to wrapping up another week. While we do have some fun things planned (pictures, a birthday party, etc.) the real special sauce is knowing that we are one more week closer to getting Beautiful through her chemo. We will continue to press on knowing that not only are we getting closer, but each day and each aspect of this challenge is shaping us. We are being refined for a purpose. It may be that purpose is to reach one other person (Beautiful meets someone new at chemo each week it seems), or it may be something bigger. We don’t need to know, we just need to continue on and let our God and Father take care of those details. He knows and He never stops caring.
Please continue to remember us in your prayers. It is a source of great strength and it is a blessing to all. Until we meet at the blog again. Go Fourth!
Seven on Earth 
Warned her about chemo brain so hope it isn’t worrying her. No one warned me so I was terrified the cancer was in my brain I forgot what a grapefruit was. Had to look it up on google. Haha.