No Cancer Today...

I woke up around 8am, after a pretty rough night. Apparently chemo and radiation on the same day is not a recipe for feeling great. I fell asleep before Big Daddy ever went to work...which I hate. I always "see him off", and when I don't, I just feel terrible. I mean, how tired are you that you can't stay up until 10pm to see your husband off? Ugh. Hate that.



Anyway, I woke up around 8 Saturday morning and realized Beautiful Daughter was in my bed. I don't even recall her coming into my room, much less getting into bed. She and Babs had a late night redecorating Beautiful Daughter's bedroom. It looks so lovely. Deep, but bright yellow painted walls, magenta curtains, and a host of vibrant colors in her new comforter set. Pink and yellow...the favorite colors of my parents...



As Beautiful Daughter began to stir, I rubbed her arm and wished her a happy 15th birthday. How did this happen? I just had her... It was a Thursday, she was two weeks late, and the ignorant check-in clerk told me I was not in labor. (She later changed her mind as she dangled from the IV pole...just don't ask how she got up there and you won't have to testify...)



So much to do this gorgeous Saturday as our baby turns fifteen. Her friends will be arriving at 5:30 this afternoon for a cookout, movie (Alice in Wonderland in 3D), and then back home for cake and ice cream... Good thing I got up when I did...



Beautiful Daughter and I got up, got dressed, grabbed the empty propane tank and took it to WalMart for a refill. (This one is our backup tank. You know full well you will run out of gas when you have company over for a cookout and no time to go get a new one without ruining dinner. Fool me once, shame on me...)



Went to Jeff's Car Wash. Wanting to have a clean vehicle for carting and carrying this evening, I thought we would head out there first, you know, before the line got long from all the other people with salt and dried mud on their vehicles.



Jeff's was closed for the next hour. Grrrrrrr. Fine. Too much to do to crack this early.



Went to the bank and made a deposit.



Went to the Party Store because I realized I am an idiot and did not buy enough Nemo and Dorie plates for cake and ice cream. Yes, Nemo. Hey, she's trapped in that world between wanting to be a young woman and wanting to remain a child. I get that and I'm 40-something!



Went back to WalMart to buy groceries for cookout and party. Also bought a chicken. It looked good and I was hungry because by now, it was going on 11.



Came home, put up groceries. Woke up Precious Son because he had to be at school at noon.



Took Precious Son to school after feeding him in the car. Yes, I fed him in the car because I am no longer concerned with the Mother of the Year contest as I was disqualified back in January over that whole "say one more thing to my daughter and I will smack yo mouf" thingy...



Dropped off Precious Son and went back to Jeff's Car Wash. Apparently the place was back up and running because the line was about a mile long. Realizing time is tick-tocking away, I did what anyone would do, and left...circling around, coming in from the other side from the major road, taking a left into the line because the rest of the people were behind the stop sign, and wound up in about 6th place, as opposed 66th. Hey. It isn't my fault I am THAT smart. Oh, and if the people who realized what I did are reading this, I would like to say I am sorry, but I am not, so I can't lie about it. You see, I am also out of the running for Citizen of the Year after the whole "Yes, you can put the Lafayette Mulch Fundraiser sign in my yard but not the political signs or garage sale signs or have-your-man-love-you-by-losing-weight-with-this-simple-yet-unapproved-by-the-FDA-pill signs" fiasco which may or may not have resulted in someone having a pile of of signs in their front yard denoting above-mentioned garage sale. Hey! It's not my fault I know who you are, you psycho-sign man!



Next.



Left Jeff's and went back to WalMart, and yes, this would be the third trip there, to see if the cake was done. It was!! YAY!! Left WalMart and took cake home.



Sun was shining brightly, drove in shock that I even remembered what the sun looked like.



Babs came over and she and Beautiful Daughter worked in the pink and yellow room while I fixed hotdog chili and a few other things. You see, on Sunday, we are having pork loin, restaurant style potatoes, baked beans, salad, and whatever leftovers we have from the party because Precious Son does not like pork. *feel free to insert groan here, if you are the one in charge of feeding your persnickety eaters, like I am*



Made hotdog chili.

Boiled red potatoes thus beginning Stage 1 of restaurant style potato creation.

Washed lettuce, tomatoes.

Sliced Vidalia onions, tomatoes, green onions, lettuce.

Began baked beans.

Washed dishes as I went along.

Checked the mail. Nothing yet.

Ate some of that chicken I bought four hours ago when I was starving four hours ago.

Set out sturdy plastic plates, cups, forks, knives, spoons.

De-boned the rotisserie chicken.

Kissed Big Daddy goodbye as he left out on his Harley, barely able to contain his excitement about being able to ride...you know, it's been so long thanks to me. =o(

Went to buy movie tickets for the 7:25 show. Thought this to be a grand idea as two weeks ago when "Dear John" came out, I wound up dropping the girls off, picking them up, dropping them off, picking them up, and dropping them off and picking them up because each show was sold out. Not this time!! Fool me once...

Checked the mail. Still nothing.

Cracked ice. Refilled trays because I am a firm believer in putting water in the ice trays after cracking ice. I know. Call me crazy. It's right up there with changing out the toilet paper roll...

Picked up the house, meaning, I arranged the couch pillows because I have a wonderful cleaning lady now and there isn't that much to do.

Looked for my new candle.

Realized while looking for my new candle that I did not know where I put the birthday candles I had just bought.

Looked for birthday candles.

Checked mail. Nothing. Where is he????

Worried that everyone may not like chocolate cake, went back to Walmart and picked up white cake cupcakes. Trip #4.

Took a shower.

Found my new candle, still hunted for birthday candles.

Was finally invited to see Beautiful Daughter's room after she and Babs had worked so hard in it and it was lovely!!!

Big Daddy came home and helped Babs set up Beautiful Daughter's new bed, which was a gift from the most amazingly generous, loving, kind, and gracious person we know.

Becca came over and applied lip plumper on her lips that she bought at Sephora while trying to figure out if the main ingredient is snake venom.

Looked for birthday candles.

Checked mail. Are you freaking kidding me??!!?!?!??!?

Went to pick up Precious Son from school and napped in truck while I waited because by now, say, 4pm, I was exhausted, my back hurt, and I was about to collapse.

Came home, instructed Precious Son to pick up his room.

Mail came. YAY!!


Guests began to arrive at 5:15.

Babs went home to take her son to baseball practice...but she would be back as soon as she could.

Found the birthday candles. YAY!!!

Cracked more ice and STILL put more water in the trays. Rebel.

Put three bags of french fries in the oven.

Had Big Daddy start the grill, for he is the Grill Master.

Precious Son picked up Dylan.

Thanked God for Precious Son passing his driver's road test on the first try after having his appointment cancelled four times due to snow.

Said grace.

Helped 10 teenagers fix their hotdogs, hamburgers, and drinks. Gave them all paper plates.

Fed Big Daddy.

Sat down. Got up. Had realized I HAD purchased sturdy plastic plates and that there was no need to try and fit all that food including baked beans on paper plates!!!
Made kids switch to sturdy plastic plates...yes, at this point it was more for general purposes than need, but...that's me.

Cleaned up.

Packed the truck with giggly girls as they all put on their 3D glasses and headed to the movie theater.

Big Daddy tried to nap before work as several teenage boys played football in the yard and X-Box in the house.

Babs and her son came over and ate dinner. I felt bad because Big Daddy had put everything away while I was running the girls to the movies, and I had to get everything out again. I was afraid he would think I didn't appreciate his help, but I truly, truly did!!

Talked with Babs and son until the other boys took Babs' son away to play games...then talked to Babs. She was getting excited because her hubby, Ken, would be coming home on Sunday and she missed him.

Cracked more ice. Filled more ice trays. Still such the rebel.

Feeling said rebellion, went to bathroom to check the status of the toilet paper roll.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Changed toilet paper roll.

Texted Lucy and her crew about coming for cake and ice cream.

Brought out Nemo and Dorie cake, took pictures of cake, cupcakes, gift bags, and the like.

Set out the ice cream to soften a bit while Babs and I went to pick up the girls.

Picked up girls and laughed as Lucy and crew went into my house but were convinced no one was there, despite several people being there but too afraid to wake Big Daddy, so they were very, very quiet.

Laughed out loud.

Gathered up girls, headed home from theater.

Wished I had cotton for my ears with that high squeal pitch that only teenage girls can emit...Kind of like bats.

Came home, brought everyone together, sang Happy Birthday to our baby girl.

The joy lasted approximately 15 seconds until T-Hawk blew out her last candle.

Mentally reminisced about how Beautiful Daughter and T-Hawk have been the thorn in each other's side since first grade.

Smiled broadly.

Cut the cake.

Scooped the ice cream.

Poured the drinks.

No one wanted white cake cupcakes.

Beautiful Daughter opened presents and lit up the room with her humor, smile, and graciousness.

Realized I might be biased about my kids.

Kissed Big Daddy goodbye as he went off to work.

Took lots of pictures.

Cleaned up the kitchen, yet again.

Listened as the walls of my home echoed with laughter.

Thanked God for the opportunity to be here...at this time...on this day...

Made "to-go" plates for our guests to take with them, including a dozen, white cake cupcakes.

Began the chauffeur service and took everyone home.

Talked with Babs and went to bed.

Laid in bed, feeling utter fatigue and incredibly blessed for this busy, busy day. The kind of day where I was too busy to have cancer because I was being a wife, mom, friend, chauffeur and WalMart consumer.

Got up to put pork loin in crock pot because it was now going on 1am and we will be eating at noon...

Yep. I just don't have time to have cancer.