These are a few of my favorite things....

It has been over four months since my last blog entry.  How can that be?  What has kept me so busy?

Here are a few of my favorite things....

• A week at the outerbanks during shark week (literally).  Lilli and her bff, Ryann had fun inspite of only going in to knee high water.  Once our friends Julie and Meagan Krone joined us we ventured to thigh-high water. (Shhhh don't tell big Daddy aka Mr. Safety he would not be happy!)

• My sweet sweet friend, Nancy, and her family moved to Dallas, Texas.  Nancy has been one of my closest friends for 14 years and this is the second time I have had to say goodbye when she moved to Texas.  Here's hoping she moves back in a few years - just like last time.

• Lilli said so long to her BFF, Ryann Markel and her family.  They set out to Denver, Colorado.  We miss them terribly.  Lilli has shed lots of tears over these last four months.

• Dinners and lunches with some of my old high school buddies: Tammy, Dottie and Lori.  So many laughs and tears with this sweet group of friends. Dinner with Angela English. A few breakfasts with our friends Alan and Traci.

• Lilli set off to Camp Green Cove in North Carolina for two weeks.  Rich and I slipped away for a get away in Asheville, NC before we picked up Lilli from camp.

• Hunter turned 8 years old!

• Several trips to Dirt Farm Brewing Company.  Magnificent views, great food and good beer!

• Start of Middle School for Lilli.  So fun seeing her growing up and taking on new challenges.  Another fun part of middle school is one of my former youth group girls is all grown up Kellie McDermott Koptish and she is the 6th grade Dean.  Nothing like having someone on the INSIDE! :)

• Lilli fell off a bike an injured her growth plate in her left wrist.  NO VOLLEYBALL - missed the entire season with the exception of the first two practices. :(  Her team finished 2nd overall.

• Said goodbye to Lilli's other BFF Wendie and her family.  Lilli's heart has sure been knocked around the past few months.

• I decided it was time to do something about my hair loss.  I got my first pixie cut in 45 years! Oh, my aunt Betty Ann would love it!

• Quick trip to the Myrtle Beach, SC with brother Eddie to visit my parents and bring grandbirdy, Hunter home to start school.

• Rich's 54th Birthday was celebrated with his favorite dinner and a birthday cake.

• My annual Florida trip with my BFF, Gail.  We treasure this trip and missed it last year so we were especially excited for this sweet sweet time together.  It didn't disappoint.

• My 52nd birthday!  I felt horrible that week and cancelled a couple celebrations, but a few days later I celebrated on numerous occasions with lunch and dinner with Mary Jo and Sandi and Tammy, Dottie and Lori, and lunch with a group of my tennis pals.  Got the best gift - WOOL SOCKS.  I never knew what I was missing.  If you have never had them you MUST try a pair.  You won't regret it.  Sometimes I just put my socks on and I immediately begin to feel better.

• My old friend Ellen has been home from Atlanta staying with her mom so we've been able to see each other on several occasions.  It's a tender time she is going through, but I'm so grateful for our time while she's here with her mom.

• Celebrated sweet Justice's 10th Birthday.  So fun to celebrate her with lots of her friends.

• Sweet grandbirdy #2, Tucker and I have hung out a good bit.  It has been so much fun getting to know this funny little guy.  He is so sweet.  I sure am blessed.

• Rich had his left hip replaced on October 21st.  He is back to work and doing amazingly well.  The right hip replacement is schedule for December 28th.  Just in time for the new year.

• Received over 55,000 prayers from my pal Gail Suitor in the form of a beautiful hand knitted blanket.  I will be covered in her prayers each time I use it.
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• Lilli and Primrose enjoyed a safe and not to spooky Halloween.

• Lilli auditioned for Harmony's musical, Peter Pan and got a part as an Indian.  We are all dancing around the house chasing pirates and hiding from the lost boys!

• Another successful piano recital.  Thank you Jo Hughes for loving and teaching my daughter.

• Gal pal Joylyn Hannahs hosted a lovely FAVORITE THINGS party.  How fun.  We each arrived to the party with four of our favorite three things.  Four jars of chutney, four wool socks and four coffee mugs for a total of 12 items.  You then go in a specified order and choose 12 things from what others have brought.  Like a cookie swap - so much fun!!!

• Basketball season has started for Lilli and she has her first game this weekend.

So, on the cancer front, I remain much the same with the exception of having continuous pain.  Pain in my hips, back, sacrum and femurs.  I am taking pain medicine and will have new scans in December to see if anything has changed.  At my last scan there was noticeable shrinkage in two of my lung tumors!  That's good news.  At that point we have all that we can hope for - no new sites and shrinkage in existing tumors.  God is good, all the time.