::faithful – prayers of thanksgiving and joy – it was such a beautiful weekend! My youngest sister got a job after months and months of unemployment!  My dear Jane is recovering and feeling better!

::Kill All the Cells!! – First chemo infusion went well.  The nurses are nice, they think I’m ridiculously perky and cheerful, and the side effects were bearable.  The spiffy part is that for the first time in my adult life I DO NOT FEEL GUILTY about laying down and taking a nap. Over the past couple decades of raising offspring, I’ve stayed alert and let Mr. Pea nap on the weekends.  Why?  Because even with only teens and their friends hanging around the house, a responsible ‘adult’ needs to be present at all times. You never know when powertools or other contraband may be put to use by underaged humans. This weekend? I didn’t automatically volunteer to keep watch.  I put on my pajamas, closed the drapes and climbed into bed for a proper nap.  More than one nap, even!  I needed those naps.  I relished those naps!

My port site is healing nicely, and all family members are suitably intrigued and grossed out all at the same time.

::creative – Knitting again…a super cute beanie to wear post head-shaving. It’s going to look sort of like this, except mine is a lovely blueish-lavender, and knit from a silk/bamboo yarn.  Oooooh, it’s so soft!!

::pondering –  Science.  Chemotherapy works by disrupting the way DNA and RNA reproduce.  Didja read that?  DISRUPTS the way DNA forms.  That means it messes with the insides of my cells on purpose.  How on earth did doctors and scientists first think, “Hey!  Let’s see if we can rearrange life force building blocks and stop cancer!”   How amazing is God’s inspiration in the way we learn and discover and how grace filled we are to have such intelligence at our disposal.

::delicious – Major culinary celebration going on in the Pea House this week.  Why? BECAUSE WE FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY GOT A NEW OVEN!!!  No kidding.  You may pick your jaws up off the floor.  Mr. Pea and the boys installed it yesterday afternoon while I Happy Danced all around the kitchen.  Almost three years my friends…three years without a properly functioning oven.  Three years of borrowing others’ kitchens for special cooking occasions, making do with a countertop convection toaster oven and a crock pot.  Three years of not baking Christmas Cookies.  (I had a back up plan this Christmas to have a cookie baking day with a friend, but sadly, it panned out.)  This does not mean that the kitchen remodel is back on.  It just means that I could no longer function a single minute more without an oven.  It mostly means that I was totally successful in helping Mr. Pea understand how much easier it will be for him to cook/reheat/warm entire meals during the next several months, and that I helped him embrace life with an oven that heats up, stays on and won’t catch the cabinets on fire.

• Ribs, Potato Salad and Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Roasted Lemon Chicken, Green Beans
• Leftover Ribs, Roasted Butternut Squash
• Baked Ziti, Spinach Salad
• Tamale, Corn and Black Bean Casserole (baked)
• Baked Meatloaf, Smashed Potatoes and Roasted Broccoli
• Roasted Turkey Breast, Baked Sweet Potatoes and Roasted Asparagus
• Breakfast Casserole!
• Homemade Cupcakes!
• Big Batch of Homemade Granola!
• Cookies! Cookies! Cookies!

::fun – Oh My Gosh!  BOTH of our daughters were home this weekend – the whole family at the dinner table!!  It was such a nice surprise.  Mr. Pea and I saw Saving Mr. Banks – lovely and sad.   I think the kids are going to sneak out today and head to the Stock Show, since it’s a gorgeous day and a school holiday to boot.

::fashionable –  Charcoal tweed dress pants, blue ribbon knit cardigan, white silk blouse and super-duper fun shoes.  They are grey flannel pumps with little butterflies and vines.

Oh yes they are!

::looking ahead –  Dentist appointment for DirtBike, Chemo Round Two, Big ‘Ole Shot of Neulasta, Plan Submittals for Clients, More Napping, More Baking.

Take a Nap. Keep the Faith.