Lift and Support

Look at this - four days of tea parties for Susan's family. I bet they are saying...enough already!

I say - thank you! What a great family.















Here is my gross hand but look at the cool ring!

It says "seek peace" -
Here is my mom getting ready for the party
And - here they are Mom and Jim. Look at my Mom - she is so prim and proper! They pulled out the real tea cups!
My best friend from school days - Lisa. Poor thing - sinus infection. She is still the coolest chick.

And, Here we are having our tea! Outside in this kooky bakery. Now that I look back on it - it fits me to a T! Anyone coming my way - I'll take you. This is Mary - you all know her as first my friend, and then my neighbor. She also is known in these parts as Auntie Mary. Oh - the wind was whippin so I wore a colorful purple head wrap.
Here is the tea and the "pig" Mary ate the head off of the cookie before we took the picture.
Great tea sent to me for the celebration. I am now officially hooked! Delightful. Thanks Michelle and Jim.

What a great feeling to have tea with all of my friends around the world! I was going to say country, but my friend Emily lives in Mexico, so - this tea party went international! (and Emily called to say that her daughter 20ish - says that I should get the peace sign tattoo on my head) I can't thank everyone enough for the thoughts and the celebration. It was more of the recurrent theme here, understanding that your friends and family are your strength. When you try to pull that strength from the bottom of your stomach, it is knowing that people have your back no matter what. Today, I put closure on something that I hope I never have to do again, Chemo - and mostly, I hope that none of you have to do it either. Trust me, if you do and need someone to come with you during an infusion, I am there for you.

At the crack of 8a.m. my friend back east sent me a photo of her tea and cookie - if I can figure how to get it from my phone to my computer - I'll share. She is a great gal and after over 11 years since I was in Tucson, it is really great to have her still in my life.

I went to school for a while - even "splurged" on a meter so I did not have to park and take the bus. Then had a delightful lunch with Mary. I had hummus - stay away for the garlic now is coming out of my pores. My idea was to go to the New Mexico Tea company which was across the street after lunch. Well....they just sold the tea - no serving. So we moved our party to a bakery next door that was wonderful.

Then, I came home and there was a surprise in my mailbox. The sweetest ring of peace from my friend Susan. She is my best friend from college and has been sending me cards all week! She and the family have celebrated with a tea party each day of their vacation. I have to scan the photos - it is great. And, I have to say they all look wonderful! Hard to believe all of those years have passed. So, early in the evening the UPS man rolls up.

A surprise. Oh my goodness - tea! So, I spent my last hours of the evening enjoying some real special tea. No more of the Trader Joes stuff - this was beautiful tea. I am now hooked! The company is teavana and they seem to be all over. Except here. I did notice there is one in Cherry Creek too! My friend Jim and his wife Michelle sent that. Of course - they are just so in tune to those type of things - very cool. I'll add the link sometime in the blog. Like I said - what a wonderful way to celebrate!

And then, I got a late email from my friend in Chicago. She said that she is sick but brewed a cup of tea just to celebrate. What a trooper!

Again, I am putting closure to this - I am ready to move on and get healthy in both mind and body. My energy level is not there - but I know it'll come back and then I'll start with getting out and walking a bit more. I can't wait. This has been a process, and I know it is only starting. There are changes that I have made to make my world better. I could not even imagine being in a place of "hate" when this thing started. What I mean by that - what if I was in a job that I hated? Or a city that I hated? So, I am very happy in the "space" I have created. I have pledged to start with me to be a better person day by day. I also have to carve sometime to give back to the community. I have always done this - but with Lilli, just have not made the time since she came into my life. So, soon, I'll figure out what I can do - I have some ideas here and bet your bottom dollar it will be cancer related. I have to pass on the kindness of those nurses - it can't just stop with me. You know I'll see them for another year with the Herceptin crap - but you know what I am saying.

Oh, a funny thing that I thought of - I am always thinking - I was putting on my clothes in the morning and decided to go all out and wear one of my bra's (you know that is a LONG story). So I did some self talk and cracked myself up - I needed some lift and support.......and that is exactly what the day was about lifting ones spirit and supporting each other. I just happened to be in the middle of it all. Lift and support - I like it!

And finally, thoughts on being selfish. Usually as women we give of ourselves until we don't know who we are. We become blended into our significant others, our children, our families. When is it OK to be selfish? That is a struggle of mine. Instead of saying "no" we do things anyhow. So that is a question for you. When to be a selfish person and feel good about it? It is hard, I think mostly for woman to come up with that answer. I also go back to a conversation I had with my college buddy Susan (notice I have another close friend Susan in Texas and another Susan here....) about safety nets. That has played through my head all of these months. Why do we as females have to set up safety nets for ourselves? Just in case. Like I did each day before my infusion - I would clean (to the best of my energy) the house. I would make sure that the sink got clean, the toilets etc. So, that when I walked in the door and felt crappy - I did not have to worry. I would let the dishes pile up until I felt good again and then clean. So why the safety nets of the the just in case. I have leaned on my friends and mostly my family for those nets. Now, that is being selfish. That is OK. The biggest lesson I have learned is my value of my family. I say no more - but my feelings are so much deeper for my family. Off of that and onto pictures. And with that - I close for the day. Thank you all. I am going to enjoy the day of sunshine and warmth. Enjoy your day.