Tuesday.

I've had a long day! I went to Sarasota on business this morning and afternoon. It was a fun morning because this older couple came into the courthouse and they were getting married! Right there! Marilyn and Arthur Miller style! They were so adorable. The girl behind the counter got so excited that they were going to purchase the ceremony in their "wedding parlor" she forgot to charge them for the marriage license. And then the gentleman put the purchase on a credit card! I don't know... I was standing there and thinking that this was like something out of SNL. But they looked so, so happy.

A few minutes ago, called to check in on mom and dad in Jacksonville and they are getting checked in themselves to their hotel for the evening, preparing for dad's appointment in the morning. I have this great neck massager around my neck that works really well... Just don't call me right now because I might sound funny.

I'm watching the Style network while I'm letting this heat massager do its magic, and an eHarmony commercial came on, and there was this couple highlighted... and, I kid you not, I saw the SAME man, but with a different woman, on LAST week's eHarmony commercial! Is this possible? Who's going to get fired over it?

Coffee Mug.

I have this mug that says:

Dance like nobody's watching you

Love like you've never been hurt before

Sing as though no one can hear you.

Live as though heaven is on earth.

Beautiful, yes.

But it started me thinking. I think maybe we could learn something from this poem. I call it,

Living Without Regrets

Dance like your pictures will be on Facebook

Love your stilettos, even when they hurt

Sing... and if you can't, there's always your car

Live in the moment...they'll call back.

Any submissions?

Restoration :)

My congratulations and best wishes to my dear friends Aaron and Melissa on the announcement of their courtship!!!

Dad's News

I have news about Dad! The x-rays came back negative for cancer in other areas. He has had an additional test done that does not indicate that the cancer has spread... definitely an answer to prayer because had there been cancerous spots in other areas he would not be a candidate for the proton therapy. Praise God! Also, he is walking without a cast and without crutches. He's still limping a little bit but way better than before. Jeremy and Mom surprised him for Christmas by having his car repainted and boy, will he be happy to be driving soon.

Dad and mom are going to Jacksonville tomorrow for their initial appointment for the Proton Therapy. They plan to stay overnight and go to the appointment on Wednesday morning, because it is at 8:00 AM, after which we should have more information on when he will begin treatment.

I apologize for not giving an update sooner on his healing but greatly appreciate your continued prayers. He's not out of the woods yet, but definitely feeling at peace about this other option for treatment in Jacksonville.

Directions.

So, again, I started to think to myself that I should think about [starting to think about] where life is going in the relationship area. I'd venture to say that I'm happily single, but that is because I am a firm believer in becoming happy wherever I'm planted.

I do believe, however, that if there is a certain longing in your heart, and as long as such longings are not leading you down the wrong path, there is no harm in pursuing those paths that might lead you to those dreams.

Wow- that was vague, wasn't it?

I guess as a woman I won't ever lose the dream of having a family, as much as I have tried to make that dream go away. I'm certainly not in any hurry, mind you. There is so much out there to do, and places to visit, and people to meet. I guess I just never thought it was going to be such an "either/or" type of thing, where one would have to choose one over the other. Where are those days when two people decided to go out and live life together, to greet each morning with the possibilities that it brings, and pack up and move wherever God sends you... together? At what point did it become such an anxiety-ridden quest to find the right person? I had no idea that my little girl dreams would be so very, very difficult to realize. For whatever reason, I've been viewed as some sort of a hold-back kind of girl. And not just once or twice, mind you. Which is odd, because I cannot wait to see what life has to offer, what sort of places God is going to send me, and what sort of adventures I'll get to tag along on. I am frustrated at how many times I've heard that I don't fit into whatever sort of box is out there that a girl's supposed to fit into: The Plan Box.

____________

I read this article that was supposed to explain the reason why some men are single for so long and some are not. Basically, their wives were not "The One," but merely "The One When I Was Ready." Some interviewees were brave enough to admit that they dated someone for years, only to break up with her because of a college pursuit, job offer, or some other life-changing decision. Oddly, these same men found themselves engaged to someone else just months after their breakup. They admitted that they loved their exes, but she just didn't fit into their life at that moment.

____________

I love conversations with sweet old people.

"Are you seeing anyone right now?"

"Oh, oh no... I'm taking a break for awhile."

"Well, dear, that's alright... Mr. Right is out there somewhere!"

(Pats hand sweetly)

Now, I have a pretty vivid imagination. At this point Chelsea's brain conjures up images of a tall, attractive man wandering around out there somewhere, afraid and yet refusing to ask for directions to his future bride. So around and around he wanders aimlessly, perhaps in a very fast and shiny car, while I am pretty much working hard and happily in my little corner of life but figuring it would be good to start building a life with someone, too. So if I am understanding this right, I'd have to be at the right gas station, at the right time, wearing the right dress and Chanel perfume and lipstick, just when Mr. Right decides he is ready to settle down and park his convertible for awhile...?

_____________

Show me something different. Show me something deeper, beautiful, and more timeless than what I'm feeling and watching and reading about and seeing my friends go through. Show me... because right now I can't see past all the shiny, fast cars.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Review

Some friends of mine got together to go see the movie Benjamin Button tonight. The movie surprised me; it had just enough empathy, fantasy, sadness, and happiness to be captivating. Oddly, it was shot mostly in dark scenes, either night shots or dawn/dusk shots that made the movie itself seem dark. It certainly had its dark moments, but I'd say, it succeeded in casting light on those things we fear to think about. I'd recommend it.

Pounding.

It's Winter's apple-crisp air
And Summer's sleepy affair
From spin the bottle and
Her double-dog-dare

Winter's armchair
Summer's shoulder's bare
How could I have been so wrong?
In waking dreams wishing I still didn't care

My quietest fears now laid bare
Road trips wind to nowhere
The radio station's fading, sad song
Sings through the static that tagged along

I saw it in your eyes
Tomorrow's clear, blue skies
Yesterday and all her charming fears,
Her clouds mourning their fallen tears

Hair down and it's windy
Windows rolled down and it's chilly
Music turned up 'til I feel its beating
I felt free for a moment fleeting

Yesterday's a pie, in this lonely hour
Crust burned and fruit still sour
It was mine to give or take
A lesson was learned and yes, my heart still breaks

But life goes on, and tears will become weak
"It's yours to play with, hide and seek.
Forgive 'fore your warmth turns to snow;
Some answers you'll never get to know."

They say it's time to part, now, you and I
This embrace must end, but yes, I still cry
You know I'm not good at saying goodbye
So I'm not going to; It's whispered in my sigh

There's a corner of my heart
And now it's bare
A fireplace blazing useless heat
On a lonely, winter armchair

A Girl's Gotta Shoe What A Girl's Gotta Shoe.

I've been thinking through some priorities lately, and I decided that my built-in bookshelves could serve a greater purpose. Because while books expand my mind and imagination, it's on patent-leather high heels that I see the world :)

Sunday Thoughts, Part I

A moral dilemma.

I was starving. What would help this empty feeling? Chicken nuggets. So I went over to McDonald's to get an order. And guess what? They have a whole line of coffee drinks! It's called McCafe! Now, before you go all hate on me, read my posts titled "Tales of the Demise." Starbucks, Indigo, and Moxies all have special places in my heart. But I thought, since I'm here, why not try McD's cafe mocha?

But first, the moral dilemma.

My meal came with a regular fry and a drink. They charged me a small upcharge for the cafe mocha. There was this guy standing next to me, waiting for his two Whopper deal. Apparently this deal comes with an extra large fry. I'm telling you this for a reason. So his Whoppers come and he reaches into the bag and pulls out a couple of fries. He then realizes that he received a regular fry, and not a large fry. He tells the girl behind the counter that he was supposed to get a large fry, and not the regular one. He then hands back the fries. At this same (Yes, the SAME!) moment, I realize that my chicken nuggets came with an extra large order of fries.

Now this is tricky. Apparently, I got his fries. I had this fear, however, that if I brought it to their attention, they would merely swap the order, and trust me, if you had seen this guy, you wouldn't have wanted his fingers in YOUR fries. Not that he was icky. Let's just say if Brad Pitt had been standing there, I would have maybe, maybe done a fry-swap. Obama, even. (Especially since a Secret Service agent probably tested a fry first). But not this guy. I took my bag and left.

So my moral dilemma was that I took a large fry, and I didn't pay for a large fry. But if it makes you feel any better, I threw out the difference between the two fry orders. It made me feel better.

And now onto the McCafe' review. My cafe' mocha was really, really good. I don't see myself setting up laptop-shop at McDonald's anytime soon, but I'd go by there if I was in the area,or getting chicken nuggets anyways, because this mocha was really, really good.... and it was $3.19.

Wait, what's that noise? Hear it? Oh, wait, that's just Howard Shultz hyperventilating.

December 7 Update

Friday, Dad went to a different doctor about his ankle.
This doctor told dad that he:

1) Did not need to have the hard cast, after all
2) In fact, he didn't need the boot, either
3) and he probably won't need surgery
4) He should feel free to move the ankle, as long as it isn't causing pain.

Quite different from the news last week! You can imagine how wonderful this is to him. The cast was so uncomfortable, and of course the upcoming surgery wasn't very good news.

The cast is off, and dad only wears the boot here and there, mostly to protect it when they leave the house. No more uncomfortable, hard cast! Yay!

It should be noted that both of these doctors looked at the same set of x-rays, and had vastly different opinions.
We are praying the same goes for the cancer.

As of now, Dad will be doing the proton therapy; however, he must be "accepted" into the program. What may keep him from being accepted is a troublesome spot that showed up on the x-rays in his chest area. There is an area on his chest, in the bone part, that is showing some "questionable spotting."

If it is more cancer, or a different type of cancer, then that may disqualify him from the proton therapy. (If interested, see link HERE )

Dad left the x-rays with a doctor on Friday (December 5) to review, to see if the questionable spot is cancerous or harmless.

This is short but since we have had such an answer to prayer for the foot I wanted to give you all an update.

Prayer requests:
Please pray that there will be NO further cancer that might disqualify him from the proton therapy and that the ankle/foot will continue to heal. Please pray for wisdom and clear diagnosis from the doctors who are looking at the x-rays and the reports. Please pray for speedy processes; with Christmas coming up, it is getting difficult to schedule appointments because of the limited schedule.

Thank you all and God bless you. Have a great week and I will post/email more information as it becomes available.

Peel-eased to Meet You!

Look what greeted me this morning on my way into work!
A little grapefruit family, enjoying our bench!
You have the Daddy grapefruit, the Mommy grapefruit, the visiting Sister-in-college grapefruit (home for the holidays) and little quadruplet grapefruits. (I found out later they were key limes). How cozy, the whole family sitting there, shootin-the- squeeze together! (sorry- I had to say it).

Or maybe it's a Grandma is going to babysit so that Mom and Dad can go have a romantic dinner out and do some Christmas shopping- It's probably hard to get away with 4 kids!

And then I started thinking that maybe it wasn't that at all. Maybe it's Grandma and Grandpa grapefruit, and it's their son's custody weekend with the key limes (whoo hoo!).

Or maybe it's Mommy grapefruit, Daddy grapefruit, and daddy's Special Friend grapefruit and they're about to have a talk with about "blended families." (Sorry, sorry).

And then I said, "Chelsea, you are standing here, making up stories about fruit sitting on a bench."

You may think I'm silly, but I don't really rind. (Sorry, sorry...)

Two Ears Don't Mean You Heard It Right.

Ok, I admit it. I was half listening, typing, watching a decorating show, and the crunchy Wheat Thins were making it a bit hard to hear things.

So I hear, "There were soooo many people in the waiting room today at the Doctor's office."

Me, half- listening, but still feeling intelligent enough to share a grown-up observation: "Well, probably people are trying to use their Flex Dollars before the year ends. Use it or lose it."

Mom, half-listening to me, too: "Probably, yeah, that's probably why."

(Somewhere in the distance, a dog barks. A newspaper page is shuffled. All is quiet.)

Suddenly, he speaks.

Dad: "Yeah, Chelsea. Probably everyone timed it so that they broke their arms and legs just in time before their Flex Dollars expire."

Oh, we laughed.

bluetooth.

I have one of those BlueTooth pieces that is really small. Part of it fits in your ear. Right?

I think it's weird when I wear it and I'm not on a call, but expecting one, and I can hear myself breathing or eating because it's in my ear.

You know it bothers you, too. Admit it.

Hi everyone!
Thank you again for your prayers and your emails of encouragement. I will be giving a quick update tonight but hope to answer everyone personally over the next couple of days.
So dad went in to see the foot doctor, and the doctor said that the bone is not healing together like they hoped it would. They decided to put a hard cast on his foot. Please pray that we get in to see someone soon- the specialist recommended to us decided not to see dad because he was not the "original" doctor. Which doesn't make sense to us, but God closes a door for a reason.

As I mentioned before, we are looking into the proton therapy. It is a two month treatment option, so he would most likely move to one of the locations. Thank you for telling us what you know about this therapy and offering us phone numbers and names of people who have been through this before. I read him the "new" emails tonight and he is very grateful for all of your prayers and your information on this alternative therapy.

Of course, he still has his sense of humor through all of this. Just a moment ago, my parents were watching "The Twilight Zone" on television. (I use the term "watching" tv loosely because we always talk and do other things while "watching" television). Mom says, "How is it you've seen this movie, and I haven't?" Dad says, "We had television [growing up.]"
So we all had a good laugh at that.

Prayer requests now are that we will get in to the right doctor for his ankle to start healing properly. With Christmas coming up they are getting hard to book. Waiting two more weeks isn't good in case the ankle needs to be set again- surgery has been recommended now because of the extent of the break. Dad says he will go to the hardware store and get his own titanium screws and pins. (Kidding.)

If this email seems a bit "off" I am very, very tired and am not up to my writing par. That is the reason and not the critic's view of home-schooling's inadequacies :)

Love you all and sending a "thank you" from dad-

Chelsea