A Happy Heart

It is Monday evening, going on 7pm. Really, the first opportunity I have had to write in days. Mind you, I am not complaining whatsoever, because I have had a glorious time...

After radiation on Friday and my subsequent post, I went to bed. I would guess I was asleep by 9am...slept until 1pm...got up, did something I don't recall...went back to bed from about 2:30pm...got up around 6pm...bed by 10pm. Please believe the person telling you that radiation is exhausting even if they have lied about everything else their whole, entire life.

Saturday was wonderful! OH!! Just wonderful, I say!!! Had my first photo shoot of the day at 9am downtown. It was with a precious 15 month old little girl and she was adorable. Too cute!

Next, I had a young lady and her oboe. So very, very sweet. We took some pictures and I heard later that she was pleased. I say you are a success if you please an eleven year old who is caught in the throes of body changes, "who am I?", and middle school...and we all know how I feel about the havoc wreaked by attending middle school. Having that young girl happy with her pictures means the shoot was a success. *smile*

Next, I worked with two sisters who happen to be fraternal twins. Both were beautiful and incredibly photogenic. These girls seemingly had a great time. Of course, asking fifteen year old girls to pose is a guaranteed win-win situation.

After the sisters, I photographed two more young ladies who are best friends. I took individual shots as well as "friends" ones. I dare say, these photos are pretty darn good. Of course, when you consider that I am photographing "the beautiful people of the world", it's not really the photographer, is it? *smile* If you look at the website, you will see for yourself, I am surrounded by beautiful people! http://www.walksoftlyphoto.com/ However, what you won't see is that Midge and Babs were with me on the shoots and that is why the photographer was smiling.

Saturday evening, we had dinner with Babs and Ken and it was yummy. Church on Sunday morning and the Kentucky Wildcats won the SEC tournament Sunday afternoon. Woot! Woot! Needless to say, I took a nap and it lasted quite a while. Long enough to make up for daylight savings time and then some...

Church Sunday night for the kids and I worked on the photos until the wee hours of the morn. Ok, ok. Maybe not wee hours, but when you are trying to hang on until 9:30 at night, staying up until midnight is h-a-r-d!! I actually worked on the photos at every opportunity from the time I got home after the shoots on Saturday until just before supper tonight.

You know how they say you should have a job that you love and that you would do for free? Well, I have found it...and it's photography, image manipulation, and telling stories without using words...

Today was my last day of radiation. They gave me a certificate of appreciation and completion. I cried. Not because of the certificate but because these wonderful, wonderful women have endeared themselves to me forever. I was never a cancer patient...I was just Dawn... I miss them already.

I took Beautiful Daughter with me so she could get a glimpse into this profession in case she decides the whole chef thing won't work without her being able to taste-test dishes that are not macaroni and cheese based. The girls allowed her to watch from the safety of monitor room and they treated her with the utmost kindness and were excited that she was interested in what they do. She told me later that she could understand why I cried at the thought of not seeing them anymore. I told her that is what makes a good nurse, not their knowledge of anatomy.

Beautiful Daughter has been fighting a sore throat. At some point, maybe Thursday, I took her to the doctor. She tested negative for strep, but positive for something so they prescribed Amoxicillin, so it must not have been too bad since Amoxicillin is a pink placebo. Anyway, today, Monday, after having the antibiotic in her system long enough to feel better, she tells me she thinks she should stay home from school. I laughed inside because I knew it was coming...not because of her symptoms but because of her love to stay with me during school days. You know, I kept her out. I did not take her to school today and I don't regret it. I will be going back to work in another two weeks and my daughter wanted to spend the day with me. Bad mom? So be it.

I had received an invitation to a professional networking group from Lucy. She and some other people she knows are members. They have lunch every Monday and promote/network each other's businesses. The group is establishing trust in the business community via these chapter meetings and business exposure. Each week, the members give a sixty second introduction of their business and then the visitors are asked to do the same. Let me tell you, when it was my turn and the words came out that I represented Walk Softly Photography, I could have melted. I wished Big Daddy had been there because this was one of those moments you remember forever and I love it when he is with me for those...well, when they are good moments to remember. I wanted to text him and tell him that I had just introduced myself as a photographer, but I thought they would figure out I am a kid trapped in a grown up's body, so I just ate my pickle instead.

Beautiful Daughter and I came home and I finished up the photos so that they were all posted on the site and then we took a nap. There is something incredibly special about taking a nap with your child regardless of how old your child is...

Jumped out of bed as I turned over and realized it was going on 5 o'clock and I had to get supper going. Self-imposed panic because nobody really cares when we eat as long as we do. I just want to be that perfect mom/housewife with the string of pearls and dinner on the table at six. Sure enough, I pulled it off but only because I had already cooked the chicken. LOL Hey, I may not be June Cleaver but my husband loves me, our kids think I'm pretty cool, and our friends keep me close by, so it's all good.

Big Daddy goes back on his regular schedule beginning tonight after a week of dayshift. He is asleep now as I type. Beautiful Daughter is in her room cleaning off her vanity and using the new pink and green containers I bought to help her organize that girly mess. Precious Son is sitting on his futon, playing X-Box with his online friends, narrating as he goes, which makes me laugh. He's always done that narrating thing, even before we went with X-Box Live...not sure where he gets it or why he does it, but he is such a commentator, it really is something to listen to even when annihilating aliens and zombies.

I have made the taco meat for tomorrow's Mexican fiesta while I have been typing and have also finished up the laundry. I am listening to my second David Gray cd and am very happy to be doing so. As it turns out, this cd purchase included a bonus cd with David live from the Roundhouse, so it was definitely worth buying again. However, if I misplace this one, Big Daddy may just make me look a little harder before we buy the third installment of the exact same thing. LOL

You know, I have had a great couple of days and I am so grateful. Someone asked me yesterday if I am as happy as I appear to be all the time. I said "no, actually, I am not, but I am far too blessed to complain about something that has changed me and my life, for the better". In fact, last night as we were driving the kids home from church, Beautiful Daughter recounted this story...

"Tonight the group leader said that some people in the world think that Christians are always rich in life and that only good things happen to them. Then she said that was not true and asked if anyone had an example. I raised my hand and said that I didn't think it was fair that my mom had cancer because she is a Christian and a good person and everybody loves her, even grouchy people...but she does. Then I told them that it used to make me mad that mean or bad people go their whole life without anything bad happening to them and then someone like my mom gets cancer and it isn't fair. But then I told them how you say that cancer has been a blessing and that because of it our family is closer and God is saving you and working through you to help others. I also told them I am not angry anymore. So, basically, it isn't that Christians have it easy but they do have God, and that makes all the difference."

Yes, My Love, is certainly does.