Bird Poop

I can't help but be thankful for my family today.

Last week my dad drove over the mountains just to pick me up so that I could spend the week in Kelowna. That's a lot of driving just to give me some new scenery.

My mom took care of Matias, hosted dance parties with my boy and youngest niece while homeschooling her and cooked up some delicious food for all of us. Oh and did I mention that my mom and dad spent this week with us so that I didn't need to worry about finding babysitters or rides for appointments?

My sister gave up hours of her sleep and a bunch of energy to ensure that my boy was sleeping safely and wouldn't wake up his mama. She also started to teach him about eating rainbows (one bite with various colours of food) which only added to my list of parental "lies" such as Cheerios are "cookies." She must also be a good cook as my boy ate more than was normal for him!

My niece gave up her bedroom for me and it was wonderful to sleep in a big bed by myself. I slept better than usual. She also entertained Matias often.

My nephew would play peekaboo with Matias and would even let him in the office while playing on the computer. The two of them played hide and seek (or rather chase each other around the house).

My other niece gave up her bedroom so that Matias could have his own space to scream, cry & talk at night (while being supervised by my sister). She read him books, chased him around the house, snuggled him (for as long as he allowed it) and also loved on my boy with dance parties.

My brother-in-law scared and loved on my boy with persistence and fun. He took up the challenge of getting my boy to eat vegetables (two peas)... giving him the option of putting the peas up his nose or in his mouth. And he would chase my boy around the house and then throw him up in the air and we'd all hear a nervous giggle and see a great grin on the little one's face (the big guy also was enjoying the sillyness of it all).

And my husband got to do some things he usually doesn't get to do... sleep through the night, watch a movie with a friend and get snuggled by JR (our rather large and not very affectionate dog). Plus, he received an award at work -- Employee of the Month!

Another highlight of the week was that within 24 hours, four of us got haircuts (and I'm one of them!). AND this week I had to buy new bottles of shampoo and conditioner (my last bottle of shampoo/conditioner were given to me in August of 2013!)!

In my medical news, I saw my oncologist this morning. Once again, my neutrophils (immunity) are too low to receive chemo this week. We'll try again next week to see how they are. As well my tumour markers are on the rise... just enough so as no need to panic or change plans right now... but enough to wonder if this chemo is no longer being effective at killing my cancer and I might need to change to a new chemo. I'll get my fourteenth CT in December and we'll see what my cancer is doing in my chest and abdomen.

The news is not horrible but also not great. It's sort of like the bird that pooped on my dad's windshield as we drove home from the Cancer Agency. Four plops of poop to be precise. It's not the end of the world; it just sort of messy to deal with. And for right now, I'm trying to see past the poop and see the beauty of the view beyond the windshield (which coming home from the Cancer Agency meant mountains, harvested fields resting for the winter and a blue sky peaking out from behind the white fluffy clouds).

Yesterday was American Thanksgiving and today is Albanian Flag Day (a BIG holiday for Xhevat, his family and all my Albanian friends)... so tonight we're gonna enjoy life and celebrate with a homemade best-attempt-at-Albanian-food meal! Urime 28. Nëntorin!

Learning to look beyond & enjoy the view.

Some of my favourite Albanian food

My favourite Albanian

And my favourite little boy