Mothers Day & Make-A-Wish & an MRI

Poetry - I used to feel pressured to love it.  I didn't love it, but I felt that I should.  When I was in high school we had an old poetry book that had belonged to my grandmother and I would take it to bed to read at night.  I actually enjoyed it.  I liked the poetry and I liked the way it felt to read it... and that is how my relationship with poetry stands today.  I am rarely "moved" by it,  I rarely write it, and I never seek it out as a way to spend my free time.  I am feeling brave by putting my lukewarm-poetry feelings into print because I still feel like it label me as completely un-cultured.  So be it... I do have some poetry in my possession that I absolutely love.  The poets are my children... each year, as Mothers Day approaches, Mark asks what I would like and I remind him that all I want is a poem from each of my children.  My friend, Nina, shared this idea with me while our children were young. I must have 10+ years of poetry written just to me from those who are most precious to me.  What a treasure!  I am very blessed.

My Mom Sparkles!

Last week my brother, Tom, posted a nice Mothers Day greetings to the women in his life. To my sister and I he wrote:  and my spiffy sisters Corinne  and Lori who are raising really fine humans partly because they're both so bafflingly positive and shiny all the time.   I really like the phrase bafflingly positive - I guess it is true.  We both have plenty of trials in our lives, and we are both positive and happy.  I would like to agree that I am shiny, but I am not sure what they means.  I attribute much of this to our mother because I have always felt that the greatest inheritance I have received from her is her sweet faith.  Through her example I learned that having the faith to make the right decisions will always bring blessings to my life.  For that, I am grateful every day. She is definitely "Shiny". Thanks Mom!  I also liked this because Tom is one of those super-brainy-English-majoring-type individuals who seems to take delight in using big words that I don't understand.  (He would probably like to tell me to stop using so many hyphens when I write - but I really like hyphens.)  Using words like "bafflingly" brings him back to my level and it is fun.  Thanks Tom!

With Tom - doesn't he just look smart!
Wow!  We are so cute!

Make-A-Wish Foundation contacted us last week to let us know that Jackie is eligible to receive a wish.  How exciting.  I am excited because it is another bright spot in a gray circumstance.  We have been through the process before and know that receiving a wish is a wonderful highlight to the whole cancer experience.  Greg was in the hospital for his first round of chemotherapy when they came to our room to tell us he was eligible.  My heart hit the floor and I know they could read in our faces what we were thinking ---I had alway thought of Make-A-Wish as a last wish before you die.  I was somewhat horrified that they would spring it on us like that!  Of course they explained it is for children with a life-threatening illness - and then it became much more exciting.  Greg spent quite awhile trying to figure out what to wish for - months I believe.  Eventually he received camera equipment and he loves it!  He entrusted it to my care during his mission and we have only used it a couple times... to make sure it still works.  Jackie hasn't a clue of what to wish for - she would also love a nice camera but doesn't want to copy Greg, she would love to go to Boston but is running out of time, she has no interest in meeting anyone famous.... this is actually not as easy as it seems.  After hearing about all of this, Greg wrote that he was excited but also commiserated with Jackie in having to make this decision.   I will be interested to see what she chooses and am quite excited for her.

Taking photos of each other taking
photos - Greg's camera is much nicer!

For most of my life I have known that, given the opportunity, I would wish to ride in an F-16.  I used to be quite obsessed with the notion.  My Air Force son will laugh and know that F-16 is the only real name for a jet that I know... there are probably better ones to wish for.  I just want to go really fast through the air.   For now, however, I am not so sure that is what I want to do (though I would never turn down an opportunity).  If someone granted me a wish today (knowing that they cannot pay off mortgages), I would probably wish for a trip to England.  I would bypass the tourist attractions in favor of the countryside and visiting our ancestral roots.  Maybe a Jane Austen site if it were convenient.  Perhaps a quick trip to France to eat their bread and pastries.  Oh well, I am way past 18 and not eligible anyway... but it is fun to consider.
The younger children had a few questions after the Make-A-Wish announcement.   "Isn't Jackie's cancer gone?  Does she still have cancer?"  That is a good question.  When do you stop saying that?   It was easy with Greg - we said he had cancer while he went through his 7 months of chemo, and then we called him a survivor.  Obviously, though unknown to us, Jackie has had cancer for many years.  I seems strange have it over with after one surgery.  We should know more today as  Jackie and I head back to OHSU for an MRI and follow-up doctor visit.  I am so glad that our doctor appointment is on the same day as the imaging so that we don't have to worry overnight.  I am not yet worrying - this does loom over us, but I am bafflingly positive, so I will not worry until they give me a reason.  Dr. Hayden was very confident that they had removed the cancerous tissue and I am going with that.
The children also wanted to know, "Does Natalie get to make a wish?"  Oh dear, I really, really hope not!