2 YEARS.....YES, THAT'S RIGHT...I'M A 2 YEAR BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR!  1st of all, that's so weird to say. I cannot believe it's been 2 years. It actually feels like a lifetime ago. Seriously, it feels like anything else you go through in life that becomes a distant memory. 2nd of all, WOOHOO....2 years and counting!!
Thursday I had an appointment with my oncologist. The typical, blood work, exam....except this time instead of going to my oncologist office, I went to the PA's office. I didn't even see Dr. Nelson. Only his PA. I guess when you are healthy, no need to see the Dr.-Right? Well the PA, Bonnie, her office is in the same location as the area to get chemo. So, for 45 minutes I waited in the waiting room with all sorts of people waiting to get called back to get chemo. I just sat there thinking how far I'd come in just 2 years. Actually my stomach started getting nauseous just thinking about sticking a chemo needle in my (now removed) port, and getting poison pumped through my body. The best I could do at that moment was simply pray. Pray for all those going through it. But also, thankful for all the dr.'s, researchers, and everyone that makes cancer survivable. Back to my appointment. It was all good; blood work-all good....and nothing more to report! (I only have a physical exam and bloodwork. They don't do body scans b/c too many times they create unnecessary scares and false positives. Irregular blood work and lumps are the only signs they will notice of any return-BUT, that won't happen so honestly NO anxiety).

Not much really to report on, except your typical summer vacation with kids. I have been the ultimate Uber driver. And of course I haven't done half the things with the kids I wanted to. Next year I'm not making a list and will have no expectations!
I do want to plug this awesome book. I'd like to say I can't put it down, which is so true, except I can't find time to pick it up and read! That's life with 3 busy kids and always the..."do this, let's do that, can you take me here, take me there...?"  Anyway, the book...  Imagine Heaven by John Burke.  It's story after story of other peoples' Near Death Experiences and their trips to Heaven and back. OMG, I always knew Heaven was wonderful, thanks to my sweet Mema. She told me all the time how wonderful Heaven would be, I still hear her and picture my childhood memories of what it'd be like. Well, this book paints the most wonderful pictures of how great it is, so great that Earthly words cannot describe. What I take away most from reading it so far, is our time here on Earth and how we are merely preparing for our place in Heaven. Our relationships, our life here is preparing us for our eternal life with our Heavenly Father. How well do we love our neighbors? Do we love them as much as Jesus loves us? How are we building and nourishing our relationships with people here on Earth?  Are we nice, nonjudgmental, loving, etc. to everyone we meet? Do we strengthen our relationships or tear them up along the way? Our greeting committee in Heaven is based on our friends, family and relationships we've built here on Earth.
Are we that person that people want to be around or run away from?  These are all thoughts I have worked on over the last few years. I can honestly say, I started thinking like this before I got cancer. But, the more bible studies I attended, the more I read the Bible, the more I pray, and become closer to God, the more I realize I need to grow in my relationship with Christ and strive to please him more than anyone or anything else.

May God continue to Bless and bring happiness to each and everyone of you....