Week 2 underway...

My irises are beginning to bloom and the peonies are JUST about to pop. I love it! Just a beautiful time of year. I have purple/white, yellow, yellow/purple and blue irises and they are lovely. I will try to have some pictures up soon of these beauties. We, or more correctly, my family spent a good part of Friday night and Saturday planting more plants and mulching our gardens. Yucky smell, but beautiful outcome! I am thankful for the hard work they all put in, including one of Kristen's friends even when Kristen was working! What a blessing!

Radiation is going okay. I am having quite a bit of swelling on that side with some redness on my scar. While they said it is a normal reaction, it is early to have one at all. So they are watching it and checking every day. I still have some of my side effects but they are diminishing little by little, thankfully!

I'm not always sure what to say to folks when they ask how I am. Realistically, I won't be GREAT til this is done and over with, stuff is out of my system, and I am beyond the fatigue. That will be months. And I don't want to explain that to everyone all the time. But, when I step back and  consider my situation, I am better in a lot of ways because the Lord sustains me when I can't see my way through a dark moment, encourages me when I am tired, and reminds me that I am valuable to Him simply because He loves me. That is something I don't understand! This has been a high-maintenance time of life and I have learned so much...patience in waiting, priorities, etc. But, mostly, I have learned the value of time with the Lord, and that I am truly better than I deserve.

From Jesus Calling, May 2:

Living in dependence on Me is the way to enjoy abundant life. You are learning to appreciate tough times, because they amplify your awareness of My Presence. 

I am definitely more aware of His presence in everything...and I am thankful.

Thankful thoughts:

• The beautiful ride down to Paoli - Rt. 401 holds many lovely sights...flowers, trees, homes, even a longhorn farm with the cutest little baby steer!
• My lovely techs that serve me every day. And the nurse I am quickly growing to like so much. 
• The wisdom and gentleness of Dr. Curry.
• Funny movies that make an audience laugh out loud!  (We saw the "Avengers" this past weekend)
• Marge, one of the other patients who has been an encouragement to me. Wednesday is her last day! She gets to 'ring the bell'.
• The beautiful puzzle that is being worked on in the waiting room. But, they are so quick, I have only gotten to fit in one piece!

Proverbs 16:16

How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver!

Love you all!
Andi